Cooking Perfect Turkey at 350 Degrees

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What’s the best way to cook the perfect Thanksgiving turkey? To get the answer to this question, we first have to ask, “How long do I need to cook that turkey?” Unfortunately, turkey is extremely easy to overcook and has been ridiculed as one of the driest meats over and over again. On top of these issues, the meat’s lean characteristics and its many sections that vary in thickness, shape, and density make it hard to achieve crispy brown skin and tender meat.

Sadly, once turkey meat is overcooked, not even the best turkey gravy can save these large birds. In this article, we share the secret to cooking the perfect turkey at 350 degrees and more!

Table of Contents

Before Cooking Your Turkey

Luckily, making a gorgeous and delicious turkey isn’t impossible; using this step-by-step guide, you can turn any size turkey into the much-awaited main event of any Thanksgiving dinner. But before you start preheating your oven, there are a few things you need to take care of first. Whether you want to roast a whole bird or cut it into parts, there are a few preparatory steps that you need to take to ensure that your turkey is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Choose the Right Size Turkey

Unless you plan to eat leftover turkey for the next few days, you’ll want to shop for a turkey that’s big enough to feed everyone on Thanksgiving. Getting a smaller bird should mean less time roasting it, leaving your oven free for pies and sides. For most gatherings, 14 pounds of turkey should be enough to feed 8 to 10 people, depending on their level of hunger.

Defrosting Your Turkey

Always make sure that a frozen turkey is completely thawed before using it. A good rule of thumb is to place your turkey inside the refrigerator; starting at 24 hours for every 5 pounds of meat. Using a partially thawed turkey will only throw off your roasting times and if you don’t thaw it, you won’t be able to remove its giblets.

Brining Your Turkey

A dry brine is the secret to succulent and moist turkey, and you don’t even need to do much with it. Using a simple brine made of black pepper and kosher salt, or even a spice mix you like, the salt in this mixture will draw out water from your turkey. Dry brining will also tenderize the meat and encourage skin browning, all of which help to perfect your cooking method.

It’s important to give your dry-brined turkey ample time inside the refrigerator; a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 3 days uncovered should get the job done. While this may sound lengthy, your brine will need plenty of time to penetrate the skin and meat but if you’re pressed for time, you can dry brine your turkey before it’s thawed.

How Long to Cook Your Turkey

So now that we’ve prepared our turkey, it’s time to start cooking, but how long will this take? An accurate answer to this question will depend on the temperature inside your oven and the size of your turkey. In general, roasting a whole turkey can take anywhere between 1 ½ to 4 hours to finish — there are two roasting methods discussed here that will work for beginners and more advanced cooks.

One other thing to remember is that a stuffed turkey will take longer to cook compared to an unstuffed turkey, so they will be prone to drying out. A solution to this would be to use a stuffing recipe that you can bake separately.

Roasting Method #1

The simplest way to roast an entire turkey is to work with one that’s unstuffed; place your turkey breast-side up for 13 minutes for every pound of turkey at 350°. This works out to around 3 hours for a 12 or 14-pound bird, but a 12-pound turkey will work best. Following this cooking method is suitable for novice turkey cooks since this easy technique will result in a perfect roast.

Below is a table to help you calculate how long you should roast your turkey based on its size; just keep in mind that these should only be used as a guideline. It’s still important to observe the doneness of your turkey — you can do this by getting a temperature reading with an oven-safe meat thermometer. Do this around ¾ of the way into your cooking time, and then again every 10 minutes thereafter.

Turkey Cook Times at 350°

8 to 12 lb. turkey	1¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 lb. turkey	3 to 3¼ hours
15 to 16 lb. turkey	3½ to 3¾ hours
18 to 20 lb. turkey	4 to 4¼ hours
21 to 22 lb. turkey	4½ to 4¾ hours

Roasting Method #2

This faster, more advanced way of preparing turkeys is known as the no-fail turkey recipe that many people turn to for Thanksgiving. The two goals that this recipe aims to achieve are to roast the meat to make it moist and tender and to brown the skin to the point of delicious crackling. In terms of temperatures, the latter can be achieved through high heat, while the former takes a lower and gentler heat.

Start by preheating the oven to higher temperatures of 425° to 450° and leave your turkey inside for 30 to 45 minutes. Next, reduce your heat to 300° to 350°F until the internal temperature of your turkey reaches 150°F, which should take 65 to 85 minutes more. If you want to give a glossy and bronzed finish to your bird, you can brush the outside of your turkey using a honey glaze.

Using this two-temperature technique not only delivers a perfectly cooked bird but also expedites the cooking time for your turkey, which cooks under 2 hours. Again, it’s important to monitor your oven’s temperature but even more closely using this approach; be sure to reduce the temperature if your turkey’s skin becomes too dark.

Tips for a Perfectly Cooked Turkey

Be sure to invest in a thermometer probe before the day comes for cooking to ensure that the temperature inside your oven is calibrated. While your turkey is still cooking, you should only open the oven door when needed; try not to peek so much or you’ll end up bringing the temperature down inside and lengthening the amount of time it needs to cook. These tips are important especially when you’re cooking a whole stuffed or unstuffed bird.

Possibly the most important step to getting a perfectly cooked turkey is pulling it out of the oven before it reaches the recommended temperature of 165° degrees Fahrenheit as mandated by the USDA. However, it’s a good idea to leave dark meat in for longer; around 175° to 190° should be the right temperature but to be sure, always use an instant-read thermometer. Stick your probe inside the thickest part of the breast and remove it from the oven once it reads 150°.

Let your turkey rest for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the residual heat to keep cooking the turkey from the inside, which should help it reach the ideal temperature without the risk of it going over. Rest your turkey on a cutting board or a platter that will collect juices so you can save them for gravy. You won’t need to use aluminum foil for your turkey since the heat can last surprisingly long and tenting your turkey may ruin your crispy skin.

Roasting Turkey in Parts

You can also roast your turkey in parts if you’re nervous about your first Thanksgiving. Doing this can be a great solution for potentially uneven results. Apart from breaking down the turkey, there are no changes to the steps above, so you will still need to dry-brine your turkey and it should still be kept in your fridge for a few days.

Some people prefer to break down the turkey themselves but you can always ask your butcher to chop the bird into 5 pieces. This includes 2 wings, 2 legs, and 1 entire turkey breast with its backbone removed. Rather than using a roasting pan, place your turkey pieces on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet so you can catch all the flavorful drippings.

Another thing you can do to enhance the results of your turkey is to leave your post-brine pieces outside your fridge at room temperature for 2 hours before roasting it for 20 to 25 minutes at 425°. You can then reduce the temperature to 300° and cook it for another 50 to 70 minutes; continue roasting until the thickest part of the thigh registers 170° then take it out to rest. While roasting a turkey in pieces takes out the drama of carving your bird in front of everyone, your guests won’t care once they take a bite of their special meal.