What is the best temperature to bake a turkey at?

What oven temperature to cook a turkey: Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven (or follow recipe instructions). See how long to cook a turkey.

What temperature do you cook a turkey on?

What temperature to cook the turkey? Preheat the oven to 450°F then drop the temperature to 350°F after putting the turkey into the oven. What temperature should the turkey be? The turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165° in the thickest part of the thigh.

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 turkey at 450 degrees?

Steps

1. Move oven rack to lowest position; heat oven to 450°F. …
2. On rack in shallow roasting pan, place turkey breast side up. …
3. Roast uncovered 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes, watching carefully. …
4. Turkey is done when thermometer reads 165°F and drumsticks move easily when lifted or twisted.

What temperature do you cook a large turkey at?

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Smear the butter all over the turkey and season with salt and pepper. Put in a roasting tin, breast-side up, and roast for 40 mins per 1kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for every 1kg over that weight, or until the internal temperature reaches 65-70C.

How long does it take to cook a turkey in the oven 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 turkey), or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.

How do I keep my turkey moist?

Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe

1. Choose a fresh turkey instead of a frozen one. …
2. Roast two small turkeys rather than one large one. …
3. Brine the turkey. …
4. Rub soft butter under the skin. …
5. Truss loosely, or not at all. …
6. Roast the turkey upside down at first. …
7. Don’t overcook it. …
8. Let the turkey rest before carving.

Is it better to cook a turkey covered or uncovered?

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 should a 20 lb turkey cook at 325?

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 long should you cook a turkey at 325?

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.)

Can you cook a turkey on 400 degrees?

400°F is the perfect temperature for cooking a whole bird. You’ll get crispy skin without compromising tenderness. Depending on the size of your bird, it should take anywhere from 3-6 hours to roast at 400°F. … Here’s a great time chart for turkey roasting.

How do you cook a turkey at 400 degrees?

Put the turkey in the oven at 400°F, uncovered. For the 15 lb turkey, start the cooking at 400°F for the first 20 minutes to brown it. Then reduce the heat to 325°F for the next 1 to 2 hours, until the internal temperature of breast reaches about 140°F to 145°F or so.

How long do you cook a turkey at 425?

Roasting time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast the turkey until a thigh registers 180° F, 4 to 4½ hours total.

Is it better to cook a turkey at a lower temperature?

It’s okay to cook the bird over temperature.

The meat will seize and then yield and become even more tender as it cooks, so I typically cook my bird to 180 F. Tent the bird with foil if you notice it browning too quickly.

What is the lowest safe temperature to cook a turkey?

Make it safe – The United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) recommends temperatures no lower than 325 degrees Fahrenheit for cooking meat and poultry. Cook turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Should I start my turkey at a higher temperature?

I find it is best to start the turkey at a fairly high temperature (400°F), roast for about twenty minutes and then lower the heat to 350°F for the remainder of the cooking time. Sometimes I forget to lower the oven, though, and the turkey still comes out fine, just perhaps a little darker than I would like!