Introduction
Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with family and friends, but it can also be stressful. You want to make sure that everyone has enough food, and that everyone likes what you make. If you’re planning on cooking a 23-lb turkey this Thanksgiving, here’s how long to cook it in your oven so it comes out perfectly cooked:
How to Cook a 23-Lb Turkey in an Oven
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place turkey in roasting pan and cover loosely with foil, tenting it so that it doesn’t touch the skin of your bird. This will help keep it moist while cooking and help prevent drying out during its long journey to being fully cooked.
- Bake for 4 hours (or longer if needed), until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees F and thighs register 175 degrees F. Remove from heat when done cooking; let rest at least 20 minutes before carving into slices or chunks of meat
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, use a kitchen towel or an oven mitt to test the temperature of your oven by placing it on top of the door and closing it. If it’s not hot enough, open and close again until it gets up to temp (this may take a few minutes).
Don’t forget: if your turkey isn’t preheated before going in there, it’ll take longer than expected!
Place the turkey in a roasting pan (do not add water).
Place the turkey in a roasting pan (do not add water).
- Place the turkey breast side up.
- Make sure it’s thawed and thoroughly defrosted before cooking; otherwise, it won’t cook evenly or properly.
Cooking time depends on the size of the turkey, but it will take around 4 hours.
Cooking time depends on the size of your turkey, but it will take around 4 hours. A 23 lb turkey takes about 4 hours to cook in a 325 degree F oven.
The cooking temperature is important because you want to make sure that all parts of your bird are cooked equally and thoroughly so that there’s no chance for bacteria to survive (and cause food poisoning). It’s also important not to let the meat get too hot or cold during this process so as not to damage its texture or flavor.
Cooking times vary depending on other factors like how much fat is in each part of your bird, what kind of bird you’re using (younger ones tend to cook faster than older ones), whether they have been refrigerated before roasting/baking etc., but as long as everything else goes according with plan then chances are good things will turn out just fine!
Remove the bird from the oven when you’re sure it is cooked through.
After the turkey has been in the oven for about 1 hour, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. The breast meat should reach 165 degrees F and thigh meat 175 degrees F. This is especially important if you are roasting your turkey at high temperatures (such as 425 degrees F). If you’re not sure that your bird is done, cook it longer until it reaches these temperatures or until it reaches an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (the point at which all bacteria have died).
Let it rest for 30 minutes before removing it from the roasting pan.
Now that your turkey has been roasted, it’s time to let it rest for 30 minutes before removing it from the roasting pan. This will allow the juices in the meat to settle and for you to enjoy a juicy slice of turkey with crispy skin. If you don’t let your turkey rest after cooking, all those tasty juices will run out onto your plate when you carve into it!
Not only does letting your bird rest help keep it juicy longer, but this step also helps ensure that there won’t be any dry spots on your bird (and no one wants dry Thanksgiving dinner!). Plus, allowing yourself some extra time before serving means that everyone can enjoy their food warm instead of lukewarm or room temperature–and nobody wants cold holiday food either!
A 23 lb turkey takes about 4 hours to cook in your oven
If you’re cooking a 23 lb turkey, it’ll take about 4 hours to cook in your oven. The cost of the ingredients will be $145 and the total cost of making this meal is $190.
The leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. If you are cooking for more than one person, consider using another dish to keep the food warm while serving everyone else their portion first so they don’t have to wait as long.
Conclusion
If you have a 23 lb turkey to cook, let us know how it goes! We’d love to hear from you.
