Nov 11, 2022, Updated Jan 26, 2024
How to cook a turkey
Cooking a turkey can be intimidating for not just a new cook, but even for a seasoned home cook who is simply not used to cooking a massive beast. Happily, it is actually really easy. The two main things to aim for are: We’re not reaching for the stars, here! In order to achieve this:
Grab a cooking thermometer. (That one is sixteen bucks and has lasted me for years.) I can’t stress enough the importance of this tool To further simplify, buy fresh. I find it juicier and easier to manage planning-wise. That means arranging in advance to buy one up to 5 days ahead. Consider placing an order with your butcher or grocery store (as they often sell out). If you do buy frozen, make sure your turkey is thawed completely before cooking – this can take several days in the fridge, so plan accordingly. Nothing like a semi-frozen thigh to ensure an over-cooked breast. Cook at a low oven temperature. There are methods I’ve tried that involve starting at 400ºF or hotter and then lowering the heat. Although this allows a turkey to cook faster, it also gives more opportunity to dry out the parts that are more exposed to direct heat (like the lean breast meat).
A simple turkey recipe
I keep things really simple, that’s how to cook a turkey without stress.
Simple seasoning: melted butter, coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper all over the bird. No basting: repeatedly opening the oven ultimately increases cooking time, so what you gain in flavoured skin, you lose in moistness of the white meat. No stuffing: don’t stuff the turkey, because it’s a food safety issue – in order for stuffing to reach a safe internal temperature, the breast will almost certainly be dried out. Stuffing cooked outside of the turkey is also much lower in fat and calories so you can eat MORE. Don’t bother brining. As long as you pay attention to the internal temperature and don’t overcook the turkey, this cumbersome extra step is unnecessary. Rest the turkey. This step is as important as not overcooking it. It allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat rather than running out all over your cutting board and being lost forever.
How to check for doneness
For most roasts, I recommend removing it from the oven at a lower temperature than the final internal temperature goal. This is because of carryover cooking, which means the temperature continues to rise as the meat sits. I don’t do this for turkey, however. A turkey roast is so large that there are inevitably parts that are higher and lower in temperature. I prefer to stay on the safe side and reach the 165ºF necessary to ensure nobody gets turkey with a side of salmonella. Insert your cooking thermometer into many parts of the bird. That’s how to cook a turkey fully without concern for food safety. I test the temperature of:
the thickest part of the thigh in the bottom of the bird under the leg in the thickest part of the breast in around the wing and a few more spots for good measure
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