Your question: How long does it take to fully cook a turkey?

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.

How long does it take to cook a 15 pound turkey at 375?

Pour the broth into the roasting pan. Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Rotate the pan, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (dont touch the bone) registers 155 degrees , 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Can you roast a 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.

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Should you wash your turkey?

The CDC says not to wash or rinse raw turkey since its juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils and countertops.

Do you cover a turkey 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 do you cook a 16 pound turkey at 375?

  1. Preparing the bird – Heat oven to 375 degrees. …
  2. Cooking the bird – Estimate 12-15 minutes per pound for stuffed turkeys. …
  3. Testing for doneness – You can either test by checking the temperature or checking the color of the juices. …
  4. Finishing off – Remove bird from the oven.

How long do I need to cook a 13 lb turkey?

10. Calculate turkey cooking time and temperature. The simplest way to figure out turkey roasting times is to calculate 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey (that’s about 3 hours for a 12- to 14-lb. turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.

What’s the rule of thumb for cooking a turkey?

Cooking Time – The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound. So our 16-pound turkey should have taken about 3 1/2 hours to cook. However, some factors like brining the bird, cooking with an empty (un-stuffed) cavity, and leaving the legs un-trussed will contribute to much faster cooking.

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How many hours does it take to cook a 15 pound turkey?

All cook times are based on placing a whole unstuffed turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and into a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven.

How Long to Cook a Turkey.

Turkey Weight Servings Cooking Time
10 to 12 lb 6 to 8 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 hours
12 to 14 lb 8 to 10 2 3/4 to 3 hours
15 to 18 lb 10 to 12 3 1/4 to 4 hours

How long do you bake a 20lb turkey?

Unsure how long you’re supposed to leave the bird in the oven? 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 many hours do you cook a 21 lb 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.

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. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before you roast.

Do you put salt on a turkey?

We recommend brining or salting a turkey to make it moist and flavorful. … Salting turkey in advance is one way to season the meat and keep it juicy. When salt is applied to raw poultry, juices inside are drawn to the surface.

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How do you clean a turkey before cooking it?

Use this expert-recommended hand-washing technique. Use a separate cutting board for raw turkey and follow guidelines for cutting board care. Remove the giblets from the bird and pat the cavity dry with paper towels. Check for any feather quills that may still be connected to the turkey’s skin and pluck them out.

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