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!
I used this recipe to make my very first turkey it came out amazing and juicy no one could believe it was my first time. Even though i did use season salt and stuck a onion and garlic in side the turkey! This recipe was very helpful and will be using it again
Way to go Mariana!! I am so glad to hear it was a hit!!
This is my first thanksgiving to host and Im nervous!!! Thanks for this turkey-vice…it sounds just like my moms. I wish you would do just a holiday cookbook I love all your recipes and the fact that you are only a couple hours from me ensures that your recipes are also the ones I grew up with..Lovin’ you in North Alabama..
Hey Jennifer! I’m actually working on a printer friendly Holiday e-book right now. If all goes as planned it will be up for sale next week (cross your fingers). I’m going to make it all black and white and easy to print so all the recipes can be in one place for folks. I think we are going to charge anywhere from $3-$5 and it will have everything our entire family cooks during the holidays.
Either way, YOU GOT THIS!!! Your meal is going to be amazing!
Found this recipe in a google search. My turkey is waiting to head into the oven. It’s buttered up, seasoned, and upside down. LOL!. Can’t wait. I know it’s going to be good! 🙂
Hi,
I want to try this overnight method, but I love my dressing cooked inside the turkey cavity. Can I still cook a turkey overnight if it’s stuffed with dressing? Love your website and emails! Thanks for all you do.
Hey Jackie! Thank you so much! I’m afraid I m little help here. We have never cooked stuffing inside a turkey. We just make dressing and use the turkey broth to give it that pow flavor. I’m hoping someone else can jump in here and offer advice based on their experience.
Thanks for replying. Hopefully someone will know. I was so excited to see you replied to my question. In my world, you are a celebrity! Your website is my recipe Bible. Have a wonderfully blesses holiday season.
Jackie
Christy, you are just the cutest thing ever. I LOVE how you write, and how your wonderful personality seems to shine through. Thank you so much for the information about cooking a Turkey!
Alan
My wife and I have VERY successfully used the OVERNIGHT cooking method! After fully defrosting the turkey in the refrigerator, we use an oven thermometer to make use the oven is at 400 F. We use a roasting rack and fill the bottom of the pan with onions, carrots, celery and apples plus chicken broth. A TAYLOR wireless thermometer with a remote pager sensor is inserted into the breast of the turkey with it on its breast. The turkey is dried first then heavily coated with butter and seasoned. We put all of the giblets down with the veggies. The turkey and pan is sealed using heavy duty aluminum foil. The turkey s roasted for one hour at 400 F degrees then turned down to 200. Then we go to sleep. The wireless thermometer alerts us when the turkey reaches 165 F internally. We LEAVE THE TURKEY IN THE OVEN and TURN OFF THE OVEN altogether. We watch the remote to make sure the turkey doesn’t get OVERDONE. All of the gibliets (less the neck which always disappears) vegetables and apples are removed, put in a blender and LIQUIFIED. We allow the liquid in the bottom of the pan to completely cool and use the solid part to make a roux if needed. The vegetables will typically yield about a gallon of delicious gravy that needs no seasoning and nothing to augment its color!
Is it safe to cook a stuffed turkey overnight in a cooking bag? I don’t put any eggs in my stuffing.