How Long Do You Cook A Turkey: What You Should Know

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Although it might seem crazy to roast a turkey while you sleep, this unconventional cooking technique has a lot of logic behind it. When prepared properly, turkey is juicy, tender, and fairly difficult to mess up.

Pre-heat your oven to between 170 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit when you're beginning to consider going to bed. If the lowest setting on your oven does not go this low, use the coolest setting; temperatures up to 200oF are acceptable.

While you sleep and get ready in the morning, roast the turkey (as long as 9-11 hours). You won't need to bast it because of the low temperature and moisture from the water.

Remove the foil and take the turkey’s temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Your end goal: a temperature of 160ºF in the breast and 170-175ºF in the thigh.

Give the turkey 20 to 30 minutes to rest. Serve after carving!

A 14-pound turkey served as the test subject. It took 10 1/2 hours for the temperature to reach 155 degrees, and another 15 minutes for the skin to brown and reach 160 degrees.

Smaller birds may dry out a little if cooked for this long; however, they roast quickly at conventional temperatures, solving the issue this overnight method attempts to solve.

However, if your turkey weighs between 16 and 20 pounds, this method might make sense. Plan to eat your Thanksgiving dinner at around noon for the freshest possible bird.

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How Long Do You Cook A Turkey: What You Should Know

Although it might seem crazy to roast a turkey while you sleep, this unconventional cooking technique has a lot of logic behind it. When prepared properly, turkey is juicy, tender, and fairly difficult to mess up.