If you’re baking it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-lb turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours if it’s unstuffed, and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours if it’s stuffed.
How long does it take to cook a 20lb turkey at 350 degrees?
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at:
350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours. 325°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I Cook a Turkey at 325 or 350 Degrees? Though “low and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. All of our temperature guides assume you’re cooking at 325, but you can cook it a little warmer for roughly the same, or just a little less time.
How long does a 20 pound turkey take to cook?
Cooking time will vary. For example, a 20 pound turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 hours to cook, check the temperature on the thermometer after 4 1/4 hours.
How long should a 20 lb turkey cook at 325?
How long to cook a turkey per pound? For an unstuffed turkey (fresh or defrosted), the general rule is about 15 minutes per pound at a 325°F regular oven according to the USDA. If you’re using a convection oven, your turkey will cook slightly faster.
Should I cover my turkey with aluminum foil?
We’ve found that covering a turkey in foil yields much moister results than roasting it without foil, and we favor simply covering up the breast to even out cooking time.
What temp should a 20 lb turkey be?
It’s done when the thermometer reads 165ºF.
If the thermometer reads 165ºF, it’s done. If not, slide it back into the oven. Check it again every 15 minutes until it reaches 165ºF. Because the bird will continue to cook after it’s removed from the oven, it’s better to err on a few degrees under rather than over.
Should a turkey be rinsed before cooking?
Should You Rinse a Turkey? In short, no. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), rinsing a raw turkey in the kitchen sink can lead to the spread of bacteria on countertops, nearby food, and other surfaces, which can cause cross-contamination.
Should you take turkey out of fridge before cooking?
Before it goes in the oven, the turkey should be at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge (1 hr for a whole turkey, or 30 mins for a cut) before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool place.
Is it necessary to baste a turkey?
Basting the skin is not necessary to flavor the meat. You’ll flavor the skin, but you’ll also let heat out of the oven each time you open it to baste. “That means the bird is going to be in there for a longer time cooking, which means it’s going to dry out more,” Brown says.
How long to cook a 20 lb turkey covered or uncovered?
Cover the turkey and cook if covered for the first couple hours. You can baste it every 30 minutes if preferred. Cook it uncovered for the last hour and a half so that to turkey turns golden brown.
How long does it take a 20 pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator?
Here’s the calculation: plan on 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey (for example: budget 4 full days of thawing in the fridge for a 20-pound turkey). Keep the turkey wrapped, and occasionally check to see if the baking sheet or roasting pan needs to be drained.
How long should you cook a 20 pound stuffed turkey?
Cover turkey loosely with a tent of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Cooking time takes longer for a stuffed turkey. For example, a 20 pound stuffed turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 1/4 hours to cook.
Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?
Place on the bottom of your roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast-side up on top of the vegetables. Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy.
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?
While some recipes state that turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is safe to consume once it reaches the 165-degree mark. Cooking the breasts past 165 can result in dry meat, but the dark meat can be cooked to 180.
How long should a turkey rest for?
Thanksgiving Help Line
Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.
How do I keep my turkey moist?
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry.
How do you make turkey skin crispy?
Rub the skin with fat.
Once you’ve carefully dried off the skin, the next step you can take to guarantee perfectly crispy turkey skin is to rub it with a fat, like butter or oil. Oil will yield a crispier skin than butter because butter is at least 20 percent water, while oil contains no water.
How often do you baste a turkey?
Most recipes will tell you to baste your turkey every thirty minutes. But our rule of thumb is actually every forty minutes, and here’s why. You don’t want to open the oven too many times, or else the whole bird will take much long to cook, and that’s a huge inconvenience.
How do you cook a twenty pound turkey?
Place the bird, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover the whole pan, tenting the bird, with heavy-duty foil so that it’s well sealed. Place in the oven and roast the turkey for about 10 minutes per pound. (So, for a 20-pound turkey, about 3 1/2 hours; for a 15-pound turkey, about 2 1/2 hours.)
How long do I cook a 21 pound turkey?
Expect it to take 4.5 to 5 hours to cook a 21.5-pound turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit — if your turkey is unstuffed. If it’s full of your favorite stuffing, add at least 15 minutes to the total cooking time. Determine when the turkey is done by internal temperature only.
How long do you cook a turkey at 350 degrees?
We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey.
Why you shouldn’t wash your turkey?
Washing raw meats raises the risk of cross-contamination and could lead to food poisonings like salmonella and campylobacter. Such bacteria can be eliminated with thorough cooking.
Does a Butterball turkey need to be washed?
Should I wash my turkey? “No, you really shouldn’t. The thing that’s great about Butterball turkeys is that they’re all cleaned out and everything like that. And if you wash your turkey, you’re getting raw juices splashing all over your kitchen.
Can I unwrap turkey night before?
4. Unwrap your turkey the night before. Leaving your bird uncovered in the fridge for 8-10 hours before cooking dries out the skin, which will give it that beautifully browned, extra-crispy exterior that we all dream about. 5.
Can I leave my turkey out overnight to thaw?
Can you leave a turkey out to thaw overnight, perhaps? The short answer is no. Here are the wrong ways to thaw your bird and the safest way to thaw a turkey.
Can you clean a turkey the day before cooking?
And other food safety tips. Step away from the sink, and no one will get hurt. You don’t need to wash your turkey before you roast it, and doing so can be dangerous.
Should I put butter on my turkey?
Don’t butter your bird
Placing butter under the skin won’t make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt.
What do you put in the bottom of a turkey pan?
Place chopped onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stalks and add to the vegetables.
Do you add broth when roasting a turkey?
When roasting a turkey without water, the turkey will produce its own flavorful juices. After cooking, you can extend the turkey’s juices with broth or wine, then add it to your gravy for extra flavor.
What do you put in a turkey cavity?
Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
What do you baste turkey with?
You can baste turkey with melted butter or other fat, stock, or drippings from the roasting pan.
What is the perfect temperature for turkey?
The Right Way to Take the Temperature of Your Turkey
The government recommends cooking turkey breast to 165°F (74°C). I prefer my turkey breast at 150°F (66°F), at which point it is far, far juicier (especially if you dry brine it!).
When should I put my turkey in the refrigerator to thaw?
Refrigerator Thawing (Recommended)
If your turkey weighs 16 pounds, it will take about four days to thaw. Once thawed, the turkey is safe for another two days, so you can start thawing it six days before thanksgiving (the Friday before Thanksgiving).
Why do you have to change the water every 30 minutes when thawing a turkey?
The water should be changed every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. The following table shows cold water method thawing times. Changing of the water is done to prevent possible bacteria growth. Once the turkey is defrosted in water, it must be cooked immediately.
Can you put turkey back in fridge after thawing in cold water?
It is safe to cook turkey thawed in cold water then put back in the fridge.
Can I cook turkey at 375?
The Test Kitchen agrees that 375℉ is the best temperature to cook a turkey, because it’s not too hot, not too cold, and cooks quickly enough to ensure that a juicy, flavorful bird is ready by dinnertime.
Where do I put the thermometer in the turkey?
Here are few tips to keep in mind:
- When preparing a whole turkey, insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the turkey breast, the innermost portion of thigh and the innermost portion of the wing.
- Make sure the thermometer does not touch bone, gristle or the pan.
How long do you cook a stuffed turkey at 325 degrees?
Using a 325°F oven, here’s a rough per pound guide from the pros at foodsafety.gov. These stuffed turkey cooking times have been tested and proven to work well by our Test Kitchen team: For 10- to 12-pound turkey, roast 3¼ hours to 3½ hours. For 12- to 14-pound turkey, roast 3½ to 4 hours.
Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?
Do I Cook a Turkey at 325 or 350 Degrees? Though “low and slow” is a good rule for cooking a bird all the way through without burning it, there’s no hard-and-fast rule. All of our temperature guides assume you’re cooking at 325, but you can cook it a little warmer for roughly the same, or just a little less time.
Should you wash turkey?
Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it’s virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.
Do you cook turkey breast side up or down?
The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it’s very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.
Should I cover my turkey with foil while cooking?
To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.
How long should a turkey rest before you carve it?
Before you cut a thing, let your turkey rest — at least 30 minutes — so its juices don’t end up on the cutting board.
How do you rest a turkey after cooking?
Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey out of the tray and rest on a board. Cover loosely with foil for at least an hour while you get on cooking your roast potatoes.
Should you let a turkey come to room temperature before cooking?
Before it goes in the oven, the turkey should be at room temperature, so take it out of the fridge (1 hr for a whole turkey, or 30 mins for a cut) before cooking. Keep it covered in a cool place.
Do you flip a turkey when cooking?
Cook the bird upside down, meaning the breast meat down, then flip it halfway through based on your estimation. If you are using a kettle and have all of your charcoal on one side of the grill, you will also want to rotate the turkey when you flip it so that it doesn’t overcook on one side.
How long do you cook a 20lb turkey at 350?
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at:
350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours.
Do you put an apple in a turkey?
Apples. Consider quartering an apple or two for stuffing your turkey. They will provide the turkey with a little extra moisture during the cooking process and a very subtle flavor that will remind you of fall.
Is it better to cook a turkey on a rack?
The main reason is that a rack literally lifts the turkey off the bottom of the pan. This ensures that hot air circulates around the bird as it’s roasting, producing a more even cook by allowing heat to reach every surface of the skin.
Should you baste a turkey?
Do Not Baste. Basting the skin is not necessary to flavor the meat. You’ll flavor the skin, but you’ll also let heat out of the oven each time you open it to baste. “That means the bird is going to be in there for a longer time cooking, which means it’s going to dry out more,” Brown says.
Should you put water in turkey roasting pan?
Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy.
Should I put water in the bottom of my roasting pan?
No, when roasting, you should not add water to the pan. Water in the pan will steam the food rather than roast it, making the food soggy and less flavorful. This is a good rule for roasting any type of meat.
How do you keep a turkey moist when baking?
Here is a fantastic tip: to protect the turkey breast and keep it juicy: Fold a large square sheet of foil into a triangle. Rub one side of your triangle with olive oil and shape the foil (oil-side-down) over the turkey breast, then remove foil; it will shield your turkey breast and keep it from getting dry.
How long does it take a 20 pound turkey to thaw in the refrigerator?
Here’s the calculation: plan on 24 hours of fridge thawing for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey (for example: budget 4 full days of thawing in the fridge for a 20-pound turkey). Keep the turkey wrapped, and occasionally check to see if the baking sheet or roasting pan needs to be drained.
How long do you cook an unstuffed 20 lb turkey?
Cooking time will vary. For example, a 20 pound turkey will take 4 1/4 to 5 hours to cook, check the temperature on the thermometer after 4 1/4 hours.
Is turkey done at 165 or 180?
While some recipes state that turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the meat is safe to consume once it reaches the 165-degree mark. Cooking the breasts past 165 can result in dry meat, but the dark meat can be cooked to 180.
How long does it take to cook a 22 lb Butterball turkey?
For an unstuffed bird, Butterball recommended the following cooking times:
- 6-7 pounds: 2-2½ hours.
- 7-10 pounds: 2½-3 hours.
- 10-18 pounds: 3-3½ hours.
- 18-22 pounds: 3½-4 hours.
- 22-24 pounds: 4-4½ hours.
- 24-30 pounds: 4½-5 hours.
How do I keep my turkey from drying out?
Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe
- Choose a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one.
- Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one.
- Brine the turkey.
- Rub soft butter under the skin.
- Truss loosely, or not at all.
- Roast the turkey upside down at first.
- Don’t overcook it.
- Let the turkey rest before carving.
How long do you roast a 19 pound turkey?
In an oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, cooking an 18- to 20-pound unstuffed thawed or fresh turkey will take between 4 1/4 and 4 1/2 hours, according to the USDA. This amounts to about 14 minutes of cooking time per pound. For a 19-pound turkey, this comes to about four hours and 26 minutes.