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how to cook a holiday whole turkey about 15 pounds?
- Thread starter Renee
- Start date
chef_renee
New member
Turkey Cooking Time Guide
Here's a handy chart that will help you estimate the amount of time required to cook a whole turkey in the oven. These times are based on placing the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven.
Weight of Bird Roasting Time (Unstuffed) Roasting Time
(Stuffed)
10 to 15 pounds
3 to 3-1/2 hours
3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours
15 to 22 pounds
3-1/2 to 4 hours
4-1/2 to 5 hours
22 to 24 pounds
4 to 4-1/2 hours
5 to 5-1/2 hours
24 to 29 pounds 4-1/2 to 5 hours
5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but will promote even browning.
The only true test for doneness is the temperature of the meat, not the color of the skin.
The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. To get an accurate reading, be sure that your thermometer is not touching the bone.
If your turkey has been stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the dressing; it should be 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, and makes for easier carving.
SIMPLE OVEN ROASTED TURKEY (see chart above for proper cooking times)
Ingredients
1 (18 pound) whole turkey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 quarts turkey stock
8 cups prepared stuffing
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 4 hours.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Here's a handy chart that will help you estimate the amount of time required to cook a whole turkey in the oven. These times are based on placing the bird on a rack in a roasting pan, and into a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven.
Weight of Bird Roasting Time (Unstuffed) Roasting Time
(Stuffed)
10 to 15 pounds
3 to 3-1/2 hours
3-3/4 to 4-1/2 hours
15 to 22 pounds
3-1/2 to 4 hours
4-1/2 to 5 hours
22 to 24 pounds
4 to 4-1/2 hours
5 to 5-1/2 hours
24 to 29 pounds 4-1/2 to 5 hours
5-1/2 to 6-1/4 hours
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent. During the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting is not necessary, but will promote even browning.
The only true test for doneness is the temperature of the meat, not the color of the skin.
The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. To get an accurate reading, be sure that your thermometer is not touching the bone.
If your turkey has been stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the dressing; it should be 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).
When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, and makes for easier carving.
SIMPLE OVEN ROASTED TURKEY (see chart above for proper cooking times)
Ingredients
1 (18 pound) whole turkey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 quarts turkey stock
8 cups prepared stuffing
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Place rack in the lowest position of the oven.
Remove the turkey neck and giblets, rinse the turkey, and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Loosely fill the body cavity with stuffing. Rub the skin with the softened butter, and season with salt and pepper. Position an aluminum foil tent over the turkey.
Place turkey in the oven, and pour 2 cups turkey stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. Baste all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 to 2 cups at a time. Remove aluminum foil after 2 1/2 hours. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 180 degrees F (80 degrees C), about 4 hours.
Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, and let it stand for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
A very helpful website is http://www.butterball.com/
There are calculators to tell you how long to defrost and how long to cook the bird at http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/tips/calculators-and-conversions
If you enter a 15 pound turkey into the calculator... it shows you need 4 days to defrost it.
And you need 3 to 3 1/2 hours to cook it (4 to 4 1/2 hours to cook it if you stuff the bird)
If you're looking for a simple, good recipe:
Classic Roast Turkey
(this is based from a recipe in Real Simple Magazine)
One 15 lb turkey (make sure to remove giblets/neck)
½ bunch flat leaf parsley
Kitchen twine
¼ cup fresh sage, finely chopped
4 small carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise
2 stalks celery, cut into 3 inch long strips
2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges
6 TB olive oil
Kosher salt & pepper
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
One orange
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Salt & pepper bird inside and out. Place wings underneath body. Place parsley & sage & onion inside cavity. Tie drumsticks together with twine. Place carrots, onions, celery in metal roasting pan. Transfer turkey to wire rack and place it on top of vegetables. Combine olive oil, juice from the orange, and zest in a small bowl. Carefully slide fingers under skin of turkey and put chunks of butter and chopped parsley & sage under skin. Spread oil & OJ mixture over skin of bird. Season with salt & pepper. Take the remaining orange (after juicing) and put it in the cavity too. Roast breast side down for one hour. Now carefully (it's hot!) flip breast side up. Add more oil or butter to skin to brown it. Roast until thermometer inserted in thigh registers 160 or 165 degrees (about 2 more hours). Let turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan drippings and veggies for gravy.
There are calculators to tell you how long to defrost and how long to cook the bird at http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/tips/calculators-and-conversions
If you enter a 15 pound turkey into the calculator... it shows you need 4 days to defrost it.
And you need 3 to 3 1/2 hours to cook it (4 to 4 1/2 hours to cook it if you stuff the bird)
If you're looking for a simple, good recipe:
Classic Roast Turkey
(this is based from a recipe in Real Simple Magazine)
One 15 lb turkey (make sure to remove giblets/neck)
½ bunch flat leaf parsley
Kitchen twine
¼ cup fresh sage, finely chopped
4 small carrots, cut into quarters lengthwise
2 stalks celery, cut into 3 inch long strips
2 medium yellow onions, cut into wedges
6 TB olive oil
Kosher salt & pepper
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
One orange
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Salt & pepper bird inside and out. Place wings underneath body. Place parsley & sage & onion inside cavity. Tie drumsticks together with twine. Place carrots, onions, celery in metal roasting pan. Transfer turkey to wire rack and place it on top of vegetables. Combine olive oil, juice from the orange, and zest in a small bowl. Carefully slide fingers under skin of turkey and put chunks of butter and chopped parsley & sage under skin. Spread oil & OJ mixture over skin of bird. Season with salt & pepper. Take the remaining orange (after juicing) and put it in the cavity too. Roast breast side down for one hour. Now carefully (it's hot!) flip breast side up. Add more oil or butter to skin to brown it. Roast until thermometer inserted in thigh registers 160 or 165 degrees (about 2 more hours). Let turkey rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Reserve pan drippings and veggies for gravy.