How long should I roast a 20-pound Turkey?
- If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at: 425°F for 3½ to 3¾ hours 400°F for 3¾ to 4 hours 350°F for 4 to 4¼ hours 325°F for 4¼ to 4½ hours
How long does it take to cook a 20lb turkey?
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.
Do you 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 do you cook a 20lb 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 you cook a 20 lb turkey at 350?
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds, roast it at:
- 425°F for 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 hours.
- 400°F for 3 3/4 to 4 hours.
- 350°F for 4 to 4 1/4 hours.
- 325°F for 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours.
Do you cover a turkey when cooking it?
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 does Martha Stewart cook a turkey?
Cover the turkey with cheesecloth that has been soaking in the butter and wine. It should cover the breast and part of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven and roast 30 minutes, then brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey parts with butter mixture and reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
What is the best temperature to cook a turkey?
165°F is the USDA recommended temperature for cooked turkey. The turkey will continue to cook for several minutes after you take it out of the oven, so take it out before the meat reaches those target temperatures. I usually take the the turkey out when the breast reaches 155°F to 160°F, and the thighs 155°F to 165°F.
Do you cook a turkey at 325?
The USDA says a turkey is safe when “cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. This table from the USDA is based on a 325°F oven, and a fully defrosted or fresh bird. (For an unstuffed bird, we’re talking roughly 15 minutes per pound.)
How much turkey should I buy per person?
Here’s the basic rule: one pound of turkey per person. If you want leftovers ― or have big eaters coming to your house this year ― plan 1 1/2 to 2 pounds per person. Stick with that, and your Thanksgiving is off on the right foot.
How do I keep my turkey from drying out?
A: There are only two things at the Thanksgiving table that should be dry: the wine and the humor. For moist meat without the hassle of clearing fridge space to soak the bird in a vat of brining liquid, try a dry brine. Salting a turkey and letting it rest before roasting seasons it deeply and helps it retain moisture.
Where do you put the thermometer in a turkey?
Slip your meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh, pricking the bird just above the crease between the thigh and the place where the turkey breast begins, and driving it into the thigh meat. When the counter reads 165 degrees, your turkey is ready.
How big of a turkey do I need for 20 adults?
Choosing the Right Size Turkey
When choosing a turkey to serve on Thanksgiving, figure 1 1/2 pounds per person. If you are serving 10 people on Thanksgiving, choose a bird that is 15 to 20 pounds. Smaller birds that weigh less than 12 pounds have a smaller meat-to-bone ratio, so figure two pounds per person.