When we make our Thanksgiving roast turkey we never make it whole. Our tradition is to brine it, then to debone it, and finally to roast it.
As the bird roasts, it fills the house with a mouthwatering aroma. The all-purpose seasoning we use along with the onion and butter flavors every bite of turkey– not just the outer skin. This moist turkey isnt dependent on a heavy gravy to give it flavor or to make it moist. We find that even the breast meat is always tender and succulent.
Our 16 ½ pound turkey cooked in just about 1 ½ hours compared to the 4 or more hours a whole turkey would take to reach an internal temperature of 165° F. And we have another little time-saving secret. We made the turkey the day before and then on Thanksgiving we just warmed it up in a large electric skillet set on low.
It turned out to be a perfect roast turkey! It tasted as if it was just roasted and sliced –delicious!! Try our method and see if its not true!!
For this recipe, youll need turkey, lemon juice, oranges, kosher salt, brown sugar, onions, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, unsalted butter, white wine.
Deboning a turkey before roasting makes carving so much easier But it also changes the cooking time. So how long should you roast your boneless turkey to ensure it’s cooked through without drying out? Follow this comprehensive guide for timings, techniques and tips to get perfect results
Why Debone Your Turkey?
Removing the bone structure before cooking has some advantages
- Easier to carve
- Cooks faster than bone-in
- Elegant presentation
- More even cooking
- Allows for stuffing whole bird
With no bones to wrestle with at the table, roasted deboned turkey makes carving simple. The meat also tends to cook more evenly without bones.
Estimating Cook Times
Cooking a deboned turkey takes less time than a traditional bone-in turkey. Use these general guidelines:
- 10-12 lb turkey: 2 to 2 1/2 hours at 325°F
- 12-14 lb turkey: 2 1/2 to 3 hours at 325°F
- 15-18 lb turkey: 3 to 4 hours at 325°F
- 18-22 lb turkey: 4 to 5 hours at 325°F
For very large birds over 22 lbs, figure approximately 15-20 minutes per pound.
Always use a meat thermometer to confirm doneness rather than relying solely on time. The minimum safe internal temp for turkey is 165°F.
Key Factors Affecting Cook Time
Several factors can alter the roasting time for a deboned turkey:
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Turkey weight – Heavier birds take longer to cook through.
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Stuffing – Adding stuffing increases overall cooking time.
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Oven temperature – Higher heat cooks faster, lower heat needs more time.
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Shape – A uniform shape promotes even cooking.
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Brining – Brined turkey may cook slightly faster.
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Doneness – Cook longer for very well done meat.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps for roasting a deliciously moist deboned turkey:
Prep
- Debone turkey completely.
- Brine the meat in salt water if desired.
- Pat dry and season with herbs and spices.
- Shape meat into uniform thickness.
Roast
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Place turkey breast-side up on roasting pan.
- Roast until 165°F internal temp.
- Baste occasionally with pan juices.
Finish
- Cover with foil and let rest 15 minutes before carving.
- Make gravy from pan drippings.
- Carve and serve immediately.
Vital Roasting Tips
Use these tips for the most tender, flavorful roasted deboned turkey:
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Truss or tie turkey into a uniform shape to prevent drying out.
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Use a roasting rack so turkey isn’t sitting in juices.
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Baste frequently to prevent drying and promote browning.
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Tent with foil to prevent over-browning if needed.
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Let rest at least 10-15 minutes before carving for juicier meat.
How Deboning Affects Flavor
Many worry that removing the bone deteriorates flavor. However, testers comparing bone-in and deboned turkeys side-by-side found little discernible difference in taste.
As long as you generously season the meat, use aromatic veggies and broth in the cavity, and baste while cooking, your boneless turkey will be full of flavor.
Deboning Methods
There are a couple approaches to removing bones from a whole turkey:
Butterfly Cut: Slice along one side of the backbone and open turkey like a book. Cut along ribs to remove breast plate.
Full Debone: Carefully cut, scrape and trim meat from carcass without any major cuts through skin.
Both methods work well. Go slowly and be careful not to tear the skin. Watch video tutorials to learn proper deboning techniques before trying it yourself.
Stuffing Your Deboned Turkey
One benefit of deboning is being able to stuff the entire cavity for a dramatic presentation. Use your favorite stuffing recipe or a pre-made mix.
Figure about 1/2 cup stuffing per pound of meat. So a 15-lb turkey would need around 7-8 cups of stuffing.
Pack stuffing loosely into the cavity. Over-stuffing can lead to undercooked meat and stuffing.
Alternate Cooking Methods
While roasting is traditional, you can also cook a deboned turkey using these alternate methods:
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Grill: Ideal for smaller birds. Use indirect heat.
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Smoke: Imparts delicious flavor. Maintain even temperature.
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Sous vide: Cooks low and slow in water bath. Finishes under broiler.
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Fry: Submerge in hot oil for crispy skin. Use caution.
Carving Made Simple
Removing bones before cooking means no wrestling with joints and slippery tendons at the table.
To carve, simply slice the turkey into pieces. Serve dark meat and white meat on separate platters for easier portioning.
For a beautiful presentation, arrange full turkey slices on a platter, fanned out with stuffing and gravy.
Get Platter-Ready Perfection
Cooking up a delicious Thanksgiving or holiday turkey dinner doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming.
Deboning before roasting simplifies the process, reduces cook time, and makes serving much easier.
Follow the guidelines in this guide for perfect results. Soon you’ll be impressing guests with your platter-ready deboned turkey feasts.
A juicy roast turkey evolves
We took my mammas basic way of deboning, seasoning, and roasting a turkey and added to it. Now we let the bird soak in a wet brine. This is the best turkey brine recipe weve ever made. It has a southwestern flavor with citrus fruits, peppers, and fresh herbs. We let the turkey soak in the brining liquid for 24 hours.
Weve photographed each step and written an explanation for it.[ If some of the photos are fuzzy its because a certain someone is too darn quick with a knife and I couldnt keep up.]
Weve included the brine recipe and the All Our Way Seasoning is in a previous post.
How the best Thanksgiving roast turkey started
This method is actually my mammas way to make a roast turkey. She didnt brine the bird, but she did debone the turkey. She would then use the fleshy bones and neck to make her brodo {broth}.
Shed season the turkey with plenty of salt and pepper, sprinkle the meat with just a bit of rosemary, then smother the meat with onions slivered so thin that when the onions cooked they seemed to dissolve into the turkey pieces.
Finally, she dotted the entire onion-covered meat with thin pats of butter.
Boneless Whole Turkey for Thanksgiving – How to Bone, Stuff, & Roast a Whole Turkey
FAQ
How long to cook a boned and rolled turkey per pound?
What temperature should boneless turkey be cooked to?
How long to cook a boneless Butterball turkey?
How long to cook a semi boneless turkey?
How long does a deboned turkey take to cook?
If you cook a 15-pound turkey according to this recipe, it should be done after a little under two hours in the oven. Of course, you’ll need to use your instant read thermometer to measure the temperature before serving. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F. Does a Deboned Turkey Cook Faster? Yes!
How do you cook a deboned turkey breast?
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lay deboned turkey, skin-side down, on the cutting board and even out the meat as much as possible. Slice through the thicker areas of breast meat as needed and rearrange over thinner parts to create an even thickness of meat all over. Season turkey with salt and black pepper.
How long does it take to cook a pound of Turkey?
As a general rule, you should allow about 20 minutes of cooking time per pound of turkey. However, it’s always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit) to guarantee it’s fully cooked.
How long do you cook a Turkey in the oven?
Now that we understand the basic factors, let’s discuss a general guideline for cooking time: As a general guideline, you can expect to cook your turkey for about 15-20 minutes per pound in a preheated oven set to 177 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).