How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound

To cook a turkey to perfection the rule typically is 15 minutes of cooking time per pound at 350 degrees. Or you can cook it @ 325 for 20 minutes per pound.

Year after year I cooked my turkey the same way, continuously checking it until it was finally done. But it was never consistent, while some parts were done, other parts were either pink or over done.

Programmable Slow Cookers

Until a few years ago, when I decided to try something different. Rather than trying to shape all that out what I decided to do is put in order the turkey the night before with my special glaze of honey, orange juice and brown sugar. Use equal parts of each.

First I isolate the skin from the breast so I can put my rub of garlic, onion, salt, pepper and a tablespoon or two of Italian dressing. Again, I use equal parts of each condiment.

I rub it into the meat under the skin, and I pour the glaze all over the top of it, then I tightly wrap it up in foil. Cook it on it's stomach so the juices drain down in to the white meat of the breast.

I place it in the oven @ 150 degrees and slowly cook it all night long. There's no timing, no weighing the turkey, per slight by oven climatic characteristic and no continuously checking to see if it's over done.

Voila, you will wake up to the heavenly aroma of a perfectly cooked turkey every time! Now just check it to make sure it's done. You need to flip it on it's back and give it a slight more time without the foil to brown the skin on the breast nice and evenly.

It's ordinarily ready by 8am, and you won't even need to carve it, because the meat is so tender and juicy that it falls right off the bone.

Mmm, Mmm, Mmm, Bon Appetit!

How you cook a turkey is entirely up to you. You can select to do it the same way year after year or you can dare to try something new this year. Just have fun with it, enjoy yourself and contain your children in the tradition of 'how you cook the turkey' so they will continue doing it with their families. That is legitimately what it is all about... Happy Thanksgiving!

How Long to Cook a Turkey Per Pound