What temperature do you put on a 13 pound turkey?

Answer 1

Although official turkey-type people say you shouldn't use low-temp roasting for turkeys out of concern for food-borne illnesses, I've never had any problems. I think you'll see why.

First, brine the turkey overnight (1/2 cup salt per gallon of water). If weather is warm, add ice (and adjust salt concentration accordingly); if it's cold outside (below 40 degrees), just leave bird outside in brine in covered bucket.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse turkey very thoroughly in cold water, then pat dry.

Place on a well-oiled rack, breast-side up, inside a shallow pan. Baste generously with mix of olive oil, lemon juice, and thyme; then turn back-side up and baste again. Leaving back side up, place in oven. Add some water to pan to prevent juices from burning. After bird has been in oven about 5 minutes, TURN OVEN TEMP DOWN TO 250 DEGREES. Baste with the olive oil-lemon juice-thyme mixture after about an hour, then every 45 minutes or so (there's a lot of leeway here). Once there is sufficient pan juice for basting, use that instead of fresh basting sauce. After visible portion looks fairly brown, use several thicknesses of paper towels in each hand to turn bird over so it is breast side up. Continue cooking till turkey is done. At some point before the drumsticks and wings begin to get too well done, cover them with aluminum foil.

It is customary to roast a turkey till an instant-read thermometer reads at least 165 degrees. But this brining/slow-cook method is extremely forgiving. Because I usually debone a turkey to use the meat in various casseroles (as well as having one feast of hot roast turkey), I like to let the bird cook till it reads 190 [sic!] degrees (in thickest part of thigh). you might want to stop at 180. Experiment to see what works best for you. The brining will produce juicy meat no matter how much it's cooked. But this long, low-temp roasting till the bird is VERY cooked produces not only moist meat, but crisp skin and meat that is extremely easy to pull off the bones (and separate from tendons) using only your hands.

After removing the meat from the bones, I simmer the carcass and skin with onions, carrots, and celery to make scrumptious stock for later use. I save the pan juice in a separate container, as it has extremely dense, delicious flavor.

A tip: To freeze meat for later use, refrigerate it till you've finished making your stock from the bones. Then pour stock over the meat in your freezer containers (I use one-quart yogurt containers), cover, and freeze. Be sure to label containers with contents as well as date. The stock keeps the meat moist, avoiding freezer drying/burn.

Answer 2

Roasting times for whole turkeys

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) and use these cooking times to prepare roast turkey that's moist, tender and delicious 12 to 16 lb Un Stuffed Turkey 3 ¼ - 3 ½ hrs 12 to 16 lb Stuffed Turkey 3 ¾ - 4 hrs Turkey is fully cooked and safe to eat when the meat thermometer reads 77°C or 170°F for an un-stuffed turkey and 82°C or 180°F for a stuffed turkey.

Answer 3

Roasting times for whole turkeys

Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F) and use these cooking times to prepare roast turkey that's moist, tender and delicious 12 to 16 lb Un Stuffed Turkey 3 ¼ - 3 ½ hrs 12 to 16 lb Stuffed Turkey 3 ¾ - 4 hrs Turkey is fully cooked and safe to eat when the meat thermometer reads 77°C or 170°F for an un-stuffed turkey and 82°C or 180°F for a stuffed turkey.