Don’t want to worry about roasting a whole turkey on the holiday? Whole turkey or turkey breast can be roasted and carved ahead and reheats beautifully with these easy instructions. No one will ever know you didn’t roast it right before serving!
Don’t want to worry about roasting a whole turkey on Thanksgiving? Whole turkey or turkey breast can be roasted and carved ahead and reheats beautifully with these easy instructions. No one will ever know you didn’t cook it right before serving! At the heart of any great Thanksgiving or Christmas meal is a beautiful roasted turkey. But the reality is that a whole turkey takes up a lot of space on the big day. If you roast and carve the turkey a day ahead, you can free up your oven and fridge for all of those beautiful side dishes. Not to mention that you save yourself all of guesswork over timing when it comes to serving the big meal.
The recipe below includes the straightforward method I’ve used for years to roast my turkey the day before Thanksgiving and includes a few new tricks that I learned when testing this method (including rubbing the pan with butter before reheating).
All of the credit for this idea goes to my mom. She says that her mom roasted turkey this way too. They both did most of the holiday meal work early in the week, and relaxed on the holiday. My memories of Thanksgiving as a kid are not of my mom running around trying to cook everything. Most of my Thanksgiving memories involve us going for walks as a family, playing games, watching movies, and doing the last minute tasks of setting the table and pouring drinks.
Roasting turkey ahead has always made sense to me, and it’s incredibly easy. Here’s how to do it.
Preparing a turkey can be an intimidating task, especially if you are cooking for a large group on Thanksgiving. Many home cooks wonder if they can cook the turkey ahead of time to make Thanksgiving day less hectic. The good news is, yes you can absolutely pre cook a turkey! In fact, there are several benefits to preparing your bird in advance.
Why Pre Cook a Turkey?
There are a few key reasons why you may want to cook your turkey early
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Make Thanksgiving Day Easier – Preparing the turkey ahead takes a big task off your plate on the big day. You’ll have more time to focus on side dishes, desserts, and entertaining.
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More Oven Space – Free up your oven on Thanksgiving to cook multiple dishes simultaneously,
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Test Run – Cook your turkey early to test recipes, roasting times, etc. This is especially helpful if you’re trying a new method.
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Impress Guests – Carve your turkey in advance for perfect, photo-worthy slices. No struggling to carve in front of guests.
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Moist Meat – Slow reheating ensures turkey stays juicy and tender. Quick roasting on Thanksgiving can dry out the meat.
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More Flavor – Salt, seasonings, and pan drippings have more time to deeply penetrate the meat.
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Make Turkey Broth – Simmer the carcass to make rich homemade broth for gravy.
How Far in Advance Can You Cook a Turkey?
There are a few options when it comes to the timeline for prepping your bird:
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Two Days Before – Roast the turkey, let cool completely, carve, refrigerate meat in containers and broth separately. Reheat gently in oven before serving.
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One Week Before – Follow same method as above. The texture may become slightly drier over time but still tasty.
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One Month Before – Roast turkey, carve, freeze slices and broth for up to one month. Thaw in fridge before reheating.
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Partially Cook – Roast your turkey about 2/3 of the way a few days early. Let cool, refrigerate, then finish roasting on Thanksgiving.
No matter which timeline you follow, food safety is key. Cook the bird fully to an internal temperature of 165°F before storing. Rapid chill the turkey within 2 hours after cooking. Reheat fully to 165°F before serving. Handle raw turkey carefully to prevent cross-contamination.
Step-by-Step Guide to Pre Cooking a Turkey
Follow these simple steps for foolproof results:
1. Prep the Turkey
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Thaw frozen turkey safely in the refrigerator over 2-3 days. Do not thaw at room temp.
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Remove giblets from cavity. Reserve for broth or gravy if desired.
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Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out.
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Lightly coat the skin with oil or butter and season generously inside and out with salt, pepper, herbs, etc.
2. Roast the Turkey
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Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Tent loosely with foil.
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Roast at 325°F until the thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F. Allow about 15 minutes per pound.
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Baste turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices. Add broth or water if pan gets dry.
3. Let Turkey Rest and Carve
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Allow turkey to rest 20-30 minutes before carving. This lets juices redistribute for moister meat.
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Carve turkey fully off the bones. Arrange slices in containers to refrigerate or freeze.
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Pour pan drippings and carving board juices over meat. Cool turkey completely.
4. Make Turkey Broth
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Place turkey carcass and scrap meat in a pot. Cover with water.
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Simmer 1-2 hours then strain. Use this broth for reheating and making gravy.
5. Store and Reheat
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For fridge, store turkey up to 4 days. For freezer, up to 1 month.
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Thaw frozen turkey overnight in the refrigerator.
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Reheat fully to 165°F in oven with broth, gravy, or sauce to prevent drying out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about pre cooking turkeys:
Can you roast a frozen turkey?
Yes, you can cook a turkey directly from the frozen state. Be sure to use a rack in your pan and tent foil over the breast. Roast at 325°F and allow about 30-45 minutes per pound more cooking time. Test temperature in inner thigh.
Should you brine a turkey you are pre cooking?
Brining is great for flavor but unnecessary if you are prepping your turkey in advance. The salt and seasonings have ample time to penetrate and tenderize the meat during roasting, resting, and reheating.
Can you cook stuffing inside the turkey ahead of time?
No, for food safety reasons it’s best not to stuff turkeys in advance. Cook stuffing separately and combine just before serving.
How long does cooked turkey last in the fridge?
Cooked turkey stored properly in the fridge keeps for 3-4 days. Be sure to carve meat off the bone and divide into shallow containers with broth poured over top.
Is it safe to freeze cooked turkey?
Yes, fully cooked and cooled turkey can be frozen for 1-2 months with minimal loss of quality. Portion turkey into freezer bags or airtight containers with broth. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator before reheating.
What’s the best way to reheat pre cooked turkey?
The safest method is in the oven at 325°F until heated through, about 45-60 minutes for a whole breast or legs and thighs. Reheat with broth, gravy, or sauce to prevent drying out.
The Takeaway
Pre cooking your Thanksgiving turkey is an easy way to take some of the pressure off the big day. With proper food safety practices, you can roast your bird 2 days, 1 week, or even 1 month in advance. Just remember to carve the cooled turkey, store with broth poured over top, and reheat fully to 165°F before serving your moist, flavorful holiday centerpiece.
Season the Turkey after Carving (if needed)
One of the biggest advantages to roasting the turkey ahead is the chance to add extra seasoning to the meat after roasting. Even if you brined your turkey, the brine may not have reached all the way to the meat that is closest to the bone (this is a particular problem with the thickest part of the breast meat). Last-minute seasoning to the rescue! Just before you reheat the turkey, taste a piece. If it tastes like it could use a bit more flavor, sprinkle salt between the slices right before reheating. It works like magic to bring more flavor throughout all of the slices of turkey.
Safe Temperature for Roast Turkey
The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 165°F / 73°C for turkey. Turkey will continue to cook for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven, so remove it from the oven just before it reaches that temperature – when the thickest part of the breast registers 160°F / 71°C and the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F / 73°C. The dark meat will stay moist at a higher temperature, but you don’t want to overcook the light meat of the breast. Use the breast as the most reliable guide to doneness.
