For Perfectly Golden Roasted Turkey, Follow This Oven Temperature Rule

No Thanksgiving feast feels complete without a perfectly roasted turkey, and there's no greater achievement than pulling a one from the oven after hours of labor and anticipation to find it luxuriously golden. But whether you've been the designated turkey chef for years or are roasting your very first bird, achieving that mouthwatering crispy skin can be surprisingly challenging. So to uncover expert tips for a perfectly roasted turkey, Food Republic spoke with Tieghan Gerard, best-selling cookbook author, entrepreneur, and founder of Half Baked Harvest.

According to Gerard, when roasting a 14- to 16-pound turkey, instead of maintaining a constant temperature, you should drop the temperature of the oven throughout your bake. "[Start] at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes on the lower third of the oven," she explained. Remember, while the middle rack is usually best for even cooking, a turkey is larger than most poultry, so placing it on the lower third of the oven helps ensure the bird is centered and avoids proximity to the heating element at the top of the oven, which can cause it to dry out or burn. "Then[, turn] the temp down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours, or until the internal temp of the bird is 160 degrees Fahrenheit," she added. 

The high heat at the beginning allows the skin to become crisp and golden early on, and once the skin is crisp, lowering the temperature allows the turkey to cook low and slow, letting the meat cook evenly and the turkey to retain its juices, so this step is one of many to help avoid the dreaded dry turkey. If the turkey does dry out, consider moistening it with this common pantry ingredient – broth.

There are plenty of useful tips to elevate your roasted turkey, ensuring it comes out perfectly golden while the interior remains juicy and flavorful. "I add one to two cups of broth [halfway] through roasting," Tieghan Gerard explained. The added liquid creates steam that increases the oven's humidity, helping the turkey cook more evenly while preventing the skin from drying out. "I like to baste the turkey with the drippings two times throughout cooking[,] and when doing so[,] rotate the roasting pan." Basting redistributes those delicious pan juices for deeper flavor and color, while rotating the pan in intervals helps the skin crisp evenly all around. 

Another tip for a golden exterior and juicy interior is removing the turkey from the oven slightly earlier than you might think. Take it out once it reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit, as it will continue cooking from residual heat, a process known as carryover cooking. Leaving it in longer risks drying out the meat as it rests. Speaking of resting, allow the turkey to sit for 35 to 45 minutes (adjusting for the size of the bird) to give the muscles time to relax and allow the juices to be redistributed. 

"If the bird has cooled, serving it [with] hot gravy will help," Gerard told us. With so many dishes to juggle during the holidays, another useful tip is to warm your plates in the oven before serving, which helps keep everything on the table perfectly hot and dinner-ready!