How to cook a turkey in the oven

The ideal option for cooking poultry is if you bake a turkey in the oven. The uniform distribution of temperature effects will allow the meat to fry well and get a golden crust on top, which will retain the internal juice. To make the dish perfect, use a few simple practical tips, which can be found below. A collection of interesting recipes will help you decide how to bake a turkey in the oven in different ways.

How long to bake a turkey in the oven

Determining how much to cook a turkey in the oven is possible only when you already know which recipe you will use. The cooking time will depend on the size of the portioned pieces and their number, therefore, cooking the whole bird in the oven will take more than an hour and a half. Pre-marinated meat will cook faster, the use of foil or a sleeve increases the baking speed.

The speed of the baking process can be affected by the model of household appliances inside which the turkey will be cooked: the number of minutes to heat the oven should be taken into account. According to average data, if you take a whole bird carcass as a starting point, it will take about one to two hours. For each recipe, an approximate time is indicated after which the dish will be ready; for every pound of meat, about 20 minutes are given.

How to marinate a turkey for roasting in the oven

Baked turkey in the oven - recipe with photo

A simple recipe that even a novice cook can handle. In terms of taste, the meat resembles a traditional pork kebab. While the turkey is roasting, use the time to make a delicious cranberry sauce, the method of making it is indicated in the recipe. Such a dish with a whole baked turkey will become the centerpiece of the table.

Ingredients:

• fresh turkey - 1 piece (2.2-2.8 kg);
• olive oil - 3 tablespoons;
• softened butter - 3 tablespoons;
• onion - 1 piece of medium size;
• hot pepper pod - to taste;
• carrots - 1 piece of medium size;
• ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon;
• greens (rosemary, parsley);
• lemon - 1 piece;
• salt;
• cranberries - 300 g;
• sugar - 1 cup;
• water - 75-90 ml.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the prepared turkey carcass well from above and inside under running water. Dry on all sides with a paper towel.
2. Clean vegetables. Cut the carrots lengthwise into long strips, cut the onion into half rings. Place inside the bird, adding sprigs of greens to the vegetables. Close the entrance with a piece of foil, which will prevent the filling from burning.
3. Tie the legs of the turkey with a thick thread so that a beautiful shape is preserved during the baking process. It is recommended to fasten the entire carcass along the longitudinal line in the same way.
4. Rub the outer surface with a mixture of salt and ground pepper.
5. After laying the turkey on a baking sheet on which excess rendered fat will drain, pour the carcass with a mixture made from lemon juice, olive oil and butter.
6. The first stage of baking should last about 20 minutes at a temperature of 200-210. After lowering the heat setting to 160, leave the turkey inside the warm oven for another couple of hours, until cooked through.
7. Cranberry sauce is easy to prepare by combining berries, sugar, water, lemon juice and hot pepper, boiling the mixture for 5-7 minutes and grinding with a blender.

Turkey in the oven in foil

Using food foil for the process of roasting turkey meat using the oven, you can reduce the cooking time. Due to the reflective properties, a higher temperature is created inside the bird, eliminating burning. The turkey baked in the oven in foil has juicy meat and rich flavor. To form a golden crust at the end of the process, the foil can be unrolled.

Ingredients:

• turkey meat fillet - 800 g-1 kg;
• soy sauce - 6 tablespoons;
• spices for white meat - 4 teaspoons;
• salt.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the fillet pieces well, remove excess moisture with a paper towel. With the sharp end of the knife, make cuts inside the meat, where to place part of the spice mixture.
2. Use the rest of the spices for the surface of the fillet.
3. Put the pieces of meat in a bowl and pour soy sauce so that the entire surface of the fillet is under the liquid. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
4. After marinating, wrap each piece separately in foil.
5. The oven should be heated to 210-220 degrees. Put the turkey fillet in foil on a baking sheet, mark the baking time - 50-55 minutes.
6. To obtain a golden crust on the surface of the meat, unfold the top layer of foil 5-7 minutes before the end of the process.

Turkey in a roasting sleeve

It will turn out tasty and beautiful if you cut medallions from the fillet. The turkey in the oven in the baking sleeve turns out to be very juicy and fragrant. Portioned even pieces of meat fillet will be baked evenly thanks to the protective film. A mixture of cheese, honey and spices will give a special taste and aroma to the cooked dish. The dish will be relevant on the table at any time of the year.

Ingredients:

• turkey medallions - 6-7 pieces;
• liquid bee honey - 1 tablespoon;
• a mixture of ground peppers - ½ teaspoon;
• salt;
• garlic - 1 clove;
• dried rosemary - 1 tablespoon (st.);
• balsamic vinegar - 2-2.5 tbsp. spoons;
• grated cheese (parmesan) - 6-7 tbsp. spoons.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse medallions, dry with a towel, put in a baking sleeve.
2. Mix grated cheese, chopped garlic clove, pepper, salt, dried seasoning, vinegar and honey.
3. Put the mixture in the sleeve to the medallions and shake well several times, securing the edge.
4. Put in the cold for 50-60 minutes for high-quality pickling.
5. Without removing the medallions from the sleeve, put on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 40-45 minutes, which is heated to 200 degrees. Make 1-2 small holes at the top of the sleeve.
6. Turkey meat prepared in this way will be in perfect harmony with mashed potatoes, boiled rice or fresh vegetables.

Turkey thigh in the oven

A simple basic recipe for cooking turkey meat in the oven, which even a novice cook can handle. More experienced housewives can independently add various seasonings, marinades or spices to the proposed method at their discretion. Each type of added dried herbs or pepper will make the taste of meat especially interesting and unique.

Ingredients:

• turkey thighs - 4 pieces;
• salt;
• ground black pepper;
• greens (sage, basil, cilantro, dill);
• softened butter - 6-7 tablespoons.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse portioned turkey thighs under running water, removing the remnants of feathers from the skin.
2. Dry the surface with paper towels or towels.
3. Rub with salt and pepper on all sides. Greens and a little butter placed under the skin.
4. Grease a baking sheet with oil and lay out the thighs.
5. Bake the turkey thigh fillet in the oven at a temperature of 180-190 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
6. Readiness to check in this way: pierce the meat with the tip of a knife. The juice of the finished dish should not have an admixture of pink or red.

Turkey breast baked in the oven

Some housewives avoid cooking a turkey breast in the oven, fearing that the meat will be dry and not tasty. The proposed recipe, despite its simplicity, will help to cope with the preparation of the dish and get a wonderful taste. The result will exceed all expectations, the breast will turn out juicy, soft, with the aroma of seasonings and spices, which will give a special piquancy.

Ingredients:

• turkey breast fillet - 0.9-1.1 kg;
• salt;
• ground white pepper;
• rosemary.

Cooking method:

1. Sprinkle well-washed turkey breast meat generously with salt, pepper and rosemary, removing excess water first.
2. Put the pieces of breast in the sleeve and, having fixed both sides, leave for an hour at room temperature. During this time, the meat will absorb the right amount of salt, spices and marinate well.
3. Place the sleeve with meat on a baking sheet and put in a hot oven (preheat to 220 degrees in advance) for 25-30 minutes. After the time has elapsed, there is no need to rush to remove the turkey from the oven and sleeve. The gradual decrease in temperature and the protective film will not allow the natural juice to evaporate. After a couple of hours, the cooked pastrami can be cut and laid out on a dish, garnished with sprigs of greenery.

Turkey ham in the oven

On the festive table, turkey boiled ham, which was cooked in the oven, will look great. It can be flavored with various seasonings, have a filling, which, when cut, will give the dish originality. It is recommended to try one of the options for cooking turkey boiled pork with the addition of dried herbs and French mustard.

Ingredients:

• turkey fillet - about 1 kg;
• ground pepper;
• salt;
• French mustard - 2-3 tablespoons;
• Provencal, Mediterranean dried herbs;
• garlic - a few medium cloves;

Cooking method:

1. For boiled pork, it is advisable to choose a thick part of the fillet, wash it well and dry it.
2. Along the circumference and on the sides, make numerous more cuts, where to put thin strips of garlic. The more their number, the more spicy the meat will turn out.
3. Dredge the turkey pieces on top in a mixture of salt, dried herbs and pepper. Lubricate with mustard. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
4. Spread the marinated meat on a piece of foil and wrap it in the shape of an envelope, tightly connecting the edges.
5. Heating the oven to 210-220 degrees, put the envelopes on a baking sheet, bake for about half an hour.
6. Unroll the foil after the ham has cooled.

Turkey steak in the oven

On the basis of a turkey steak in the oven, you can make original baskets with stuffing that will decorate any table, even New Year's or wedding. You can use a grill instead of an oven. For the filling, any vegetables at the discretion of the hostess are suitable. The combination of turkey meat with mushrooms will add zest. Learn how to prepare this unusual and tasty dish.

Ingredients:

• turkey steaks - 8-10 pieces;
• fresh champignons - 250-300 g;
• medium carrot - 1 piece;
• eggplant - 1 piece;
• onions - 1-2 pieces;
• hard cheese - 150 -200 g;
• mayonnaise - 100 g;
• salt, spices.

Cooking method:

1. Start preparation 2-4 hours before baking. To do this, rub the washed and dried steaks with salt, spices, coat with mayonnaise or sour cream. Leave for a few hours to marinate.
2. During this time, you can prepare the filling for the baskets. Onions, mushrooms, carrots wash, peel. Cut the eggplant into cubes, salt to remove bitterness, and after 10-15 minutes drain the resulting water. Grate the root crop on a coarse grater, finely chop the onion and champignons. Fry everything in vegetable oil until golden brown.
3. Spread the marinated steaks on a baking sheet greased with vegetable oil and send to the middle shelf of the oven at 200 degrees. After 30 minutes of frying, the edges of the steaks will rise, which will give them a resemblance to a basket.
4. For each serving of steak, lay out the fried mixture of vegetables and mushrooms. Sprinkle with grated cheese and put back in the oven for 10 minutes. Consume hot.

Turkey with potatoes in the oven

A deliciously cooked turkey baked with potatoes in the oven is very simple, quick and has an unsurpassed taste. Similarly, it is prepared both in the sleeve and inside the clay pot. The use of a heat-resistant film will speed up the cooking process of a meat dish with potatoes. When using pots, it is recommended to remove the lid to crust the top layer.

Ingredients:

• turkey fillet - 500 -600 g;
• potatoes - 800 g - 1100 g;
• salt;
• greenery;
• spices to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the turkey meat into medium-sized pieces (2-3 cm), rinse, let the water drain.
2. After peeling the potatoes, cut them into pieces equal in size to meat ones.
3. Put everything in a baking bag, add spices, salt, chopped herbs. Shake well several times and tie the end tightly.
4. Put on a baking sheet, pierce a couple of small holes.
5. In a hot oven (about 190 degrees), put the meat and potatoes for 45-55 minutes. The juice secreted by the meat will saturate the potato slices and give a special flavor to the dish.

Turkey cutlets in the oven

For cutlets, shin meat is better, then they will be very juicy and look like beef. The process of preparing a dietary meat dish is not much different from the traditional one. Baked turkey cutlets are easily accepted by the body and are recommended for people who want to reduce their excess weight, but are not ready to limit meat consumption.

Ingredients:

• boneless turkey meat - 1 kg;
• egg - 2 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• White bread;
• flour for breading;
• vegetable oil;
• salt.

Cooking method:

1. Pre-rinse the meat, soak the bread in milk or water, peel the onion.
2. Scroll the turkey with onions in a meat grinder.
3. Add salt, eggs, soaked bread to the minced meat. Mix everything.
4. Form medium-sized round balls, roll them in flour.
5. Lay out on a baking sheet. Turkey cutlets in the oven are juicy and ruddy. Baked at a temperature of 220 degrees. Readiness to check by using a skewer: the clear juice released at the puncture site indicates the complete readiness of the cutlets.

Oven stuffed turkey rolls

Turkey roll can have different fillings: onions with carrots, prunes, eggs. Try one of the festive options that can become the main dish on the table. Do not forget to decorate turkey rolls beautifully laid out on a flat dish with green sprigs, which will be wonderfully combined with light meat and dark prunes filling, not only externally, but also to taste.

Ingredients:

• turkey escalope fillet - 800-900 g;
• dried dried prunes - 150-200 g;
• salt, spices.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the sirloin of the turkey into portions as for an escalope and make thin chops with a mallet. Rinse, allow time for water to drain.
2. Roll each piece in a mixture of salt and spices.
3. Hold prunes for 10-15 minutes in hot water to steam. Cut into strips.
4. Stuff, laying prunes on the prepared "pancakes" of meat. Twist the rolls and secure them with a skewer or thick thread.
5. Laying on a baking sheet with vegetable oil, bake at 180 degrees.

Turkey with apples baked in the oven

The recipe for cooking a wonderful turkey fillet with apples in the oven is ideal for the New Year or Christmas holidays. The dish will become a decoration of the table, it turns out beautifully and brightly in the photo. The recipe is identical to Peking duck, which is considered by many to be a delicacy. Without much effort, please your loved ones with turkey cooked according to the proposed recipe.

Ingredients:

• turkey fillet - 1.2-1.5 kg;
• green apples - 2-3 pieces;
• honey - 2-3 tablespoons;
• garlic - 3-4 cloves;
• ginger, black pepper, ground nutmeg - 1 teaspoon each;
• mustard powder - 0.5 teaspoon;
• olive oil - 5-6 tablespoons;
• salt.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the turkey fillet and cut into large pieces (4-6 cm). Beat a little, salt, sprinkle with pepper.
2. Prepare the marinade by mixing ground ginger, nutmeg, mustard powder, crushed garlic, honey, olive oil. Put pieces of turkey fillet in it for several hours.
3. Put pieces of meat on a dry baking sheet, place apples cut into slices on top, which can be combined with pineapple, pumpkin. Pour in the remaining marinade.
4. The oven must be very hot (220-230 degrees). Bake for about 30-40 minutes.

A few tips on how to cook a turkey in the oven so that the meat is not tough and dry will help many housewives who decide to decorate their table with such a chic dish:

• the bird should only be fresh, frozen meat for cooking in the oven will not work;
• if the size of the carcass is large, it can bake poorly, so it’s worth cutting the bird into fillet, drumstick, wings;
• use foil or a special sleeve during baking;
• the use of marinades will allow the meat not to lose its juiciness;
• keep an eye on the temperature of the oven.

Video: turkey drumstick in the oven