You are going to love this Slow Roasted Turkey!!! It is juicy and so simple. Without any basting, brining or intricate butter rubbing bacon weaving skills, you get a super moist delicious bird.
There is no babysitting, you stick it in the oven and leave it overnight. This is the BEST turkey you will ever cook!
I'll say that again - There is no babysitting, you stick it in and leave it overnight.
Plus you can have the bird cooked and resting whilst you get the sides done, and then just give it 15 minutes before you serve it.
AND!!!!!!! this is a biggy, (especially if you are a fellow Australian!) you don't have to have to the oven cranked up at the 200ºC level for 3 hours. No upping the air-con because the turkey is about to go in the oven.
Seriously this recipe is a scream it from the roof tops winner!!!!!
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How to slow roast a turkey
You can slow roast a turkey overnight and it will be the juiciest and most tender turkey you have ever eaten! Cooking a turkey low and slow allows the meat to cook thoroughly without driving off moisture. Resulting in a really juicy turkey!
I originally read about this recipe in a newspaper article. It is based around the way that Heston Blumenthal cooks turkey, except it is home cook friendly with no fancy equipment needed.
What equipment do you need for Slow Roasted Turkey?
For this slow roasted turkey all you need is an oven, a roasting tin and a digital meat thermometer.
I am afraid the thermometer is a must. But they are not expensive and I promise you that once you use one, you will never question the purchase. In fact, I would say that cooking this turkey once is justification enough for buying one. But any roast dinner is better if you have one.
Here is Australia you can buy them in Myer, David Jones and the other day I saw one in my local supermarket. They are about $15 and worth every cent! I asked my Dad to do me some research and in the UK "They're everywhere" (quote unquote!!! 😉 ) He says, Marks and Sparks have them for £15, Lakelands and Argos also do them and then there are plenty on Amazon.
I also checked with some food blogger friends, in America you can get them in most supermarkets, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond and Target also stock them. And again Amazon have a large range.
What temperature do you cook a turkey to?
You need to ensure the internal temperature of the turkey gets to 64º (148ºF)
This is why the thermometer is essential. Getting the turkey to 64ºC/148ºF will mean it is perfectly cooked and not at all dry.
I am not going to lie, when you first take the turkey out of the oven you will think I have gone a little crazy! It looks very sad and pale.
But it sits and rests whilst you get on with everything else, then just before you want to eat, you blast it in the hottest oven you can and get the most golden skin.
At this point there is one basting needed. But it is a case of pouring some brown butter over the bird before you get it back in the oven.
Make sure you get your turkey out of the refrigerator in plenty of time.
You need to ensure that the turkey is at room temperature before it goes into the oven. I removed the turkey from the fridge for about an hour and a half before I put it into the oven. This will vary depending on the size of your turkey. The bigger your turkey the longer it will need to come to room temperature.
What temperature to cook a turkey at?
For this slow roasted turkey we are going to set the oven quite low and cook the turkey nice and slowly.
You want to set the oven so that the temperature is at 155ºF-170ºF (70ºC-80ºC) or if your oven won't go that low then just set it to the lowest you can.
Then there is nothing left, but to cover the turkey, sit it on a trivet, pour in a little water, get it in the oven, and there it will sit for 10 hours.
This method works with the pre-brined turkeys that supermarkets sell, the amazing free range turkeys you can buy from local farms or a standard frozen turkey (Just make sure it is fully defrosted!!)
Juicy turkey, so delicious and succulent. Cooked overnight in the oven. And just look how glorious it looks! This Overnight slow roasted turkey has been one of my most popular Christmas recipes for years and it is easy to see why!
What readers say:
"Just made this yesterday for Christmas. It came out perfect! First time I’ve made turkey too! Sooo juicy and tender. Thank you very much for the recipe." Zee
"Just wanted to say a massive thank you for posting this. I made it last weekend and the turkey was by far the best I’ve ever done, and so much better than last year’s haha" Marion
Do let me know if you try it, and if you have any questions add them to the comments below.
Enjoy x
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Slow Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (12lb/5.5kg - see note 1)
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 tablespoon butter
- salt
Instructions
- Remove the turkey from the fridge before you want to cook it to ensure it isn't icy cold.
- Pre-heat the oven to 155ºF-170ºF/70ºC-80ºC (or the lowest your oven will go)
- Remove any giblets or neck from the turkey.
- Place the turkey on a trivet or rack over a large roasting tin
- Pour the boiling water into the roasting tin and then cover the turkey with foil. Ensure you cover the bird and really seal the edges.
- Place the turkey in the bottom of the oven for 10 hours.
- After this time use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bird. Check the temp of the thigh meat and the thickest part of the breast.
- If they aren't at 64ºC yet then give it a further 30 minutes. (See notes)
- Remove the turkey from the oven and leave it in it's foil tent.
- Cook your sides and then turn the oven up as hot as it will go.
- Place the butter in a small frying pan and melt over a high heat until it starts to foam and turn golden.
- Remove the foil from the turkey and pour the butter all over the skin.
- Sprinkle with salt and then place the turkey in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and gorgeous.
Notes
- This method will work with any sized turkey. If your turkey is under 4lb (2kg) then set your timer for 8 hours and check the internal temperature then.
- If the temperature is under 55ºC then you can give the turkey another 2 hours in the oven, or turn the oven heat up by 10-15 degrees.
Theresia says
Hi Claire:
I’m wanting to stuff the bird with onions and lemons. (10 pounds) I’m going to use your method and am wondering if I should use less water...
Thank you!
Claire McEwen says
Hi Theresia,
I haven't tried it, but my gut instinct would be to keep the water the same. The water keeps the turkey moist but in most methods it would also prevent it from browning, but that isn't a problem here as the browning of the skin happens in the second cook.
Have a great thanksgiving
Cx
April says
I recently tried this method with my own recipe to cook a turkey for SuperBowl Sunday. It was the most tender, juiciest I’ve ever cooked!!
1. Injected seasoning marinade throughout whole turkey. 2. Brushed on a thick layer of McCormick Mayonesa (traditional Mayo with lime), including underneath skin. Also, placed pats of butter onto breast, underneath skin. 3. Seasoned with thyme, Lawry’s seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder (including inside cavity). 4. When ready to cook, I quartered new potatoes (or not, if small. Just make sure all are around same size). Also quartered white onions and lemons, added baby carrots. 5. Salt and pepper all, mixing well, making sure to cover all with seasoning. 6. Put a few onions and lemons into cavities of turkey. 7. Poured about two cups of water into roasting pan. 8. Spread lemon, onion, carrot and potato mixture evenly onto bottom of roaster. 9. Place turkey on top of veggie layer. 10. Marinated in fridge for three days. 11. Followed your cooking instructions. My house smelled soooo good! 12. After 10 hours, turkey was not fully cooked so I basted turkey very well, tented it again, cranked up the oven to 400 for 30 min. 13. Afterwards removed from oven, took a two hour nap, and then was ready to enjoy the fruits of my labor - it was DELICIOUS!!! Everyone enjoyed it :-). Thank you for sharing!!
Laurie says
This is such a great idea! So in the morning, does the turkey go into the fridge until ready to serve later..... as I’m assuming most people aren’t eating turkey for breakfast? Or how long is it fine to sit and rest for? Thank you!
Claire McEwen says
I tend to time putting the turkey in so that it is ready mid morning. I will pop it in after Christmas Eve midnight mass.
If you want to put it in a bit earlier then as long as the oven is on its lowest setting an extra hour shouldn't dry out the bird.
Ideally I don't put it in the fridge as the 20 minute roasting to crisp up the skin isn't enough to heat the whole bird back through. Gordon Ramsey recommends a turkey can be covered with foil and rested for 2 hours. Which is what I do.
But if you are eating much later in the day then the fridge is definitely the most food safe route. Also leaving it uncovered in the fridge will give the skin a chance to dry out and will give you a lovely crisp skin when you do finish it in the oven.
Zee says
Just made this yesterday for Christmas. It came out perfect! First time I've made turkey too! Sooo juicy and tender. Thank you very much for the recipe. I wonder if we can do the same for chicken?
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you tried it 😀
Isn't it just the best roast turkey recipe!!!
I think you could definitely try it with chicken. It wouldn't need as long to get up to temperature but I am sure it would still work. I will test it out soon 😀
Peggy Hill says
I also use a brown n bag it self baste the turkey and keeps it so moist.
Tina fitch says
Hi I have a 10kg turkey this year and a hoard of people. I am going to stuff the bird so any ideas of time and oven setting would be much appreciated! My mum always cooked her turkey overnight too. Thanks so much
Ps my oven can go either top and bottom best of Fan forced (hot humid air)
Claire McEwen says
Hi Tina,
I haven't made the slow roast turkey with stuffing inside, so I can't say for sure. But I know in a traditional roast adding stuffing will add up to 1 hour to the cooking time.
I imagine because the cooking time is so long that this would be the same for the overnight bird as well.
Sophia says
This looks beautiful, just wondering if this was this the temperature used with a fan forced oven?
Claire McEwen says
Because this is cooked so long at the low temperature I would have your fan forced oven set at the same temperature.
Usually in recipes the fan forced temp is lowers so the cooking time remains about the same.
Here it shouldn't make much difference.
I would ensure your tinfoil is very firmly sealed so the fan doesn't dry out the top of the bird.
Hope that helps.
Sorry for the late reply. I took a bit of time off over the Christmas season and am just getting back into it.
Marion says
Hiya, just wantsd to say a massive thank you for posting this. I made it last weekend and the turkey was by far the best I've ever done, and so much better than last year's haha. The only turkeys I could find were ready basted so I didnt add any salt, but followed the rest of the instructions. It was so easy and stress free and it really was perfectly cooked. I will always and forever more cook my turkeys this way. Thanks again 🙂
Claire McEwen says
Marion, this has made me grin from ear to ear!!!!!!!
I love this method for cooking turkey and am super happy to hear from you 😀
Isn't it just the juiciest turkey ever!!!
Thank you again for coming back to post a comment!
Marion says
It really is the juciest turkey ever ! ! ! Which is great because we're still enjoying it going on day 5... ?
Claire McEwen says
Haha, always seems to be the way with turkey.
But glad it is still juicy!!!
Left over turkey always reminds me of the scene in Bridget Jones Diary where her Mother holds a Turkey Curry Buffet party! ?
Marlene says
This is a new technique to me; love the idea! I will have to try it next time I make a turkey, Claire. Also, your photo of the bird with sides is gorgeous, great depth of field.
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Marlene, I had friends and family sitting at the table ready for dinner and I was busy in my back room taking photos. LOL life of a food blogger right?
The Hungry Mum says
This meal looks like something out of a food mag - what amazing styling.
Claire McEwen says
Thank you so much. That has made my evening 🙂
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
This is how my mother cooked her Thanksgiving turkey. She put it in the oven at its lowest temperature setting before going to bed. It was so she could use the oven for all the casseroles on the day. It was always a perfect bird.
Claire McEwen says
It is a wonderful way to cook, you can do nothing and be rewarded with succulent meat and an empty oven. Win Win 🙂