To cook a turkey in the oven, there are different methods and temperatures that can be used. Here are some of the most common methods and temperatures found in the search results:
Method: 325°F
- Cook your turkey at 325°F for most of the cook time; in the final 45 minutes, remove the foil tent from the turkey, increase the oven temperature to 425°F and baste the bird with butter.
- Set your oven to 325°F and roast for 3½ to 4 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.
- Put the turkey in the oven at 325°F and dont adjust the temperature for the duration of the roast. Brush the bird with olive oil or a butter-and-herb mixture every 20 minutes to help retain moisture and deepen the color of the skin.
- Roast turkey at 350°F (175°C) .
Method: 350°F
- Preheat the oven to 450°F then drop the temperature to 350°F after putting the turkey into the oven.
- Roast turkey at 350°F (175°C) .
Method: 425°F
- 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 cook time. Brush the turkey every 15 to 20 minutes with butter or olive oil to help the surface brown and keep the meat moist.
What temperature should the turkey be?
- According to the Department of Agriculture, a turkey must reach 165°F to be safe, but you can take it out of the oven as low as 160°F because the temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests.
- The turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- A turkey must be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F to kill harmful bacteria. For the juiciest meat, you’ll want to remove your bird from the oven when the temperature reaches 150°F. The temperature will continue to rise as the turkey rests and should reach 165°F within 30 minutes of being removed from the oven.
- Remove your turkey from the oven when the internal temperature at the thickest point of the turkey thigh meat reaches 155-160°F (68-71°C) .
In summary, the most common temperature to cook a turkey in the oven is 325°F or 350°F, and the turkey should be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
