Harassed on the considered cooking a turkey? Don’t be! We’ve made dozens of turkeys over time and we’ve found out find out how to cook dinner a turkey completely each time. Spoiler: one of the simplest ways to cook dinner a turkey is in a bowl!
I do know, this isn’t your typical roast turkey recipe, however look how brown it received and might you see the way it’s falling aside?!

The BEST Turkey Recipe
My good friend Brittany was chatting with me over Thanksgiving dinner final 12 months all about turkeys. You see, Brittany doesn’t cook dinner a turkey within the conventional method. The truth is, she completely blew my thoughts when she instructed me, one of the simplest ways to cook dinner a turkey — this turkey in a bowl recipe — is life altering.
Sure, it’s a turkey that’s actually cooked in an enormous bowl within the oven.
You’re going to wish to purchase an enormous bowl and do this one out for your self. It’s the only and quickest approach to put together turkey that I’ve ever seen, however the outcomes are crumble moist and tender.
Watch Learn how to Make the Juiciest Turkey in a Bowl
Turkey Fundamentals
Earlier than we get too far into this, I wish to cowl a couple of of the fundamentals so you understand if is the suitable match on your consuming schedule:
- A frozen turkey will want thaw 24 hours per each 5 kilos.
- Turkey might want to cook dinner for 1 hour per pound.
- Protected inner temperature for a turkey is 175 levels F the thigh and 165 levels F within the breast.
So let’s assume you’re going to roast a 18 pound turkey that’s frozen if you buy it and also you wish to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Right here is your transient timeline:
- Take away turkey from freezer to thaw within the fridge: 4 days forward of time (Sunday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon)
- Turkey roasts within the oven: 15 hours
- Turkey rests: half-hour
The turkey will probably be falling off the bones and possibly received’t even actually must be carved! Now listed here are those self same steps in a little bit extra element…

Turkey in a Bowl Elements
To make one of the best turkey recipe attainable, listed here are the substances you’ll want:
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Entire Turkey
- Butter
- Lemon Zest
- Contemporary Sage
- Contemporary Thyme
- Paprika
- Kosher Salt
Actually, that’s it! Cooking a turkey requires far much less substances than you’d assume. In case you’d wish to make turkey gravy from the drippings (which you need to positively do!), you’ll additionally want some water and cornstarch when making this complete turkey recipe.

Provides Wanted for This Simple Turkey Recipe
Along with the substances listed above, you’ll additionally want to purchase an enormous oven-safe bowl. As a result of I’ve received lazy bones, I typically order this 20 QT bowl from Amazon, however you could possibly completely take a look at kitchen shops in your space as nicely.
It’s really completely well worth the funding too as we use this bowl to combine up large snack mixes like our 5-Minute Reese’s Snack Combine and 5-Minute Halloween Snack combine, plus we make bread in it, and so forth.

Learn how to Cook dinner a Turkey in a Bowl
For this simple turkey recipe, you’ll principally be creating your individual sluggish cooker within the oven. The excellent news is, you don’t should ever peek, check the temperature, or something. No roasting pan, no brine…you actually pop it within the oven and don’t give it some thought for hours. You will be busy making different issues with out ever basting, turning, and even touching the turkey!
Right here’s a primary rundown of find out how to make a turkey in a bowl:
- Roast: Preheat oven to 400 levels F. Roast a whole bulb of garlic till softened, then squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb.
- Combine: Mix the garlic gloves with softened butter, herbs, spices, and lemon zest in a small bowl and blend with a fork to mix.
- Prep: Take away the neck and giblets and pat the turkey dry each inside and outside with paper towels.
- Rub: Scoop a few of the butter combination up in your hand and rub the turkey throughout with the butter combination exterior and beneath the pores and skin.
- NOTE: In case your turkey is absolutely giant, it’s possible you’ll must double the herb butter combination.
- Prep: Cut back the warmth of the oven to 250 levels F. You made want to maneuver the racks round for the bowl to suit. Place turkey into the bowl breast facet down and canopy the bowl tightly with foil.
- Cook dinner: Place the bowl into the oven and roast for 1 hour for each pound of turkey (as much as 15 hours).
- Relaxation: Rigorously take away the bowl from the oven. Will probably be fairly heavy so watch out! Take away the foil being cautious to not be burned by the steam as you achieve this.
- Take away: Utilizing lengthy tongs, take away the turkey the bowl and place it on a platter and let it relaxation.
- Pour: Pour the leftover turkey drippings within the bowl right into a saucepan or giant glass measuring cup. Then switch it to a gravy fats separator.
- Make Gravy: Pour the dripping again right into a medium saucepan and convey to a delicate boil over medium excessive warmth. Whisk within the cornstarch slurry and whisk every part collectively till thickened.
- Slice: Separate the turkey from the bones and place on a serving platter, slicing bigger items if crucial. I’ve really by no means needed to carve a turkey in a bowl as a result of it actually simply falls aside it’s so tender.
All of those directions will be discovered within the recipe card discovered down on the finish of the publish.

How A lot Turkey Do I Want Per Individual?
Determining what measurement turkey it is advisable to purchase will be difficult. As a common rule of thumb, you need to depend on every individual consuming roughly 1 pound of turkey. You’ll possible wind up with leftovers this fashion, which is okay in my e-book! You may make turkey tetrazzini, turkey membership sandwich, or turkey soup.
For reference, an 18-pound turkey will feed about 25 individuals with leftovers. And to serve over 50 visitors, strive utilizing two 20 to 22-pound turkeys.
How Lengthy to Cook dinner a Turkey
The final rule for cooking a complete turkey utilizing this cooking methodology is about an hour a pound at 250 levels Fahrenheit.
We use an 18-pound turkey, however by 15 hours it’s completely executed and falling aside. When you’ve got a turkey larger than 15 kilos, you’ll most definitely discover the very same factor, however when you open the bowl and it’s not executed, simply give it one other hour or two. Be aware that I’ve by no means had so as to add additional time.

Tips about Learn how to Cook dinner a Turkey
All the time place the turkey breast facet down when cooking a turkey in a bowl. Even conventional roasting ought to begin out breast facet down after which be flipped within the cooking course of.
As you take away (or try to take away) the turkey, every part will probably be falling aside again into the bowl. You actually can’t elevate the turkey out. Due to this, we want to empty out the juice and make the gravy and then take away the turkey.
And if you wish to make this turkey recipe a little bit more healthy, be happy to ditch the butter and solely use seasonings and herbs to taste the turkey in a bowl. Simply make certain to spray the bowl with nonstick cooking spray earlier than including the turkey so nothing sticks.
What to Eat with Turkey in a Bowl
This tender, flavorful and completely juicy Thanksgiving turkey is nice with all of your favourite Thanksgiving facet dishes. A few of our will need to have are:

Variations for Turkey
You may make this turkey in a bowl into no matter you need. There are limitless choices for flavoring your turkey.
Herb Turkey — We love recent herbs, so strive mincing up poultry herbs corresponding to rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley. And don’t neglect salt as that’s the place nearly all of taste will come from. Rub these chopped herbs throughout and below the pores and skin alone or with softened butter for an extremely flavorful, moist turkey.
Smoky Turkey — Similar to our Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe, you may actually deliver residence these heat flavors by mixing collectively cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and floor mustard. This mix of spices makes for a singular home made turkey your family and friends received’t quickly neglect!
Citrus Turkey — Attempt including orange or lemon zest to butter together with recent herbs for a shiny complete turkey.

Learn how to Reheat Turkey
When you’ve got leftover turkey after Thanksgiving, I like to recommend reheating it within the oven at 350 levels Fahrenheit. You’ll wish to reheat the turkey in a baking dish and add a splash of turkey broth or leftover pan drippings to maintain the turkey moist. Then, wrap the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to seal within the moisture and cook dinner the turkey till heated via (about 20 to half-hour).
Can You Freeze Turkey?
Completely! Turkey will be frozen for as much as 4 months. I like utilizing frozen turkey in casseroles, soups, stews, and on sandwiches. You all know I like utilizing my meals saver to freeze turkey, however sealing it in a freezer bag will work too!

Uncover a singular and straightforward approach to cook dinner a scrumptious turkey in a bowl with easy substances. Watch our step-by-step video tutorial for a excellent vacation meal.
Extra Turkey Recipes:
Description
Harassed on the considered cooking a turkey? Don’t be! We’ve made dozens of turkeys over time and we’ve found out find out how to cook dinner a turkey completely each time. Spoiler: one of the simplest ways to cook dinner a turkey is in a bowl!
Turkey Fundamentals
-
A frozen turkey will want thaw 24 hours per each 5 kilos.
-
Turkey might want to cook dinner for 1 hour per pound.
-
Protected inner temperature for a turkey is 175 levels F the thigh and 165 levels F within the breast.
Turkey in a Bowl
-
Warmth an oven to 400 levels F.
-
Place the garlic bulb on a slicing board and slice off the very high to reveal the garlic.
1 Bulb Garlic
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Drizzle with olive oil.
Olive Oil
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Wrap the bulb in foil and place within the oven for half-hour.
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Take away the garlic from the oven and squeeze out the delicate garlic cloves right into a bowl.
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Add the softened butter, herbs and spices.
3 Tablespoons Butter, 2 Lemons, 1 Tablespoon Thyme, 1 Tablespoon Sage, 2 teaspoons Paprika, 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
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Stir to mix.
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Rub the turkey with the butter combination below the pores and skin and over it.
18 Pound Turkey
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In case your turkey is additional giant it’s possible you’ll must double the butter.
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Place the turkey breast facet down in a 20 QT stainless-steel bowl.
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Cowl tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour a pound at 250 levels, as much as 15 hours.
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Rigorously take away from the oven and take away the liquid to a gravy fats separator.
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Pour the drippings right into a pan over medium excessive warmth.
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Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl.
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons Water
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As soon as the drippings are simmering, whisk within the cornstarch combination till easy and thick. In case you don’t want all the slurry don’t use it, or make extra when you ended up with quite a lot of drippings.
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Take away the turkey from the bowl to a platter, no want to chop because it’s all shredded.
Leftovers will be frozen for as much as 3 months. Take away the meat from the bones earlier than freezing.
Energy: 640kcal
Really helpful Merchandise
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