How to Cook a Turkey: From Selection to Carving I Taste of Home

Want to learn how to cook a turkey? We've nailed the perfect method for cooking a turkey. Our Test Kitchen pros walk yous footstep-by-step through ownership, prepping and roasting a turkey.

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This is it! Your step-past-step guide to the juiciest, crispiest, most gilded bird Thanksgiving'due south ever seen. Our Taste of Home Test Kitchen has tested, retested and tested this technique again to ensure your bird is cipher but holiday perfection. We've laid out a timeline with all the steps you need to learn how to melt a turkey in the oven—and provided expert tips along the mode.

Best Turkey Cooking Methods

Roast turkey is delicious, but that's not your just option. Hither are some of our favorite culling ways to cook a turkey.

• Deep-fried turkey: Probably the almost popular cooking method adjacent to roasting, deep-fried turkey is crisp, juicy and so much fun to make. A deep-fried turkey means tender, juicy meat that'southward ready in a fraction of the fourth dimension. Follow our step-by-step guide to acquire how to deep-fry a turkey.
• Smoked turkey:  Rich, tender and slightly sweetness, a smoked turkey is one of the most delicious ways to cook a turkey. Smoking is largely hands-off, too, so you tin focus on your other dinner dishes while it cooks.
• Grilled turkey: If you're not fix to give up the chargrilled flavor of summertime barbecue, endeavour grilling your Thanksgiving turkey. Hello, grill marks!
• Slow-cooked turkey: All-time for those hosting Thanksgiving for the offset time, a wearisome-cooked turkey is then like shooting fish in a barrel to make. Plus, y'all can use the drippings to make homemade gravy.
• Instant Pot turkey: Need turkey ASAP? Cooking turkey breast, legs and/or thighs in the Instant Pot tin can get your main dish on the table in an hour or less.
• Air Fryer turkey: For those who don't have the space or equipment to deep fry a turkey just still want that crispy skin, air-frying turkey breast, legs and/or thighs is a great solution.

Psst! Not Thanksgiving yet? This bones timeline works for any turkey-roasting day.

The Calendar week Before Thanksgiving

Buy a Turkey

For the sake of convenience, we recommend starting with a frozen turkey. Programme to caput to the store at least five days earlier you roast. The earlier you lot store, the improve your choices will exist. This guide will walk you lot through the different types of turkey you tin can buy.

When choosing a frozen turkey, size matters. A typical fourteen-pound bird serves 16 people. Want to assure yourself of those valuable leftovers? Add an extra pound or two. Here are more turkey ownership tips that'll help y'all choose the right bird for you lot.

Test Kitchen Tip: This is a smart time to offset gathering ingredients for stuffing, cranberry sauce and green bean casserole. Bank check out our best traditional Thanksgiving recipes, here.

Thaw the Turkey

Don't forget to thaw! Every 4 pounds of frozen turkey will demand 24 hours of thawing time. For a 14-pound bird, plan on pulling the turkey from the freezer five days earlier the big feast. Motion it to the fridge for safe thawing. Take a look at our step-by-step instructions for how to defrost a turkey the right style.

Test Kitchen Tip: Set a calendar alarm on your phone immediately afterwards buying the turkey to remind y'all when yous demand to thaw.

Craft Your Secret Weapon

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Set yourself upwardly for success with this brilliant tip. While the turkey is still in its packaging, devise an oven shield out of aluminum foil. (This will help protect the bird from overbrowning when information technology comes time to roast!) Mold a few sheets of foil around the breast area, then set up bated in a rubber place until roasting day. Check out these other turkey tips from our Test Kitchen.

The Day Before Thanksgiving

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How to Prepare a Turkey

Peel the bird from its packaging and remove all of the giblets (those meaty pieces) from within the turkey. They tend to hide out deep within the bird. Next, remove and toss any large pockets of fatty along the neck. And by the way, here's why you should not wash your turkey before cooking it.

Now the fun starts: Give your bird the rubdown with an ample amount of salt (preferably kosher). Massage it all over the exterior of the turkey. This is the secret to getting that extra-crispy peel nosotros all require on the holidays. Render the bird to the fridge when you've finished.

Test Kitchen Tip: Relieve the neck when removing the giblets. Information technology's the fundamental to making some seriously good gravy.

How practise I make my turkey moist?

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There are many tips for roasting a moist turkey, just i of our favorite methods is brining. This process involves soaking the turkey in a h2o, salt and herb solution overnight to infuse the bird with moisture and flavour. Here's how to brine a turkey the right style, if yous want to try it out.

Another style to add moisture to a turkey is past stuffing it with aromatics like apples, citrus, vegetables and herbs, rather than stuffing. As the turkey roasts, the aromatics will breakdown and boost the bird's moisture.

Assuasive the turkey to rest after it has been roasted is also a proficient tip. This allows the juices to redistribute in the turkey and forbid them from running out when carved.

Thanksgiving Solar day

At last, the big day has arrived! Plan on starting the turkey at least four hours earlier you sit down for dinner, or earlier depending on the size of your bird. Follow this guide to learn the all-time way to cook a turkey. (Desire to kick it upward a notch? Try these flavorful turkey recipes.)

How to Cook a Turkey in the Oven

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Y'all'll demand:

• Whole turkey
• Turkey neck and roughly chopped onion, celery and carrots (optional)

Tools:

• Sharp knives: Whether it'south to trim the turkey before it's roasted or carve information technology up for dinner, a trusty sharp knife or ii is a must. Looking for the best electric knife? Check out what our Test Kitchen thinks are the top performers.
• Meat thermometer: This probe thermometer will alert you exactly when your turkey comes up to temperature. It'south much more reliable than the pop-upwards timers that come up with turkeys.
• Roasting pan: This sturdy roasting pan and grill is on the shallow end to forestall your succulent turkey drippings from called-for off.
• Toothpicks: Your basic toothpick will assist proceed the turkey's peel from shrinking and exposing the meat.

Here are some more turkey tools you might find handy this Thanksgiving.

Step ane: Bring out the Turkey

Remove the turkey from the fridge and permit information technology sit at room temperature for almost 30 minutes. The turkey will cook more evenly by warming up a bit.

Examination Kitchen Tip: This is the perfect time to preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2: Fix the Pan

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The best homemade gravy comes from tasty pan drippings. For this to happen, you'll want to add veggies like roughly chopped onion, celery and carrots to the bottom of the pan forth with the turkey neck and gizzards. Cover with the perforated rack or grill grate. The veggies will assist flavour the drippings too as help protect them from evaporating away in the oven.

Exam Kitchen Tip: If you don't accept a standard roasting pan, feel gratis to employ a broiler pan. The cooking turkey volition be exposed to the heat just as well as a proper roasting pan.

Footstep 3: Season the Turkey

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Pat the turkey dry with paper towels so rub with a little more salt and your favorite seasonings. (Nosotros love the mix listed in this Roasted Sage Turkey recipe.) If yous take fresh herbs, add a handful to the cavity, along with some wine or water. It helps proceed the turkey moist and besides flavors the drippings, making cracking-tasting gravy later. Hither are some more ideas for how to season a turkey.

Exam Kitchen Tip: Instead of using paper towels, endeavour this surprising trick for crispy turkey skin.

Can I season my turkey the nighttime before?

Aye, you can season a turkey the night before you roast information technology. In fact, adding the seasonings the night before tin can really help the flavors infuse more deeply into the bird.

Step four: Secure the Skin

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Our food stylists' all-time-kept undercover: Use toothpicks to secure the skin to the within of the bird near the legs. This step helps brand the bird await extra-glamorous when information technology has finished cooking.

Stride v: Oil It Up

For the last touches, rub the skin with oil. (Yeah, we prefer to use oil instead of butter!) Canola, vegetable or olive oil all work well. This helps give the bird crispier peel and an allover golden dark-brown glow.

Step 6: Go Roasting

At last! Grab your oven mitts, because it's time to cook a turkey. Check out our roasting chart below for approximate cooking times.

We've constitute it best to starting time past roasting turkey at a high temperature (425°F) to help speed up the cooking fourth dimension. (This also helps to make the legs and thighs extra crispy!) About 40 minutes in, reduce the oven temperature to 325-350°F for the residuum of the roasting fourth dimension.

Test Kitchen Tip: Slide the turkey into the oven legs first. The reason? Oven temps are often warmer near the back. This mode, the thighs volition get the college heat they need, while the chest cooks in the lower heat by the door. Also, endeavor to resist the urge to peek within the oven while the turkey'due south roasting. Opening the door cools the oven, adding extra cooking time.

How long exercise you cook a turkey for?

Non sure how long to bake a turkey? The roasting times provided in this chart are for defrosted poultry that is refrigerator cold.

We don't recommend stuffing the turkey, only if y'all insist on doing and then, add 15 to 45 minutes to the roasting fourth dimension. The temperature of the stuffing must read at least 165°.

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Merely what nigh basting?

We know Grandma lovingly basted her turkeys over and over, saying information technology would keep the meat juicy. However, the opposite is true. Each fourth dimension you open the door while baking a turkey, y'all're cooling the oven besides as the outside of the bird. This means the turkey volition accept longer to cook. More time in the oven causes the meat to dry and the skin to go soggy instead of crispy.

Step 7: Check the Temperature and Remove

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When yous feel confident that the bird is shut to finished, bank check its temperature using an instant-read thermometer (nosotros use this thermometer and timer combo from ThermoWorks). Insert the pin of the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, beingness careful not to come into contact with the os (this volition throw off the reading!).

Remove the turkey from the oven when the internal temperature is 5 degrees below the desired doneness. Don't worry, information technology'll still be rubber to eat. Turkeys go on to cook even later on being removed from the oven in a process known as carryover cooking. By removing the bird early on, you lot're really ensuring that information technology doesn't overcook or dry out out.

Step 8: Let It Rest

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Later yous take the turkey out of the oven, allow information technology stand for 20 to thirty minutes before carving.

Test Kitchen Tip: We've constitute that you don't need to cover it with foil during standing as many recipes tell you to practice. This traps steam between the foil and the peel, causing it to get soggy. We hope it will stay warm.

Step ix: Brand Turkey Gravy

While the turkey is resting, turn those turkey drippings into a flavorful homemade gravy. To exercise then, pour the drippings into a 2-cup measuring glass and skim off the fat. Add plenty broth to the remaining drippings to fill up the measuring drinking glass to the 2 cup mark. Transfer the dripping and goop to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

In a pocket-sized bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of milk together until smooth and and then slowly whisk the slurry into the drippings. Season the gravy with 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon granules, 1/iv teaspoon of poultry seasoning and a nuance of white pepper. Bring the gravy back to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes or until thickened.

Stride 10: Carve the Turkey

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One of the most important parts of cooking a turkey is knowing how to cleave a turkey the right way. Not only does proper carving make your turkey pieces look the best they can, it helps prevent the turkey from getting tough and chewy. Watch the video above or expect at this guide to larn how to carve a turkey.

Step 11: Bask!

There's merely ane thing left to do—dig in! This crispy, aureate brown wonder will steal the show and delight friends and family. Requite yourself a pat on the back and savour the spoils.

In the days afterwards Thanksgiving, repurpose any leftovers into these succulent leftover turkey recipes, including soups, sandwiches, casseroles and much more. Need a intermission from Thanksgiving flavors? No worries, just make sure y'all know how long leftovers are expert for.

No-Fail Turkey Recipes

Herb-Glazed Turkey

Honey and corn syrup blend with savory herbs and seasonings to requite my turkey a slightly sweet flavor. My tried-and-true recipe never fails to win compliments. —Charlene Melenka, Vegreville, Alberta

Grilled Huli Huli Turkey Drumsticks

I'm never one to do things traditionally, then when it came time to hosting Thanksgiving, I went in a completely tropical management. Borrowing my favorite Hawaiian chicken recipe, I substituted turkey legs and have never looked back. —Jacyn Siebert, San Francisco, California

Force per unit area-Cooker Italian Turkey Breast

This recipe makes some of the nigh succulent turkey I've ever eaten. High in lean poly peptide, it's a smart entree for a special occasion. —Jessica Kunz, Springfield, Illinois

Apple tree-Sage Roasted Turkey

A hint of apple flavor gives a slightly sweet spin to a holiday dinner's primary event. The lovely scent wafting from your kitchen as this turkey cooks will have everybody talking. —Suzy Horvath, Milwaukie, Oregon

Turkey Lattice Pie

With its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish looks as good as information technology tastes. Information technology's easy to make, as well, since it uses prepare-to-become crescent roll dough. —Lorraine Naig, Emmetsburg, Iowa

Herbed Roast Turkey Chest

When learning how to melt turkey breast for my first formal dinner political party as a newlywed, I came across this particular recipe. It was such a success that this turkey breast recipe has get a standby on all my entertaining menus. —Lisa Mahon Fluegeman, Cincinnati, Ohio

Romano Basil Turkey Chest

Guests will be impressed when you slice this gilded, grilled turkey breast, dressed up with a flavorful layer of basil and cheese nether the skin. —Darlene Markham, Rochester, New York

Mediterranean Turkey Potpies

Your clan will love these wonderful stick-to-the-ribs potpies with a Mediterranean twist. I always use the leftovers from our large holiday turkey to prepare this recipe. I think my family unit enjoys the potpies more than the original feast! —Marie Rizzio, Interlochen, Michigan

Pressure-Cooker Herbed Turkey Breasts

Tender turkey breast is enhanced with an assortment of flavorful herbs in this juicy, comforting dish. —Laurie Mace, Los Osos, California

Turkey Breast Tenderloins with Raspberry Sauce

Sweet and tangy raspberry sauce is a perfect complement to versatile turkey tenderloins. In fact, this sauce is so practiced, yous'll be tempted to consume it with a spoon. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Herbed Stuffing

I'm all for turkey dinner, peculiarly around the holidays. A whole turkey won't fit in my slow cooker, and then thank goodness for turkey breast. I cook it with my grandma's easy stuffing recipe for a happy meal that doesn't crave any difficult work. —Camille Beckstrand, Layton, Utah

Turkey Bundles

This recipe is definitely a must-try, and all you do is bundle up creamy turkey filling in crescent dough. I usually double the recipe so I take extra for lunch the next mean solar day. —Lydia Garrod, Tacoma, Washington

Butter & Herb Turkey

My kids love a turkey meal, and this one falls off the bone. It's the platonic recipe for special family times and holidays. —Rochelle Popovic, Due south Bend, Indiana

Peppery Herbed Turkey Tenderloin

I won the North Carolina Turkey Cook-Off one yr with these total-flavored tenderloins in rich sauce. Marinating the turkey in wine, garlic, rosemary and thyme gives information technology a fantastic taste. —Virginia Anthony, Jacksonville, Florida

Roasted Sage Turkey with Vegetable Gravy

At that place's no prep like dwelling-way when roasting the big bird. Instead of sage stuffing with turkey, fill this bird with fresh sage and thyme sprigs for the same delicious flavors. —Beth Jacobson, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Spatchcocked Herb-Roasted Turkey

This moist and tender turkey cooks up with even browning and crispy skin in half the time of a whole turkey. —Matthew Hass, Ellison Bay, Wisconsin

Pressure-Cooker Turkey with Berry Compote

This succulent dish gives you a way to get all that yummy turkey flavor without heating upwardly the business firm, and the berries make the perfect summer sauce. For a browner turkey, only broil it for a few minutes before serving. —Margaret Bracher, Robertsdale, Alabama

Turkey Cutlets with Pan Gravy

Using cutlets or any boneless meat speeds upwards cooking fourth dimension for this quick entree. Yous tin use thin boneless, skinless chicken chest likewise. —Margaret Wilson, Sun City, California

Creole Roasted Turkey with Holy Trinity Stuffing

I jazz up turkey Creole fashion with the trinity of onions, bell peppers and celery—plus a stuffing that gets hotter and hotter the longer it sits. —Eric Olsson, Macomb, Michigan

Turkey Biscuit Stew

This chunky stew makes a hearty supper, specially in the fall and winter. It'salso a great mode to employ extra turkey during the holidays. —Lori Schlecht, Wimbledon, North Dakota

Thanksgiving Stuffed Turkey

I've tried fancy stuffing recipes for our holiday bird, but none hits the spot like my mother'southward simple mixture of staff of life, eggs and caramelized vegetables. Take it on whatever holiday. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Maple-Sage Brined Turkey

When the leaves start turning, it's turkey time at our firm. We use maple-sage brine to help dark-brown the bird and make the meat incredibly juicy. —Kim Forni, Laconia, New Hampshire

Slow-Cooked Herbed Turkey

When herbs are plentiful in my garden, I fix this turkey recipe. The turkey stays moist in the boring cooker and is bursting with herb flavors. When I served this to our Bible study potluck grouping, anybody wanted the recipe! —Sue Jurack, Mequon, Wisconsin

Turkey Cordon Bleu Casserole

Impress your holiday visitors with this fancier twist on the traditional casserole. —Kristine Blauert, Wabasha, Minnesota

Rosemary Turkey Chest

I flavour turkey with a blend of rosemary, garlic and paprika. Because I rub one-half of the mixture directly on the meat under the skin, I can remove the pare before serving and not lose any of the season. The result is an entree that'due south lower in fat, notwithstanding delicious—the perfect centerpiece for vacation meals. —Dorothy Pritchett, Wills Point, Texas

Happy Orange Turkey

Here'due south the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving feast. Champagne and oranges flavor this special bird that volition go i of your favorite turkey recipes ever. —Tara Baier, Menomonie, Wisconsin

Gilded Apricot-Glazed Turkey Breast

Basted with a uncomplicated glaze, this wonderfully moist and tender turkey bakes to a lovely gold brown. Make it the centerpiece of your vacation table; guests volition be glad you did. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas

Turkey & Spinach Stuffing Goulash

I know dried cranberries may seem like an odd ingredient to include in this dish, but they add together only a hint of sugariness that makes an piece of cake casserole so special. —Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware

Thyme Roasted Turkey

It's easy for flavors to become lost when using too many seasonings together. When in doubt, a unproblematic combination of butter and fresh thyme captures the essence of Thanksgiving for a classic turkey dinner. —Alma Winberry, Great Falls, Montana

Make-Ahead Turkey and Gravy

Ease the holiday time crunch with a brand-ahead turkey recipe that'south ready to serve when y'all are. Information technology's a great pick for potlucks, too. —Marie Parker, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Stuffed Turkey with Mojo Sauce

I beloved Latin food then I created this recipe that combines wonderful spices and fresh ingredients. This is a traditional turkey recipe with a healthier twist because it uses chicken sausage instead of chorizo. —Melissa Lauer, San Antonio, Texas

Turkey Dumpling Stew

My mom fabricated this stew when I was young, and it was always a hit. Since it's non time-consuming to make I can fix it on a weekend for our children, who dear the tender dumplings. —Becky Mohr, Appleton, Wisconsin

Marinated Thanksgiving Turkey

My family unit enjoys this Thanksgiving turkey because it cooks upwards tender, tasty and aureate brown. Build upwardly flavor by marinating the meat, then grill it to add a tempting barbecued flavour. —Ken Churches, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Moist & Tender Turkey Chest

This easy turkey recipe is sure to be popular in your habitation. Everyone will love the gustatory modality, and you lot'll beloved how quickly it comes together. —Heidi Vawdrey, Riverton, Utah

Roasted Turkey with Maple Cranberry Glaze

I set turkey with a gustatory modality of Canada in mind. The sweet maple flavor comes through fifty-fifty in the breast meat. You may beginning to detect information technology's caramelized color afterwards about 2 hours. That'south when I cover it loosely with foil while it finishes cooking. The meat volition stay tender and juicy. —Suzanne Anctil, West Vancouver, British Columbia

Minestrone with Turkey

I remember my mom making this soup; now I make it for my kids as often equally I tin can. Information technology's a practiced fashion to use upward leftover vegetables. Sometimes I add together a tin can of rinsed and drained kidney or garbanzo beans. —Angela Goodman, Kaneohe, Hawaii

Turkey in a Pot

I use this recipe often equally an like shooting fish in a barrel Sunday dinner idea. The turkey breast has a vacation feel when served with the cranberry gravy seasoned with cinnamon, cloves and allspice. —Lois Woodward, Okeechobee, Florida

Fruit-Glazed Roast Turkey

Apple, cranberry and raspberry flavors blend with fresh herbs in a tangy glaze for the roasted turkey. It's a welcome change to a traditional entree. —Aysha Schurman, Ammon, Idaho

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chest with Gravy

This quick-prep recipe lets you banquet on turkey at any time of year. Nosotros salve the rich broth for gravy, noodles and soup making. —Joyce Hough, Annapolis, Maryland

Turkey-Blimp Acorn Squash

We stuff acorn squash with leftovers like turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce. Make as much or as little equally you need to use everything up. —Cindy Romberg, Mississauga, Ontario

Citrus & Herb Roasted Turkey Breast

This recipe volition brand yous dearest turkey over again. Brining with lemon, rosemary and orange juice makes it and then moist and flavorful. It'due south the star attraction at our table. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

Thanksgiving Stuffed Shells

Leftover turkey, dressing and sweet potatoes brand terrific stuffing for colossal pasta shells. We add together cheese and use turkey gravy every bit the sauce for this crowd-pleaser. —Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Isle

Honey-Citrus Glazed Turkey

A turkey breast is enough for u.s., merely you tin can roast a whole bird if y'all're feeding a big group. Either manner, this super-succulent turkey wins the twenty-four hours. —Peter Halferty, Corpus Christi, Texas

Spiced & Grilled Turkey

My fiance loves to grill, so for the holidays we decided to grill our turkey instead of deep frying information technology. It was the best we'd ever tasted! Having the brine in the pan under the turkey catches the drippings, merely also keeps everything squeamish and moist. Start with the breast downwards, and so flip to the other side. —Sydney Botelho, Columbia, Due south Carolina

Flossy Turkey Casserole

I sometimes make turkey but so I take the extras for the casserole! —Mary Jo O'Brien, Hastings, Minnesota

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