How to Cook a Turkey FAST: 90 minute turkey recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to cook a turkey fast or slow? ›

Roasting the bird slowly, at a lower temperature is the best way to achieve tender meat. You should still prep the bird with butter, salt, and pepper, as described above (or dry-brine it). To cook, set your oven to 325°F and roast for 3½ to 4 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.

Refrigerate turkey, loosely covered to help cool faster. Cover tightly when food is completely cooled.

It is not safe to cook any meat or poultry in an oven set lower than 325 °F. At lower temperatures, meat stays in the Danger Zone (between 40 °F and 140°F for too long.

Begin by roasting your turkey at 425°F for 40 to 45 minutes before lowering the temperature of the oven to 350°F for the rest of the cooking time. Like the other method, it's a good idea to brush the turkey every 15 to 20 minutes with butter or olive oil to help the surface brown and keep the meat moist.

"Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey."

Foil wrapping is the answer! This technique helps speed the cooking process and locks in the turkey's natural juices. It helps prevent turkeys from drying out without basting, especially those over 24 pounds.

Preheat oven to 180°F. If oven won't go that low, set it to its coolest setting; anything up to 200°F is fine. Thoroughly wash turkey inside and out. Pat dry.

It's better to cook a turkey at 350°F after preheating the oven to 450°F. This makes the skin crispier and ensures the turkey will get cooked evenly.

A 12 pound turkey takes about 3 hours to cook. Start at 325℉ for 2 hours, then increase the temperature to 400℉ for another hour. For a larger bird, increase the initial cooking time (at 325℉) by 15 minutes per pound.

Dry-brining your turkey

By simply seasoning the raw turkey all over with salt up to two days before roasting, you'll end up with a much juicier roast. A whole bird can be seasoned two days before, a crown up to a day before and a boneless turkey breast should be seasoned no earlier than the night before.

What is the max speed of a turkey? ›

TURKEY FACT #6: They may look off-kilter — tilting their heads and staring at the sky — yet they're fast. Turkeys can clock 18 miles per hour on foot and up to 50 miles per hour in flight.

A 20 pound turkey will take between 4 to 4 1/2 hours to come to temperature if your oven is 325°F. Here are some other cook times if your bird weighs differently: 10-12 pounds: cook 2 3/4 to 3 hours at 325°F. 15-16 pounds: cook 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 325°F.

These times are based on a room temperature turkey at 325 degrees F the entire time; plan on about 15 to 17 minutes per pound (the times below are based on 15 minutes per pound).

If your turkey is done too early, things can get a little complicated, but it's not the end of the world. If it's done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm.

Some recipes instruct you to cover only the turkey breast rather than the whole bird because the former cooks more quickly than the dark meat and is prone to drying out. In either case, remove the foil tent during the last 30 minutes of roasting time to encourage the crispiest skin possible.