Overnight Turkey (Easy, Delicious, and Always Moist!)
Keep in mind there are many ways to cook a turkey
There is no one right way to cook a turkey and I’m not saying my method is better than any others. Feel free to post under this and tell me how y’all do it, it would be a great reference for everyone who reads this! This overnight turkey method is awful easy and your entire bird will be moist and juicy, even the white meat! Whats more, the bird is done first thing when you wake up so you can use that super rich broth and some of the meat to put into your dressing and gravies for the big meal!
Jut make sure that it’s cooked through before you serve. Breast should be 165 degrees F and thighs 170-175 degrees F.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!
Gratefully,
Stacey Lynn and The Southern Plate Family
Ingredients
- 1 Turkey thawed
- 1 Tablespoon Flour
- 1 stick butter
- 1 oven bag large enough for turkey to fit in
- Roaster pan or other large pan with depth to it so broth won't overflow - it always seeps out of the bag anyway
Instructions
- Look in cavity of the turkey and make sure there are not giblets (bags of anything). If there are, remove those. Grandmama always saves hers for giblet gravy. You do what your heart tells ya to do.
- Put one tablespoon of flour in oven bag, shut it and shake it. Place turkey breast side down in oven bag (oven bag should be sitting in your roasting pan). Breast side down is key here for moist white meat. It may look funny but trust us!
- Stick that butter where the sun don't shine (up the little gobbler's rear- sorry gobbler)
- Seal bag and cut a few small slits in the top.
- Turn oven on 250 and cook overnight. I don't put mine in until ten thirty or eleven and I get it out by six in the morning. You want to cook it about seven hours, but no more. When you wake up, your entire house will smell like turkey and the broth will be SO RICH and wonderful!!
- Slice turkey and place on platter. Spoon a the left over turkey juices or broth over if you like. Cover with cling wrap or foil and refrigerate until time for your meal and reheat on low in the oven until warm and toasty before the meal. How long will depend on how thick you slice the turkey.
Notes
Nutrition
You may also enjoy these turkey and Thanksgiving recipes:
Great Left Over Turkey Recipes
Ultimate Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
Make Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes!
How do you bring the turkey back up to a proper serving temperature or do you serve it cold?
I use the Fool-Proof Giblet Gravy recipe from Womans Day (BTW, it never tastes like liver, or anything like that, but is delicious and I usually have enough for all the stuffing/dressing and mashed potatoes I make. The gravy is delicious, and you’ll be glad you tried it… toss in the boiled egg white for luck. (That must be what I remember my grandmother doing, my mom didn’t know what I was talking about.)
Ingredients:
Turkey neck and giblets, refrigerate liver until needed
6 cup(s) chicken broth
2 large onions, sliced
1 cup(s) sliced carrots
1 cup(s) dry white wine or water
1/2 cup(s) celery leaves
6 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
Turkey drippings
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Directions
Cut turkey neck and heart in half. Put into a large saucepan along with gizzard, chicken broth, onions, carrots, wine, and celery leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Add liver; simmer 30 minutes more or until gizzard is very tender.
Remove giblets to a cutting board. Strain broth into a large cup measure, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard vegetables. Add extra water to broth if needed to make 6 cups. Chop giblets and neck meat. Refrigerate in covered container.
Mash butter and flour with a fork or back of a spoon until blended to a paste. Break into 4 chunks.
Bring broth to a boil in a medium-size saucepan. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in flour mixture, 1 chunk at a time, until well blended. Whisk until thickened and boiling. Boil 3 minutes to cook out floury taste.
After turkey is removed from roasting pan: Pour pan drippings into a 2-cup measure. Spoon fat off top and discard. Add enough water to equal 2 cups. Pour back into roasting pan. Stir in giblets and neck meat. Heat over medium-low heat, scraping up brown bits on bottom of pan, until hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Could this have been an Angel? I was looking thru the turkey selection trying to decide how I was going to cook one for Thanksgiving a few years ago. My past Turkeys had been failures 🙁 either too dry or not cooked long enough and Thanksgiving ended up being at Waffle House. An older lady approached me and said “Hunny, Im gonna tell you how to cook that turkey. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Boil 5 cups of water. Put a stick of butter in the cavity and place your turkey in the pan. Rub the top with a little butter then salt and pepper the top. When your water is boiling pour it in the bottom of the pan around the turkey. Then cover it tightly and bake it for 1 hour then turn your oven off and DO NOT open the door for 5 to 6 hours. Then turn your oven back on 350 for 1 hour.” I tried this and it was so moist and delicious. Been cooking my turkey this way for the past 3 years now. Sorry for the long post!
MERCERDITH, I’VE TIRELESSLY SEARCHED FOR YOUR POST ON BAKING A TURKEY FROM THE LADY AT WAFFLE HOUSE AFTER READING IT YEARS AGO. GLORY, I JUST FOUND IT!!!!
What size turkey do you cook for 7 hours?
Hi! I was wondering if the turkey gets brown cooking this way?
I had the same question as Sandy. If you get it out at 6AM, how do you keep it warm and keep it from not drying out? Do you reheat it, and if so, for how long and at what temperature?
I cook turkey every Thanksgiving and Christmas! We love it! I put my thawed turkey in a large roasting pan, add 6 or 7 cups of water. Take a couple of Granny Smith apples and a couple of onions and half them. Place an apple and an onion in the cavity of the turkey. Put the rest around the turkey. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Cover turkey with lid and place in oven. Cook 5 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes. Turn oven off and leave overnight. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR til morning! Juicy and delish!!!!
How dop you keep it warm or reheat it for dinner?