How long does it take to cook a 20 pound fresh 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 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 20 pound turkey in a bag?
8-12 lb turkey: 1 1/2 to 2 hours, 12 to 16 lb turkey: 2 to 2 1/2 hours, 16-20 lb turkey: 2 1/2 to 3 hours, 20-24 lb turkey: 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
How long do you cook a fresh turkey per pound?
You should plan on 15 minutes per pound at 325 degrees for fresh turkeys (Oven temperature may vary. Adjust time and temperature accordingly). Allow an extra hour just in case the turkey doesn’t comply with this time frame. However, be careful not to overcook the bird as this will dry out the meat.
How long do you cook a 20 lb turkey at 350?
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.
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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 20 pound Butterball turkey?
For an unstuffed turkey, Butterball recommended: 6-10 pounds: 1½ -2 hours. 10-18 pounds: 2-2½ hours. 18-22 pounds: 2½-3 hours.
Should I cover my turkey with foil?
Just make sure you uncover the lid about 30 minutes before the turkey’s done roasting so the skin has a chance to get crispy. … Covering the bird with foil mimics what a roaster lid would do — it traps steam and moistness so the turkey doesn’t dry out — all the while allowing the skin to crisp up.
Do you put butter on turkey before cooking?
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 roast a turkey covered or uncovered?
Q: Should I roast the bird covered or uncovered? A: The Butterball folks recommend cooking the turkey uncovered in a roasting pan. Two-thirds of the way through cooking, Butterball says foil can be placed over the breast area to prevent it from drying out.
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.
Does turkey skin get crispy in a bag?
The bag will cut your cooking time down, so go by box directions. Cooking in the bag will give you a juicy turkey but the skin won’t get crispy. If you like brown crispy skin, take the turkey out of the bag for the last 15 minutes of roasting.
Can you cook a turkey upside down in a bag?
Cooking the turkey upside down does help keep the meat moist. I like to use a cooking bag too because it cooks faster and seems to retain more juice.
How soon do you have to cook a fresh turkey?
“The official guideline we tell consumers is that if you’re going to buy a fresh turkey, you do it only one or two days before you plan to cook it,” says Tina Hanes, the team leader for the USDA’s Meat &, Poultry Hotline. “Some stores allow you to pre-order it.
How many people will a 20 lb turkey feed?
For 14 people, buy a 20-pound turkey.
Is cooking a fresh turkey different than a frozen turkey?
The National Turkey Federation says, “There is no quality difference between a fresh and frozen turkey.” We can only assume they’re also referring to “refrigerated” turkeys.
Should you put water in turkey roasting pan?
Add water to the roasting pan to keep the turkey from drying out. Grandma always added water or chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan, at the start of the cooking. This keeps the bird from drying out.
How do I keep my turkey from drying out?
“When roasting the whole bird, the key is to cook the legs longer than the breast,” Tommy says. “Once the breast is cooked, remove the bird from the oven, remove the legs and then put them back in. This stops the breasts drying out.”
Do Butterball turkeys have pop up timers?
Even Butterball, the brand probably most familiar to home cooks, doesn’t endorse the pop-up timer. The company’s birds have “never, never, never” had timers in them, says Carol Miller, supervisor for the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.
How long do you cook a 18 pound Butterball turkey?
16-18 lbs. – 2 1/4-2 1/2 hrs. / 3 1/4-4 hrs. / 2-2 1/2 hrs. Turkey breasts cook up tender and delicious, and are easy to roast when you follow these instructions: Preheat oven to 325° F.
Should you wash a Butterball turkey?
Food safety experts say raw turkeys shouldn’t be rinsed, since that can spread harmful bacteria. Cooking should kill any germs. But bacteria can still spread in other ways, so washing and sanitizing hands and surfaces is still important.
Should turkey roast on bottom rack?
You don’t need a specially designed rack for your roasting pan, but you need something to lift the bird above the bottom of the pan. … If the skin of your turkey turns out flabby, which can happen when roasting at 325 degrees or less, the situation can be saved: make turkey cracklings while the bird rests.
How often should I baste my turkey?
How often to 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.
What rack in the oven should I use to cook a turkey?
The preferred method is to roast the turkey in the center of the lowest rack or oven shelf so the top of the turkey will be centered in the oven. If two racks must be used, place the turkey on the lowest or middle rack. When cooking with two roasting pans, position the pans in opposite corners of the oven.
Should you wash your turkey?
According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There’s only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.
Do you rub turkey with butter or oil?
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.
What oil do you use to rub a turkey?
Instead of basting, rub fat (butter, olive oil or coconut oil, for example) all over the bird just before you tuck it into the oven.
How do you get your turkey golden brown?
How To Make A Crispy, Golden Roast Turkey – YouTube
What do you put in a turkey cavity for flavor?
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.
Should you baste a turkey?
Basting is optional when roasting a turkey. To ensure a moist turkey, the key is to not overcook it. Try using a remote digital thermometer that will alert you when the turkey is fully cooked yet still juicy. If you choose to baste the bird, do so every 30 minutes.
How long can you keep a fresh turkey in the refrigerator?
If properly stored, raw turkey can last in the fridge for 1–2 days, while cold cuts last up to 5 days.
How long does a 22lb turkey take to cook?
How Long to Cook a Turkey
| Turkey Weight | Servings | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 18 lb | 10 to 12 | 3 1/4 to 4 hours |
| 18 to 20 lb | 12 to 14 | 4 to 4 1/4 hours |
| 20 to 22 lb | 14 to 16 | 4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours |
| 23 to 24 lb | 16 to 20 | 5 to 5 1/4 hours |
Can I leave my turkey out overnight to thaw?
You shouldn’t. This might be surprising since many of us have defrosted frozen chicken on the counter at least once, but the answer is a hard “no” when it comes to a full turkey. And in terms of the chicken, you’re really not supposed to thaw it out on the counter anyway.
Do you cut holes in turkey bag?
Make 6 half-inch slits in the top of the bag, to allow steam to escape as the turkey cooks. Tuck corners of the bag in the pan and trim or fold down the end of the bag, to make sure it doesn’t touch the oven or heating elements when it’s cooking. Place the turkey on the lowest rack of your oven to roast.
Where do I put the thermometer in the turkey?
Check Your Turkey’s Temperature with Incredibly Easy Thermometer Placement. Before cooking, if you have an oven safe leave in thermometer, insert the probe into the thigh. The tip of the thermometer should be placed into the thick part of thigh without touching the bone. Remove the turkey when it reaches 180°F.
How do you brown a turkey?
Simply pat the turkey’s skin dry before it goes into the oven, preferably a very hot oven—the hotter the oven, the more quickly the skin will dry out completely and the browning can begin. Once you’ve got the browning underway, you can lower the oven temperature for the remaining cooking time.
Should turkey be at room temperature before cooking?
First, Bring Your Bird to Room Temp
Your turkey will cook more evenly and faster if you start it out at room temperature so remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. If you plan to stuff your turkey, wait until you’re ready to put it in the oven before putting the stuffing in the turkey.
Which side is the turkey breast?
It’s personal preference whether you choose to cook a turkey breast-side up or breast-side down. The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time.
What side of turkey goes up?
How To Tell if a Turkey is Right Side Up – YouTube
How early can I buy a fresh turkey for Thanksgiving?
Fowler suggests shopping at least a month before Thanksgiving to ensure a stress-free holiday. With all of that in mind, the answer to when to buy your Thanksgiving turkey this year is: as soon as possible.
How long is a Butterball fresh turkey good for?
Keep refrigerated.
If you are not confident about the temperature of your refrigerator, cook or freeze the breast within 4 days of purchase. Unopened: Use or freeze within 3 days of sell-by date.
Can a turkey stay in the fridge for a week?
Keep the turkey in its original wrapper. … A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If necessary, a turkey that has been properly thawed in the refrigerator may be refrozen.
Is a 20lb turkey Big?
Choosing the Right Size Turkey
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.
Is a 20 pound turkey Big?
If the result is less than 12 pounds, then multiply by 1.5 since there will be a little less meat. If the result is larger than 15 or 20 pounds then consider getting more than one turkey for the meal.
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What Size Turkey Should you Buy?
| People | Turkey Size |
|---|---|
| 16 | 16-24 lbs |
| 18 | 18-27 lbs |
| 20 | 20-30 lbs |
| 25 | 25-38 lbs |
When should you thaw out a frozen turkey?
Thaw time in the fridge requires about 24 hours for every 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at about 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).
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How Long to Thaw a Frozen Turkey.
| Turkey Weight | How Long to Thaw In the Fridge | How Long to Thaw In Cold Water |
|---|---|---|
| 22 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 days | 11 to 12 hours |
| 24 to 29 pounds | 5 to 6 days | 12 to 15 hours |
Are fresh turkeys worth it?
Most farmers and butchers recommend a fresh turkey. … Fresh turkeys will hold their moisture better than frozen turkeys, bringing out a meaty texture with deeper natural flavors. It is best to preorder a fresh turkey with your local butcher and arrange to pick it up a few days before the holiday.
Is it better to buy a frozen turkey or fresh?
There is no significant difference in quality between a fresh or a frozen turkey, the choice is based on personal prefer- ence. … Most turkeys – and other meat and poultry products – are in- spected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
How long does a fresh turkey last?
Fresh turkey should keep in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. If you wait any longer, the meat might begin to show signs of spoilage. Store the bird in the coldest section of the fridge, and freeze it if you aren’t going to be able to cook it off within 48 hours.