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How Long Does A 20 Pound Turkey Need To Rest?

between 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Let That Turkey Rest! When the turkey is cooked, transfer it to a large cutting board and lay a large piece of aluminum foil over the top. Let it rest between 45 minutes to 1 hour while you make the gravy.

How long should a 20 pound turkey rest after cooking?

Thanksgiving Help Line
Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.

Can I let my turkey rest for 2 hours?

And don’t forget to leave time for your turkey to rest when it comes out of the oven. Turkeys between 4-6kg should be rested for 1½ hours, and ones from 6-10kg can rest for two hours. Get your turkey out of the fridge 30 minutes before you cook it. You’ll get less shrinkage when it goes into a hot oven.

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Can you rest a turkey for 1 hour?

Leave your turkey to rest for at least 30 minutes after roasting to allow the juices to redistribute themselves and the meat fibres to relax, otherwise you will have a dry bird (you can extend this resting time for up to one and a half hours).

Does turkey continue to cook while resting?

Cook your turkey until your thermometer reads 155 -160 degrees. (Yes, we know that new safe cooking guidelines say to cook your bird to 165 degrees (they used to say 180!), but remember that your turkey will continue to cook after removed from the oven and it’s temperature will increase by 10 degrees while resting.

How many people does a 20lb turkey feed?

While 1 pound per person could feel like too little, and 1 1/2 pounds for each guest might be over-doing it, 1 1/4 pounds of turkey per mouth is the perfect balance. At that rate, feeding a large party of 15 or more people requires 20+ pounds of turkey.

Should I cover the turkey while roasting?

Always cook your turkey until the skin is a light golden color. Cover your roasting pan with a lid or foil and cook covered for 2 hours (depending on size of your bird) and uncovered for the remaining time. Baste your turkey every half hour or so.

How often should I baste my turkey?

Most recipes will tell you to baste your turkey every thirty minutes. But our rule of thumb is actually every forty minutes, and here’s why. You don’t want to open the oven too many times, or else the whole bird will take much long to cook, and that’s a huge inconvenience.

When should I tent my turkey?

Butterball suggests that after the turkey has been cooking for 2/3 of the amount of time needed (depending on the size of the bird), that you cover the breasts with a small tent made of aluminum foil. This will slow down the cooking process of the turkey breasts.

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Can a turkey rest too long?

According to the USDA, you shouldn’t leave turkey at room temperature longer than 2 hours, or for more than 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F.

What happens if turkey is done too early?

If it’s done around an hour early, let it rest uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then cover your turkey with some foil and a thick towel or blanket to keep it warm. By letting it first rest you release the initial heat. That way it won’t overcook once it’s covered.

How long can cooked turkey sit out at room temperature?

Two Hours
You Have Two Hours at Eat (and Store Leftovers) Once the Turkey Is Cooked. First, you want to make sure you cook your turkey to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Once your turkey is cooked, you want to refrigerate the bird at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or eat well within two hours of removing the bird from the oven.

Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?

“Often consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey.”

What do you put in the turkey cavity when not using stuffing?

Don’t cook stuffing inside the turkey.
Then you can fill the cavity of the turkey with things that will give it flavor (and add flavor to the drippings/stock): salt and pepper and any mixture of onion, apple, carrots, celery, or citrus.

What temperature do I cook a 20 pound turkey at?

If you’re baking it at 325°F (the lowest temperature the USDA recommends), you’ll need to bake a 20-lb turkey in the oven for 4 to 5 hours if it’s unstuffed, and 4 ¼ to 5 ¼ hours if it’s stuffed.

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Why won’t my turkey reaches 165?

Cooking at too high of a temperature.
Yuck! It’s best to start roasting the bird at 475-500 degrees for the first 20-30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 400 degrees until the bird reaches 165 degrees.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350?

Roast the turkey uncovered at a temperature ranging from 325°F to 350°F. Higher temperatures may cause the meat to dry out, but this is preferable to temperatures that are too low which may not allow the interior of the turkey to cook to a safe temperature.

How do you tell if a turkey is done?

But there’s only one way to be sure: the temperature. It just takes a simple reading with a meat thermometer to test if your turkey is ready to eat.
Check these places on your turkey and look for these temperatures:

  1. 180°F in thigh.
  2. 170°F in breast.
  3. 165°F in stuffing.

How do you know when turkey is done without thermometer?

To find out if your turkey is done without a thermometer, pierce it with a fork in the mid-thigh muscle, explains Nicole Johnson, the co-director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. “When the juices run clear, and no longer reddish or pink in color, it’s a good indication that your turkey is done.”

Is it better to carve a turkey hot or cold?

Let the bird rest.
If you start carving too early, the juices from the bird will run all over the place and your turkey will dry out. Also, letting the turkey rest and cool will reduce the chances you’ll scald yourself with delicious but molten hot turkey juice.

Will a 20 pound turkey feed 12 people?

If you have the oven space, you can roast two 12-pound turkeys and feed 12 to 13 people, which is about how many one 20-pound turkey will feed. The benefit of having two turkeys is that it’s easier to control the cooking with smaller turkeys, and, of course, they cook more quickly.

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