Turkey Roasting Tips
If you’ve searched online for fresh whole turkey roasting instructions, you know they’re not all the same. Some recommend a cooking temperature of 325°; others suggest 350°. Some say to brine fresh birds, others say it’s not necessary. Some say it’s OK to stuff a turkey before cooking, while others advise against it.
Cooking times also vary from recipe to recipe. Furthermore, conditions vary from oven to oven. Few home ovens are perfectly calibrated, so actual temperatures may not match the settings. Many ovens have hot and cool spots, too.
Of course, all of these considerations assume you’ve chosen to roast your turkey, instead of deep frying or smoking it. Let’s stick with roasting for now.
So, how can you determine the best way to cook your turkey? Here’s what we suggest:
Additional information about how to safely prepare your turkey is available from USDA. In a bind, you can get expert assistance by calling their meat and poultry hotline: (888) 674-6854
Cooking times also vary from recipe to recipe. Furthermore, conditions vary from oven to oven. Few home ovens are perfectly calibrated, so actual temperatures may not match the settings. Many ovens have hot and cool spots, too.
Of course, all of these considerations assume you’ve chosen to roast your turkey, instead of deep frying or smoking it. Let’s stick with roasting for now.
So, how can you determine the best way to cook your turkey? Here’s what we suggest:
- We provide roasting instructions with your bird when you pick it up. You can find those same directions on our cooking instructions page.
- Use a meat thermometer. It’s the best way to take the guesswork out of cooking your turkey.
- Our farm-fresh turkeys cook faster than frozen and thawed grocery store varieties, so check the temperature early and monitor it closely. You can always put a turkey back in the oven if necessary, but once it becomes dry from overcooking there’s no going back.
- Brining is optional. When properly roasted these birds won’t dry out, and wet brining can rob them of their superior flavor. (This article by Kenji helps explain why.) If you like an especially moist bird, try dry brining instead.
- Play it safe. Why ruin an otherwise wonderful holiday meal by serving turkey that hasn’t been properly cooked? Monitor the temperature of a leg, a thigh, and a breast, and don’t stop the roasting process until all three have reached 160° The internal temperature will continue to rise to at least 165°F... the safety point.
Additional information about how to safely prepare your turkey is available from USDA. In a bind, you can get expert assistance by calling their meat and poultry hotline: (888) 674-6854