Allowing meat to rest after cooking is very important if you want it to have the best texture and flavor. Poultry, including turkey, makes no exception. Roasted, grilled, fried, smoked….. all these cooking methods can make turkey taste amazing. Regardless of how you cook it, it’s essential to know how long to let turkey rest, and we’re sharing all the details!
Smoking a turkey takes time and care to do properly. After spending hours preparing brining seasoning, and finally smoking the bird, you want to be sure not to ruin it by cutting into it too soon after taking it off the grill or smoker. Proper resting is crucial for ensuring your smoked turkey turns out juicy, flavorful and tender.
So how long should you let a smoked turkey rest before carving and serving it? The recommended resting time for smoked turkey is 20 to 40 minutes. For a large turkey, err on the longer end of that range. Resting allows time for the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat before slicing.
Why Letting Smoked Turkey Rest is Essential
There are a few reasons why letting your smoked turkey rest before carving is so important
-
Allows juices to redistribute. As the turkey cooks, the juices get pushed outward. Resting gives time for them to get reabsorbed back into the meat.
-
Muscles to relax. The proteins and collagen fibers tighten during cooking. Resting gives them time to loosen up again.
-
Temperature to even out. The outer areas of the meat cool while the interior areas continue cooking. Resting allows the inner temp to even out.
If you skip the resting step, the turkey will end up dry. The juices that should be inside the meat will spill out onto your cutting board instead. You want to retain as much moisture as possible for tender, succulent meat.
How to Rest Smoked Turkey
Resting smoked turkey properly is easy to do:
-
When the breast meat reaches 165°F, remove turkey from the smoker.
-
Place turkey breast-side down on a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet.
-
Tent loosely with aluminum foil if desired, but leave uncovered for crispy skin.
-
Let rest 20-40 minutes before slicing and serving.
The turkey’s internal temperature will rise another 5°-10°F as it rests. So pulling it at 160°F-165°F ensures it won’t end up overcooked. Monitor the temperature with a meat thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast and thigh.
For ideal juiciness, do not tightly cover the turkey while resting. This causes steam to build up and ruins the crispy smoked skin. You can lightly tent foil over it to help retain heat if you’ll be resting longer than 30 minutes.
Resting Time Guidelines
The longer you let turkey rest, the more moisture and flavor will be retained in the meat. Follow these general guidelines based on turkey size:
- Small turkeys (8-12 lbs): Rest 20 minutes
- Medium turkeys (12-16 lbs): Rest 30 minutes
- Large turkeys (16-20+ lbs): Rest 40 minutes
Whole birds need more resting time than parts. If cooking just turkey legs or wings, 10-15 minutes of resting should suffice. For boneless smoked turkey breast, rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
If your turkey needs more time after resting 40 minutes, you can place it in a cooler or insulated bag to keep it warm for 1-2 hours without overcooking.
Signs Turkey is Rested Correctly
You’ll know your smoked turkey is well rested when:
-
The meat feels tender when poked with a fork or knife tip.
-
The juices run clear rather than pink when sliced.
-
The breast meat doesn’t shred or fall apart when carved.
-
The juices collect in the bottom of the pan rather than pooling on the cutting board.
Properly rested turkey will be moist, hold together well, and have maximum smoky flavor in every bite. Juices should mostly stay inside the meat rather than leaking out excessively.
Serving Smoked Turkey After Resting
Once the turkey has rested sufficiently, here are some tips for serving it at its flavorful best:
-
Carve the turkey and arrange slices neatly on a platter.
-
Pour the collected juices from the resting pan over the carved meat.
-
Cover loosely with foil and allow to sit 5-10 minutes more before serving if needed.
-
Serve with favorite side dishes and sauces. Enjoy immediately for the juiciest texture.
-
Refrigerate leftover turkey within 2 hours. Reheat gently to preserve moisture.
With the right resting time, your smoked turkey will be a huge hit! Juicy, tender meat with crispy skin and robust smoke flavor is sure to satisfy any guests.
Common Resting Mistakes
It’s easy to make mistakes when resting smoked turkey. Avoid these common errors:
-
Skipping the resting step completely. This causes dry, stringy meat.
-
Resting too briefly. Large birds need 30-40 minutes to fully redistribute juices.
-
Tightly covering with foil. This steams the skin rather than leaving it crispy.
-
Letting it sit too long uncovered. The meat can cool down and dry out past a certain point.
-
Cutting into the turkey right away to check for doneness. Always go by temperature instead.
-
Forgetting to make gravy from the drippings. Don’t waste all those flavorful turkey juices!
With smoked turkey, patience pays off. Letting it rest sufficiently helps ensure all your time and effort doesn’t go to waste. Moist, delicious holiday turkey is worth waiting just a little longer for!
How Long To Rest Turkey Breast, Legs, Wings, Thighs And Drumsticks
Being a smaller cuts compared to a whole bird, turkey breast and turkey legs will only need about 15-20 minutes of rest.
Turkey wings, thighs, and drumsticks can be served even after 5-10 minutes of resting time.
If you plan to serve them a bit later, you can loosely tent the turkey parts in foil.
However, this might make their skin less crispy, so it’s up to you if you want to make this compromise.
How Long To Rest Deep Fried Turkey
A deep fried turkey can be carved after 20-30 minutes of resting. Be sure to take out of the fryer on paper towels.
This will allow the excess oil to drain and prevent the bird from becoming greasy and soggy.
How long should a smoked turkey rest before cutting?
FAQ
Do you cover turkey when resting?
How long should you let a turkey rest before cutting it?
How long can smoked turkey sit out?
How long should turkey sit out before cooking?
How long should a smoked turkey rest?
You can rest the turkey for up to 2 hours without the temperature dropping below 140°F (60°C). You should rest turkey for at least 20 minutes, and up to 40 minutes for large whole turkeys. The longer you let your smoked turkey rest, the more moist and tender the meat. This is when the juices will redistribute in the turkey.
How long do you rest a 10 pound turkey?
Rest for 10 minutes per pound of cooked turkey. Let’s say you have a 10- to 14-pound bird. 10 pounds of turkey as the min weight at 10 minutes per pound. 10 x 10 = 100 minutes. So apart from the weight of the cooked turkey…
How long do you smoke a 14 pound turkey?
It will take approximately 30-35 minutes per pound at 225°F; 25 minutes per pound to smoke a turkey at 275° F; and about 13 minutes per pound when you smoke it at 325° F. A 14-pound turkey will take around 7 hours to cook at 250° F. Turkey breast finished internal target temp: 165° F (73° C).
Should you let a Turkey rest before serving?
When you let your turkey rest before serving, you will find that the meat is much juicier, even the white meat, which is often the most difficult to smoke without overcooking. Resting the turkey also improves the meat’s texture and tenderness, allowing the authentic flavor to come through.