When Is My Thanksgiving Turkey Done? and More Thanksgiving Questions Answered

Making a Thanksgiving turkey is much easier than you think. Really! But whether it’s your first time making the bird, or your 50th, questions are bound to come up. New York Times Cooking has anticipated some of your most frequently asked questions, many of which we get year after year. Below, you’ll find the answers, and hopefully some peace of mind. Just remember: Whatever happens, it’ll all be great. Promise. (Still planning the feast? New York Times Cooking has many recipes to fill your table.)

What temperature is my turkey done?

The turkey is done when the internal temperature reads 165 degrees at the thickest part of the thigh.

That said, it’s OK to pull your bird out if it’s just a bit under 165 degrees, the United States Department of Agriculture’s standard.

If you’re making just the breast, like Eric Kim’s salt-and-pepper turkey breast and Mark Bittman’s roast turkey breast, it’s even wise to pull it out a few degrees shy of 165, as breast meat has a tendency to lose its moisture at higher temperatures.

In all cases, the turkey will continue cooking as it rests, and it’s better to pull the turkey out ever-so-slightly early than risk tough, overcooked meat.

Lastly, if you stuff your bird, you’ll want to measure its temperature as well. It should be 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. And, in case you’re wondering how long that might take, the chart below can help:

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Recipe: Simple Roast Turkey | Fastest Roast Turkey | Salt-and-Pepper Turkey Breast | Roast Turkey Breast | Buttermilk-Brined Turkey Breast

Where should I check the temperature on a turkey?

Insert your instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh and under the wing, as Melissa Clark recommends. The U.S.D.A. also suggests inserting your thermometer in “the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing.” But avoid touching the bones, which can alter the temperature reading.

For Thanksgiving, it’s really worth investing in an instant-read thermometer. (The Wirecutter’s top pick comes in at $21 and will find many uses beyond the holiday.) But, if you don’t have a thermometer, you can use a fork to pierce the thickest part of the thigh. If the juices run clear, it should be done. A little pinkness in the thigh meat is not a bad sign, but if something looks translucent and pink, with pink or red juices (especially in the breast), it’s not ready.

Remember that if you pull out the bird too early, Thanksgiving isn’t ruined. Worst-case scenario, you can serve the parts that are done, while you put the rest back into a hot oven to keep cooking.

Should you cover a turkey with foil?

The shape of turkeys doesn’t lend itself well to even cooking, especially if you’re not spatchcocking the bird (see Samin Nosrat’s buttermilk-brined roast turkey and Kenji López-Alt’s mayo-roasted Thanksgiving turkey). Aluminum foil can help you get a more uniformly burnished bird. If you see the breast parts starting to brown too much, cover them loosely with foil to keep them from burning before the rest of the bird cooks. (Watch Samin’s example above.)

You can also cover your turkey once it’s out of the oven and resting, but again a loose tent is key: A tight covering can create steam, which can, in turn, make that hard-earned crispy skin soft and soggy.

Recipes: Buttermilk-Brined Roast Turkey | Mayo-Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey

How long should the turkey rest before carving?

A turkey needs to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

“The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed,” Julia Moskin wrote back in 2011. “A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.”

How do I carve a turkey?

The most important rule of carving is to look for the joints and cut through them. To start, slice along the natural line between the leg and the breast, pulling the leg and thigh away from the body as you slice, and looking for the “hip” joint to cut through. Then, remove the wings in the same way, slicing the wing away from the breast, and twisting it to find the “shoulder” joint to cut through. Once the legs and wings are removed, you’ll cut off the breast meat. Find the breast bone that runs down the length of the turkey, and slice each breast away from the breast bone. For a thorough carving demonstration and tips for plating the bird, see our video on How To Carve a Turkey.

How often should I baste a turkey?

You don’t have to baste if you don’t want to, but if you do, every 45 minutes is a good guide. It helps to get more even color on the outside of the bird, as Kenji López-Alt points out.

To do it, you can either take the juices from the pan and spread them over the top of the bird with a baster or a brush. If your bird hasn’t yielded enough pan juices, you can use melted butter, too.

Speaking of those pan juices, if you’re wondering how to make turkey gravy from drippings, this recipe can help. So can our How to Make Gravy guide.

What is spatchcocking? And how do I do it?

You may have read many an article or recipe telling you that the best way to cook a turkey is to spatchcock it — and there’s real truth to that. Spatchcocking a bird makes it cook more evenly and, crucially, much faster.

To spatchcock, you want to use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to carefully remove the backbone by cutting it on either side. (Save it for stock.) Then, press down between the breasts with the bones facing down until you hear a crack. The bird should lay flat against your work surface.

How do I smoke a turkey?

Steven Raichlen’s recipe for smoked turkey yields a rich, tender bird.Joe Fornabaio for The New York Times

A smoked turkey is unforgettable, deeply rich in flavor and tender on the tongue. To do it on your charcoal grill, set it up for indirect grilling and add a drip pan (or set your smoker to 275 degrees). Make sure your bird is quite dry, and place it on the grate over the drip pan. Top the coals with about ½ cup of soaked wood chops, and cover the grill, adjusting the vents to make sure the temperature stays at 325 to 350 degrees. After every hour, baste the bird, replenish the charcoal and add more soaked wood chips. A 10- to 12-pound turkey should be done in 2 ½ to 3 hours. (See Steven Raichlen’s recipe.)

How do I brine a turkey?

Sam Sifton’s turkey brine is a simple way to set your turkey up for success.Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

Brining a turkey helps keep the skin crisp and the meat tender, and you can do it one of two ways. The first method — a dry brine — calls for rubbing the turkey with salt and refrigerating for up to three days, while a wet brine calls for letting the bird soak in a salt solution. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. If you’re just starting out, you may look to a dry brine, which requires less equipment (no large pot or cooler necessary). But if your heart yearns for a wet brine, we have a recipe for that, too.

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