How long to rest turkey after cooking

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The holiday season is upon us, which means it's one bird's time to be the star of the show: the turkey.

The trouble is, turkey has a reputation of being dry and bland.

In a bid to keep the meat moist, some people cover their turkey in foil immediately after taking it out of the oven, in the hope that this will keep the juices in.

However, this is actually one of the worst things you can do, Paul Kelly of KellyBronze turkeys — who have long supplied birds to TV chef Jamie Oliver — said at a turkey masterclass in London, which Insider went to in 2018.

There are fewer things more daunting than staring at a gigantic, naked turkey on Christmas morning, especially if you’ve never cooked one before.

But it doesn’t have to be all Nightmare Before Christmas! We’re here so that when your guests start arriving on the big day, you aren’t flapping about your bird being raw or undercooked.

We’ve teamed up with our friends at Kelly Turkeys to put together a checklist of helpful tips, tricks, timings and advice to make sure that your centrepiece is a real showstopper.

1. First things first, make sure your turkey is going to fit into the oven. Does it? Good.
2. You’re going to need a roasting tin that’s big enough for the bird with room to spare, and deep enough to catch all the fat and cooking juices.
3. Make a note of the weight of your bird, and check it again if you have scales big enough at home. Knowing the exact weight will ensure the cooking time is correct, and thus avoid an overcooked and dry bird, or a raw one.
4. Get your timings right. And don’t forget to leave time for your turkey to rest when it comes out of the oven. Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours.
5. Heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4
   4-5kg – cook 2¼ to 2½ hours
   5-6kg – cook 2½ to 3 hours
   6-7kg – cook 3 hours to 3½ hours
   7-8kg – cook 3½ to 4 hours
   8-9kg – cook 4 to 4¼ hours
   9-10kg – cook 4¼ to 4½ hours
6. Get your turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it. You’ll get less shrinkage when it goes into a hot oven.
7. Always preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes before cooking your turkey.
8. Place a trivet of veggies and onions in the bottom of the tray to help make an epic gravy with all the juices.
9. Cover the turkey loosely with foil, but remove it just under an hour before the timing is up to get the turkey nicely browned.
10. Roast your bird for the calculated time, or until the juices run clear from the thigh if you pierce it with a knife or a skewer. 
11. Supermarket high-welfare turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 70ºC. If you have a dry-plucked, dry-aged, excellent quality bird, you can cook it to 65ºC, as it should be a safer product to eat.
12. Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey out of the tray and rest on a board. Cover loosely with foil for at least an hour while you get on cooking your roast potatoes.

    Picture this: It's Thanksgiving morning. You've spent hours—maybe even days—preparing. You've laid out your Thanksgiving table settings and set out tasteful Thanksgiving decorations. Family and friends will be pulling into the driveway soon. You're mixing up a couple fall cocktail recipes. You've even got a fire in the fireplace.

    This year, you're doing Thanksgiving potluck-style. You've encouraged folks to bring their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and Thanksgiving desserts. All you have to do is roll out the bar cart when guests arrive, plus bring the main attraction at dinnertime: That golden brown, perfectly cooked turkey everyone looks forward to!

    But wait! When does the turkey need to go into the oven? And at what temperature? How long does it to take to cook a turkey? Should you have gotten up early to start cooking it? And— oh shoot — does it need to be defrosted first?

    You wouldn't win too many awards for hostess of the year if the turkey turns out completely inedible. Luckily, we're here to help ensure your bird is cooked perfectly — not dry as Uncle Bob's boots. Follow these helpful tips and your turkey will be the star of the Thanksgiving table, guaranteed.

    What You Need for a Perfectly Cooked Turkey

    Circulon Circulon 56539 Nonstick Roasting Pan / Roaster with Rack - 17 Inch x 13 Inch, Gray

    

    Circulon Circulon 56539 Nonstick Roasting Pan / Roaster with Rack - 17 Inch x 13 Inch, Gray

    • 1 20-lb turkey (for smaller birds, see cook times below)
    • Aromatics: 1 quartered white or yellow onion, 3 carrots, 3 celery stalks, fresh herbs (such as sage, and thyme)
    • A large, heavy-duty roasting pan with a rack
    • Unsalted butter
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • Baker's twine
    • Aluminum foil
    • An instant-read thermometer

    Fully Defrosting the Turkey

    Ideally, you want start defrosting upwards of a week in advance. A frozen turkey will take approximately one (1) day for every 4 pounds to defrost in the fridge — which is the best way to do it, though there are faster methods.

    So to properly defrost a 20-pound turkey, plan for between 5 and 6 days for the bird to be fully thawed. To thaw, simply set the turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet and slide it in the fridge (cover with plastic wrap if it's not already wrapped). It really is as simple as that!

    Preheat the Oven

    Low and slow is the best way to cook a turkey so when you're ready to start, preheat the oven to 325ºF. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator. Unwrap it (if applicable) and remove the neck and giblets. (Save the neck for roasting and the giblets for gravy.) Let the turkey sit at room temperature for an hour while the oven heats up.

    What's the Best Temperature for Cooking a Turkey?

    You can find recipes that suggest cooking a turkey at temperatures ranging from 325°F to 375°F or even higher. While higher temperatures will cook the bird faster, we find that they also increase the risk of an overcooked, dry, or even a burnt turkey. That's why we recommend 325°F.

    
    Tetra Images//Getty Images

    Don't Wash That Bird!

    Recipes at late as the 1980s and 1990s often included instructions for washing your turkey ahead of time to remove salmonella. However, research found this isn't necessary. Not only will the cooking process completely kill any bacteria, but washing just splashes raw-turkey juices and bacteria all over your sink and counter. Yuck!

    Season That Bird!

    When cooking anything, always start seasoning at the beginning of the cooking process so that you can build the flavors as you go. The same goes here. Place the neck and half of the aromatics in the roasting pan; top with the roasting rack. Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up, and fold the wings under; this makes for a nicer presentation.

    Loosen the skin over the breast meat and rub the butter between the skin and meat. Season the large cavity with plenty of salt and pepper; stuff with the remaining aromatics. Tie the legs together with baker's twine. Season the outside of the turkey with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup water in the pan to prevent the vegetables from scorching.

    

    Do I Need to Brine or Baste My Turkey?

    Grandma might have done either (or both) but in fact most of the time brining isn't necessary, and basting isn't helpful. If you've bought a heritage turkey or are cooking a wild turkey, you may want to brine it, but most store-bought turkeys are more than moist enough when you get them, so brining does little. (You can dry brine the bird to help impart the seasoning throughout the meat but it isn't 100% necessary.)

    As for basting, buttering the turkey ahead of time will help keep the meat moist and will do much more to achieve a golden-brown crispy exterior - bonus, you won't have to constantly be opening the oven, which reduces the heat and lengthens the cooking time.

    How to Cook the Turkey

    Weber Weber 6750 Instant Read Thermometer

    

    Weber Weber 6750 Instant Read Thermometer

    Make sure the oven rack is in the lowest position—this will help the bottom of the turkey cook while protecting the more delicate breast meat on top. Slide the roasting pan into the oven, close the door, and wait!

    After about 2-3 hours, take a peek. If the skin is starting to get too brown, gently lay a piece of buttered foil over the turkey. If not, keep roasting.

    The surest way to tell when the turkey is done is to test the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. It's done when the thermometer reads 165ºF. At 20 pounds, it should take between 4 to 4 1/2 hours to come to temperature. Here are some other cook times if your bird weighs differently:

    • 10-12 pounds: cook 2 3/4 to 3 hours
    • 15-16 pounds: cook 3 1/2 to 4 hours

    You'll want to start testing it at about 1/2 to 1 hour before it's supposed to be done to be sure that it doesn't get overcooked. To do this, remove the roasting pan from the oven (close the oven door, you don't want to lose all the heat!) and slide the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh (the easiest way to find this is to insert the thermometer into the crease between the leg and the breast), making sure you don’t touch any bones.

    If the thermometer reads 165ºF, it's done. If not, slide it back into the oven.

    Check it again every 15 minutes until it reaches 165ºF. Because the bird will continue to cook after it's removed from the oven, it's better to remove the bird when it's few degrees under rather than over.

    Let That Turkey Rest!

    When the turkey is cooked, transfer it to a large cutting board and lay a large piece of aluminum foil over the top. Let it rest between 45 minutes to 1 hour while you make the gravy. After that, carve and enjoy!

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    How do you rest a turkey after cooking?

    Once your turkey is cooked and cooled to room temp, you want to refrigerate the bird at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or eat well within two hours of removing the bird from the oven. For hot, juicy meat, you want your turkey to be ready 15 to 20 minutes before you begin your feast.

    Should I let my turkey sit out after cooking?

    How can you be sure your leftovers are safe? A turkey can sit out for a maximum of two hours in the temperature danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees F. If the room temperature is above 90 degrees, limit the time that turkey sits out to only one hour.

    How long is too long to rest a turkey?

    According to the USDA, you shouldn't leave turkey at room temperature longer than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F.

    Do you cover turkey when resting?

    3. The turkey needs to rest before carving. About 45 minutes or so gives it time to reabsorb the juices; otherwise they'll dribble out when you slice, and the meat will be dry. Don't tent the turkey with foil to keep it warm while it's resting; it's unnecessary and will make the skin soggy.