How to Cook a Turkey

There are many ways to cook a turkey. Some prefer a baking sheet, while others advocate sheet trays for better crisping and air circulation. Some people like to feather their turkey to reduce cooking time. Here we focus on the simplest and most classic techniques. To learn more about roasting a turkey, head to our step-by-step gallery, How to Roast a Turkey.

Preheat oven. Turn the oven rack to the lowest position and preheat the oven to 325°F.

Stuff the turkey if you like. Loosely fill cavity with stuffing -- use 1/2 to 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.

Cover the seasoned bird with foil. If you followed the steps above on how to prepare a turkey, at this point your turkey will be dried, tied, seasoned, brushed with oil, and placed in a roasting pan. All you have to do now is put a layer of tinfoil on top of the roasting pan so the turkey doesn't burn.

Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Resist the urge and, if possible, roast the turkey on its own instead of in the oven.

Remove foil and spread over turkey. Brush the turkey with another coat of olive oil or butter. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and increasing the heat in the last bit of cooking time will give the turkey skin an extra crisp.

Cut the meat between the thighs and thighs until the juices run out. An 8- to 10-pound turkey should take about 45 minutes (2 hours and 45 minutes total). If you have a stuffing, you need to give it a little more time as the stuffing will make the bird cook more slowly. Make sure the temperature in the deepest part of the filling reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Let the turkey rest. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes. While it's resting, cover it with foil and tent it. If it has stuffing in it, leave it in while the bird rests.

How long should the turkey be cooked?

The cooking time of the turkey depends on the weight of the turkey and whether it is stuffed. However, one thing is for sure: When the instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, the turkey is done (read below for more information on measuring the temperature of a turkey). A general rule of thumb is about 20 minutes of cooking time per pound of turkey. An 8- to 12-pound no-stuff turkey typically requires 2 3/4 to 3 hours in a 325°F oven.

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