Turkey Cook Time

[lucky-E-leven]

I was hoping to gain a general consensus on how much time per pound a turkey is cooked. I've got a 25 pounder to put in a state of golden deliciousness by around 1 pm tomorrow and am trying to settle on a time to get up and begin the process of butterly lurve.

Right now I'm figuring about 7 hours outta do it. Whaddaya think?

~lucky

 

[entitled]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp

That help?

 

[MichelleLovesTo]

4 - 4.5 if not stuffed. An hour more if stuffed. That's according to Butterball.com

 

[lil_elvis]

I was hoping to gain a general consensus on how much time per pound a turkey is cooked. I've got a 25 pounder to put in a state of golden deliciousness by around 1 pm tomorrow and am trying to settle on a time to get up and begin the process of butterly lurve.

Right now I'm figuring about 7 hours outta do it. Whaddaya think?

~lucky

Stuffed or unstuffed? Oven temp? Start hot (450) and cut back (350 or 325)? Or just one steady temp?

Glad you asked huh?

Whatever the procedure, always best to check the temp of the upper thigh, as it's the slowest to part to cook. Even with one of them pop up thingies - that only tells you that the breast is cooked.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp

That help?

Yes and no.
Lots of cool and interesting facts, but the guide I have says 5 1/2 hrs - 6 hrs for a 20-24 lb bird. That's why I'm asking for experience. I typically cook mine a little longer than even my guide suggests and your guide recommends even shorter time.

IS THERE NO STANDARD?

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Stuffed or unstuffed? Oven temp? Start hot (450) and cut back (350 or 325)? Or just one steady temp?

Glad you asked huh?

Whatever the procedure, always best to check the temp of the upper thigh, as it's the slowest to part to cook. Even with one of them pop up thingies - that only tells you that the breast is cooked.

Unstuffed. 350. Constant from start to finish. Foil tent for first 2/3 cook time.

I don't use pop ups.

 

[hugo_sam]

Yes and no.
Lots of cool and interesting facts, but the guide I have says 5 1/2 hrs - 6 hrs for a 20-24 lb bird. That's why I'm asking for experience. I typically cook mine a little longer than even my guide suggests and your guide recommends even shorter time.

IS THERE NO STANDARD?

I agree with you Lucky. A little onger than the guide always seems to work. The thiing I do know about cooking turkeys is how to make them moister but not as pretty. I you cook it breast down, the are not the picture book golden pretty but he whole bird is juicy and more edible. None of the guides tell this but it really works. Once I tried it, never have cooked breast up again. It keeps the breast in the juices and turns out so much tastier.
My 2 cents for what it's worth.
Best of luck

Hugo

 

[lucky-E-leven]

I agree with you Lucky. A little onger than the guide always seems to work. The thiing I do know about cooking turkeys is how to make them moister but not as pretty. I you cook it breast down, the are not the picture book golden pretty but he whole bird is juicy and more edible. None of the guides tell this but it really works. Once I tried it, never have cooked breast up again. It keeps the breast in the juices and turns out so much tastier.
My 2 cents for what it's worth.
Best of luck

Hugo

Cool trick. I get part of that effect with my tent thingie. Holds the moisture in and lets it build up until it rains down on the breastesses. Deeelicious so far, but I might try that next time...and with a smaller bird.

 

[hugo_sam]

Cool trick. I get part of that effect with my tent thingie. Holds the moisture in and lets it build up until it rains down on the breastesses. Deeelicious so far, but I might try that next time...and with a smaller bird.

Hey good luck. Just trying to help. I am a scratch cook and kind of play it by ear. Like I promised someone I was going to try and write down my cornbread sage dressing recipe. Never did, but it is all in my head. 2 pones of cornbread, pinch of this dab of that. Don't ever use a measuring device.
Have a good turkey day with the familiy.
Best wishes.

Hugo

 

[lil_elvis]

Unstuffed. 350. Constant from start to finish. Foil tent for first 2/3 cook time.

I don't use pop ups.

The time/temp scales should only serve as a guide.

The thigh needs to be about 150/155 and should give you a carry over of at least 5 deg while it rests before carving. Instead of tenting, you might try cheese cloth (soaked in swill of the day white wine and butter) over the breast and wings. It holds more moisture over the white meat as you baste better than foil and helps prevent drying. Remove it for the last 30 min or so the skin crisps up.

I put the probe in the bird at the start of cooking (it runs on a wire to an external display) so I can see how it's progressing and know when to start cooking the rest of the meal.

Sorry if this was a TMI post.



I know, you use strap ons.

 

[entitled]

You probe your turkeys?

 

[lil_elvis]

You probe your turkeys?

Yup, that's why everyone wants to know the secret to my stuffing.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

The time/temp scales should only serve as a guide.

The thigh needs to be about 150/155 and should give you a carry over of at least 5 deg while it rests before carving. Instead of tenting, you might try cheese cloth (soaked in swill of the day white wine and butter) over the breast and wings. It holds more moisture over the white meat as you baste better than foil and helps prevent drying. Remove it for the last 30 min or so the skin crisps up.

I put the probe in the bird at the start of cooking (it runs on a wire to an external display) so I can see how it's progressing and know when to start cooking the rest of the meal.

Sorry if this was a TMI post.



I know, you use strap ons.

Good tips, all of you.
I'm not as high tech as lil' E, for sure.
I like the cheesecloth method and will have to try that one in future as well.
I think I'll hope for around 6 hrs cook time but use the old reliable eyeball method. It's never failed me before.


You know me too well.



Hugo & Ent -

 

[velvetpie]

I never put the stuffing in the bird. Learned a long time ago from my Grandmother that the raw juices foul the stuffing so I bake it in a separate pan. I stuff the bird with whole, peeled garlic and whole sweet onions. I also slide orange and lemon slices under the breast skin, along with fresh sage if I can find it.

As to cooking, my rule of thumb is cook the bird at 350 degrees, one hour per 4 pounds of meat. Always remember to take it out before it's completely done and let it rest because meat will continue to cook. You don't want it dry!

Hope you and the wifey have a good one!
Velvet

 

[Guest]

I like to cook the turkey overnight.

Start with frozen bird, 22-24 pounds, add thick coating of butter on the skin, seal securely with foil and slide into 375 oven. Usually around 10:00 p.m.

In the morning, around 6:00 a.m., remove neck and giblets from their cavities. Reapply basting (sometimes I pour off some of the accumulated juices to start the gravy making) seal again and put back into oven.

Usually it takes 12 hours to completely cook, and I check with thermometer, not pop-up timer. I do not stuff the bird but I do use some of the juices in the stuffing.

The turkey is done mid-morning, and I'm able to cook other items in the now-free oven. Stuffing, sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, warming up the pies I made the day before. . .

Yum.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Another way to keep the breast moist, in chicken or in turkey - slide some seasoned butter up under the skin over the breast. For chicken I use all sorts of things in the butter - lemon zest and parsely, garlic and basil, whatever strikes me. For turkey it's usually sage and thyme. You can use fresh or dried herbs. It bastes down into the breast meat and gives a good flavor while keeping it moist.

Lucky, I think you must be right on the 6 or 7 hours. My bird is 13 pounds and the seller claims (on the wrapper) 4-5 hours for a 12-16 pound bird. I'm stuffing it, so planning about 4 1/2 hours.

Shanglan

 

[BlackShanglan]

The turkey is done mid-morning, and I'm able to cook other items in the now-free oven. Stuffing, sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, warming up the pies I made the day before. . .

Yum.

I now have on my counter the most beautiful pie I've ever made. It's an apple pie, perfectly golden, heaped high and impossibly perfect.

Good thing, too. I also tried experimenting with a walnut tart, which was probably absolutely gorgeous when done to a turn. Unfortunately, I was in the shower at that point, and when I encountered it some minutes later, the crust was still lovely golden brown, but the topmost layer of walnuts was no longer so. More of a ... carbon effect. I'm trying a rather imaginative (read: possibly insane) fix involving an electric carving knife and liberal application of whipped cream when served.

Shanglan

(This might possibly belong more on the "Thanksgiving disasters" thread now that I think of it ...)

 

[velvetpie]

Shang,

Sounds good. I have a brown sugar Karo-baked Cinnamon Pecan Pie on my dining room table. Homemade cinnamon ice cream is next ...

Isn't cooking fun?

 

[Guest]

Shang - that's an easy fix!

Remove all carbon-ized walnuts. Cook more on the stove top with with brown sugar and spices. Arrange them on the tart.

And THEN serve with whipped cream. The cream will cover up the disarray, but the tart will still be incredible.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Shang - that's an easy fix!

Remove all carbon-ized walnuts. Cook more on the stove top with with brown sugar and spices. Arrange them on the tart.

And THEN serve with whipped cream. The cream will cover up the disarray, but the tart will still be incredible.

Now see, that was my first solution! The SO talked me into going the whipped cream route. But I still like the caramelized walnuts solution. I may get up in the middle of the night and institute that fix when I won't be argued with I figured that if I arranged the new walnuts in a medallion shape (I have them in halves, so they work for that), it would look like decoration instead of a cover-up.

I think I will do just that, and any complaining SO's will be sent to explain themselves to Sarah.

Shanglan

 

[velvetpie]

Good tips, all of you.
I'm not as high tech as lil' E, for sure.
I like the cheesecloth method and will have to try that one in future as well.
I think I'll hope for around 6 hrs cook time but use the old reliable eyeball method. It's never failed me before.


You know me too well.



Hugo & Ent -

Always, but always, use a meat thermometer.

It's hell shopping on Black Friday when you're barfing from undercooked turkey ...

 

[Guest]

Now see, that was my first solution! The SO talked me into going the whipped cream route. But I still like the caramelized walnuts solution. I may get up in the middle of the night and institute that fix when I won't be argued with I figured that if I arranged the new walnuts in a medallion shape (I have them in halves, so they work for that), it would look like decoration instead of a cover-up.

I think I will do just that, and any complaining SO's will be sent to explain themselves to Sarah.

Shanglan

Delighted. Good luck with the tart!

 

[lucky-E-leven]

The fowl is bathed, buttered and blasting away in the oven.

Vella suggested we do insert some fresh onion halves beneath the skin at the neck and inside the cavity, as I see velvetpie suggests as well. Should be purrrfect! I'm so excited!


Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions and experiences. I have highest hopes for this bird and the devouring of her tender flesh later.

~lucky

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Always, but always, use a meat thermometer.

It's hell shopping on Black Friday when you're barfing from undercooked turkey ...

I should have been more clear.
I've always had a meat thermometer around and used it each time I checked or basted the turkey, but I rarely ever get good readings. I have other ways of checking done-ness, though, so I never send anyone home with an upset tummy.

 

[SensualCealy]

Lucky, just dont be like my dad and leave the giblets inside in the bag they came in!

He forgot they were in there and stuffed the bird, dug the dressing out and low and behold in the large spoon was a white plastic bag type thinging flavouring the bird- yummy it wasnt! lol
C