So Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. I am delighted to share this proven way to do a festive holiday turkey without the headaches and fear of it being dry.
I have been cooking my stress-free turkeys using this low and slow fool-proof method for 5 years.
My Canadian friend Annie Kate, over at Annie Kate’s Homeschool Reviews, shared an old-time slow turkey roasting method back then. I must say, since adopting her method, our kitchen has never been more relaxed for the big meals. Here are her words:
“I used to dread cooking turkey, hoping desperately that it would be neither under-cooked nor dry and over-cooked. With this recipe it’s so stress-free to make tender and delicious turkey! Here’s what I do (and what many of my friends are now doing as well).”
Stress-Free Turkey
1.) The night before, or early in the morning, preheat the oven to 400F. Then put the (thawed) turkey into the roaster, add 1/2″ of water, put on the lid, and pop it into the oven. If it’s huge, as in more than 15-20 lbs, or partially frozen, be sure to put it in the night before.
Always roast with a snugly fitting lid!
2.) Always Preheat.
Roast at 400F for 30-40 minutes. (If you have a tiny turkey, leave it at 400F only about 25 minutes.)
3.) Immediately, turn the oven down to 200F, keep the lid on and cook the turkey all day (and night if you put it in in the evening) at that temperature. It will cook slowly and stay tender and delicious for hours at 200F. Enjoy!
Notes (Updated November, 2016):
- Our turkeys are usually around 15 lbs and mostly thawed when I put them into the oven, and we cook them low and slow for 10-24 hours, depending on circumstances. At such low temperatures they never get tough. The skin gets sealed/seared at the 400 degrees initially, keeping in the juices.
- The initial cooking time at 400F kills bacteria on the surface.
- I always cook the stuffing separately.
- Unless you are certain that your oven thermostat is correct, use a meat thermometer. Since the oven temperature in this method barely above the official ‘done temperature’ (185°) you must be sure that you do reach the correct temperature. Time is on your side.
This is based on a method found in ‘Let’s Cook it Right’ by Adele Davis. (That old cookbook is one of my treasures.)
This same book gets a mention on e-How:
“Slow-roasting your Thanksgiving turkey will bring more than smiles to the faces of your dinner guests. It also will bring rave reviews for many years. Roasting a turkey at a low temperature overnight will lead to a moist, tender and juicy bird that will impress even the pickiest of family members. To roast your turkey overnight, follow a proven recipe featured in the popular 1940s cookbook Let’s Cook it Right by Adelle Davis”.
It is one of the most popular, helpful, and widely praised cookbooks ever published.
Choose a marvelous and colorful side from one of these 29 Festive Pomegranate recipes.
So, if you are having turkey for the family Thanksgiving or Christmas feast, this may be just the thing to take off some of the pressure! You can add a glaze (as pictured above) in the last hour or two.
“I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharking and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. The turkey is a much more respectable bird.” ~Benjamin Franklin
“Let them thank the LORD for His steadfast love,
for His wondrous works to the children of man!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul He fills with good things.”
~Psalm 107: 8-9
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Thanks for reading!
Annie Kate says
Wow, you dressed up my recipe so beautifully! Lovely pictures!
Annie Kate
Jacqueline says
It was fun, and I had also remember older ladies (friends of my mother) say that this was a very good way to prepare turkey used many years ago, so you were confirmed. I am doing it this Christmas 🙂
Rhonda Devine says
Jacque,
I’ve always wanted to do a turkey this way, but was afraid it wasn’t at a hot enough temp to keep it safe, but if you say it works, I’m going to give it a try.
To keep it less stressful, I usually cook my turkey the day before, store it cold overnight, and then just re-heat the next day and make the gravy. I hated the stress of waiting for the turkey to get done so the gravy could get made and sometimes it wouldn’t be done when it should have been–ugh!
Thanks for sharing,
Rhonda
Jacqueline says
Rhonda, Just use the thermometer to allay any doubts you might have! If it over 185 degrees, it’s done! and don’t stuff the bird 🙂 I’m with you being done with stress!
Janel @ Hating Martha says
Really? Could something that easy really work? Well, I think I need to cook a turkey just to test it! Thanks for linking up this great tip at Hating Martha!
Jacqueline says
If you do, Janel, let me know what you think!! I’ve heard nothing but good reports! What made you think to call your blog ‘Hating Martha’?
Kasey says
Ahhh, this was just the thing I needed to read! My family is vegetarian for various reasons, but we have family coming in next weekend who are not. I had been really thinking about cooking a turkey as I know it is something they will enjoy. Fear was holding me back from fully embracing the idea. I had heard of this method in passing, but reading it here just gave me a bit of confidence to go for it! Thank you!!
BethM says
I hope that I can remember to look this back up in my bookmarks next year! I am willing to give it a try, but we already have a ham for Christmas this year.
Jacqueline says
Oh, I just may have to re-post it. I am prepared to do it, so if it is as fool-proof as I’ve heard, I will do just that, God-willing!
Carol says
Good Morning, Jacqueline : )
I just received your update on cooking a turkey to insure moisture. That is a challenge. I liked the idea of what you shared, but am uncertain as to
-we just purchased a separate roaster oven….would the same principal hold with that?
-I have always stuffed our turkey–my mom did, we love the flavor from the turkey, this is a favorite part for my grown bab’es…..I don’t even know how to do it separately; my mother-in-Love (both moms have passed on) did hers separate and it was always gooey (something my hubby is not fond of) and oftentimes the stuffing in restaurants is dry
So, do you have any hints from that wonderful cookbook which you mentioned?
lisa says
I am definitely going to try this.
I have heard of doing it this way before, but was always afraid it would not be cooked in time. You have inspired me to give it a try! Thank you, and thank you for sharing this with us at The Creative Exchange.
lisa.
Jan Gathing says
I tried this in my Nesco 18 quart electric roasterwith a 12lb turkey, it turned out wonderful. I put it in at 10 pm and I took it out for resting at 11 am. Moist and delicious turkey. I used Pat and Gina Neely’s oven roasted turkey rub. Give this a try it is really great!
Karen Stuart says
If you take out the turkey at 7:00 a.m. as Adell says, how do you keep it warm until 1:00 p.m. or even 12:30 to serve. I know it would be cold by then.
The other individual said to put it in at 10:p.m. and cook all night and up to 24 hrs. Won’t it get then overcooked. I want to serve at 12:30-1:00 p.m. Does this work in a roaster oven also. I just gave my roaster oven to my church but I can borrow it back for Thanksgiving to try this.
Thanks
Karen
Jacqueline says
Karen,
The turkey will be excellent for up to 24 hours (covered as in a roaster), so you can put it in the evening before and take it out ANYTIME you are ready to serve, hot and VERY juicy…if you sealed (seared) the juices in at 400. I didn’t Adele’s comment on taking it out at 7A so I can’t speak to that; that doesn’t make sense to me either 🙂
I think a roaster would work beautifully if it is working properly and can get to 400 and hold it for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the bird. I can’t wait to enjoy Thanksgiving with family!!
Hope that helps!
Lia O says
Hi Jacqueline! Thanks so much for this post! I’ve tried them twice now and they were really juicy and delicious. The meat was tasty as the salt penetrated inside very well. However, I was wondering if you have done this recipe with two turkeys at once in the oven? I bought two small 12 pounds turkeys and thought I’d ask you how long should I have them on 400 degrees at the beginning?
Jacqueline says
Hmmm… Lia, at 12 lb, each, both done together at the same time, I think a full 30-35 minutes at 400 would suffice. Then turn them down and let them go…
I think it’s so freeing to know you can get them out when you need them instead of, ‘Are they done yet?’
Thanks for sharing your results!!
Kathy says
Hello Jacqueline! I saw this post quite a while ago and since it was a couple of years ago, I have to ask my questions, which may or may not be much different from the ones above. This year I bought an 18 lb turkey and was considering butterflying it to roast it, but am a bit squeamish about manhandling that big, raw turkey. I’ve roasted a turkey for many, many years now and it is always with much dread.
My roaster is an old rectangular granite-ware one from my grandmother and since I’ve been using it, I have always chosen a smaller turkey than 18 lbs. I think this bigger size will fit, but there will not be much room between the turkey and the sides of the roaster. Will that make a difference? It has a high domed lid which will fit over it well.
And you roast at 400 for 35-40 minutes with the lid on? I really want to try this. We are eating at 4:30, so I’d want to take it out of the oven at 4:00. Will getting it in the oven at 6:00 a.m. be long enough or should I start it at nine or 10 the night before?
Thanks for your reassurance.
Jacqueline says
Hi, Kathy!!
I am just seeing this…so sorry 🙁
Yes, it will be fine to use the enameled roaster. It is what I use, too. I leave the lid on but the oven is already preheated and will be hot! For 18 lbs. I would let it go at 400 for 40-45 minutes and then turn it down to 200. Leave the oven shut so you don’t lose the heat. I would start it at 10-11 the night before and you can take it out when ever you need it! I’ve done it around 15 times now and the turkeys are pretty near perfect every time. Enjoy a less stressful Thanksgiving!
Blessings!
Kathy says
Wonderful! This is what I was thinking would be best, 40-45 minutes and putting it in the oven between 10-11:00 the night before. Thanks so much for responding.
I enjoy reading your blog when I have time, appreciate your posts. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Michelle says
Has anyone brined their turkey before trying this method? Other recipes using this method recommended it and wondered if it would be worth the effort? Also, would it be ok to use chicken broth instead of water? And finally, Some recommend roasting breast side down, some say the whole time, others flip it towards end and raise temp a bit to brown it- thoughts on roasting breast side down?
Thank you.
I love your blog.
Jacqueline says
Hi, Michelle! Thank you for those kind words 😀 I especially appreciate them today!
I am pretty much a lazy (I like to think practical ha!) cook and have found with this method, it isn’t necessary to brine my turkey, so I save time and the risk of getting salmonella food poisoning (which my daughter did once and it ruined her Thanksgiving week). I have done it both ways and no one even has noticed the difference, so I stopped. I have flipped the turkey to be breast down once, but didn’t care for how the breast looked afterwards. I know it shouldn’t matter because it gets carved pretty quickly once out of the oven! For me, the searing stage is the most important b/c that’s what locks in the juices. Unless you cook it for days (I suppose), at 200 degrees, it is almost impossible to dry out the turkey within the recommended time. Always use the lid of the roaster to seal moisture in while roasting..
I hope that helps!