Introduction

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means that you’ve probably started planning your holiday menu. But while we’re all excited to try our hand at cooking a turkey, there are some important things to know before you get started. Are you new to cooking turkeys? Or do you have years of experience in the kitchen? Either way, I’m here to help make sure your Thanksgiving dinner turns out perfectly with this quick guide on how long to cook a turkey in a convection oven!

What is a convection oven?

Convection ovens are just like regular ovens, except they have a fan that circulates hot air throughout the interior of the oven. This helps to cook your turkey evenly and quickly, as well as with less energy.

In general, it’s best to use convection when baking or roasting meats (like turkey) because it cooks them faster than standard baking does without drying out their insides. Convection can also be used for other dishes like cakes or pastries by reducing bake times by about 25%.

How to cook a turkey in a convection oven

To cook a turkey in a convection oven, you’ll want to make sure that the turkey is turned breast side up. The idea is that the heat will circulate around the meat better this way and cook it more evenly.

Place your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set it for 15 minutes per pound of turkey (for example: if you are cooking a 12-pound bird, set your timer for 180 minutes). After about an hour, check on how things are going by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of both thighs and breast; when those areas reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), remove from heat immediately!

If you want to avoid dry, overcooked turkeys, use a convection oven.

Convection ovens are designed to cook faster and more evenly. A traditional oven will heat from the top and bottom, which means that the food on the bottom–like a turkey–will take longer to cook than food placed in other parts of your oven. In addition to cooking your bird faster, convection makes sure that all sides of the turkey get equal amounts of heat so that there aren’t any dry spots or overcooked areas when it comes out of its roasting pan.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you understand how to cook a turkey in a convection oven. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below!