Can You Cook a Turkey Without Covering It? Getting Perfectly Golden, Juicy Results

Whether youre a seasoned chef or a novice in the kitchen, these step-by-step instructions for how to roast a turkey will ensure that your turkey emerges golden brown, moist, and full of flavor.

Check out all the other Easy Recipes for Thanksgiving to create the perfect holiday meal for your family. Make sure you download and print out the FREE Turkey Cooking Charts at the bottom of the blog post!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are no gifts to buy, no presents to wrap. Its all about FOOD. I love all the preparation that goes into the biggest meal of the year as well.

Its a lot of work, but so rewarding to sit down to a delicious meal with my family.

Check out the NEW Place Cards available to help you set a GREAT table for Thanksgiving! And if you want to cook a turkey breast, read my post on Crock Pot Turkey Breast.

Dont forget to print out the FREE Turkey Roasting Chart to refer to while the turkey is cooking. I keep mine on the windowsill above the kitchen sink and refer to it often while the turkey is cooking. [feast_advanced_jump_to]

Cooking a turkey can seem daunting, especially for first-time chefs With such a large bird, it’s easy to end up with underdone meat or a dried-out disaster. That’s why many recipes call for covering the turkey with foil for part or all of the roasting time. But is it possible to cook an uncovered turkey and still end up with a beautiful, moist, delicious centrepiece?

The short answer is yes. With the right techniques, you can absolutely roast an uncovered turkey from start to finish. The keys are selecting the right size bird, brining ahead of time, and monitoring the temperature. Follow these tips for juicy, flavourful meat without relying on foil.

Choosing the Right Turkey Size

When roasting an uncovered turkey, smaller is better. A good rule of thumb is to allow 1 pound of turkey per person. An 8 to 12 pound turkey will feed 8 to 12 guests comfortably with leftovers Turkeys larger than 16 pounds are not recommended for uncovered roasting

With a smaller bird, the meat cooks through more quickly and evenly. The skin also has more surface area relative to the meat, so it browns and crisps up nicely.

Brining is Key for Moisture

Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine before cooking infuses it with moisture and seasoning. This helps keep the meat juicy even without foil cover

Aim for 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water. You can add other flavours like garlic, citrus, herbs, and spices. Submerge the turkey in the brine for 12-24 hours before roasting. Rinse and pat it dry before cooking.

The salt in the brine gently seasons the meat while also allowing it to retain more moisture. This prevents the turkey from drying out in the heat of the oven.

Monitor the Temperature Carefully

With an uncovered turkey, watching the temperature is critical. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and innermost part of the thigh, without touching the bone.

For optimal doneness, cook the turkey to 165°F breast and 175°F thigh.
Start checking the temperature after 2 hours if roasting a 12 pound or smaller turkey.
Near the end, check the temperature every 15 minutes until it reaches the target.

Removing the turkey right when it hits 165-175°F prevents overcooking. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes before carving for perfectly juicy meat.

Brown the Skin with High Heat

Cooking the turkey at a high temperature for the initial and final phases helps the skin get beautifully browned and crisp.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place turkey straight into the hot oven.
After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F. Roast until the temperature is 15°F below target.
Increase oven to 450°F for the last 15 minutes if the skin needs more browning.

The hot start and finish ensures the skin gets evenly golden and crunchy all over.

Baste and Add Aromatics

Basting adds extra moisture and flavour to an uncovered turkey. Baste every 30 minutes with broth, wine, melted butter, or a mix. Sprinkle the cavity with onions, garlic, herbs, citrus, and pepper before roasting.

The basting liquids supplement the natural juices, keeping the meat from drying out. The aromatic flavours permeate the meat, providing delicious seasoning without a brine.

Let It Rest Before Carving

Be sure to let the turkey rest for 15-30 minutes once it’s out of the oven. This allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat. Carving too soon can cause the turkey to dry out.

Place the turkey on a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let sit. The short rest makes a huge difference in retaining moisture.

Uncovered Turkey Roasting Tips

Follow these tips for the best results when roasting an uncovered turkey:

Choose a small to medium turkey (8 to 16 pounds). Brine for at least 12 hours using 1 cup kosher salt per gallon of water.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roast at 450°F for 30 minutes, then reduce to 350°F.
Monitor the temperature, starting after 2 hours. Cook to 165°F breast, 175°F thigh.
Increase oven to 450°F during the last 15 minutes if the skin needs more browning.
Baste every 30 minutes and add aromatics to the cavity before roasting.
Let rest for 15-30 minutes before carving to allow juices to reabsorb.

With the right techniques, it is absolutely possible to roast an aromatic, golden turkey without any foil covering. Brining, basting, managing temperature, and resting are the secrets to delicious results. Follow these simple tips for your best uncovered turkey yet this holiday season.

can you cook a turkey without covering it

Tips for Carving Roast Turkey

I like to roast my turkey early in the day and have it carved before my guests arrive; that way I can have a clean kitchen.
Always remove the turkey breast completely from the turkey body and then slice it on a cutting board. I know a lot of people like to slice the breast while its still attached to the turkey, but if you remove it completely, youll get beautiful slices of white meat.
After the breast is removed and sliced, you can proceed to carve the dark meat, thighs, wings and legs.
Keep the turkey in a large pan covered with aluminum foil until youre ready to serve.

How to Make Homemade Lump Free Gravy

Instructions on how to make lump-free gravy are in my post for Pot Roast. Its the SAME recipe, only youll be using the turkey drippings for turkey gravy instead of the beef broth from the pot roast.
Step-by-step photo instructions are included in that post as well.

can you cook a turkey without covering it

Do you cook a turkey covered or uncovered?

FAQ

Does a turkey need to be covered while cooking?

So, yes, you do want to cover the turkey with foil to give it a chance to roast without getting dry. But then, towards the end of the cook time, remove the foil so the skin—the best part in this writer’s opinion—gets a chance to crisp up.

Do you cook a turkey covered or uncovered butterball?

Place turkey in pre-heated oven and heat until hot (140° F). Cover pan completely with foil for the entire cooking time. Cover breast loosely with foil after 1 to 1 1/4 hours to prevent over-browning and drying. Begin checking the turkey for doneness about 30 minutes before the recommended cook time.

How long do you leave turkey uncovered?

For extra crispness, refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours (or overnight) to let the skin dry out a bit, or proceed directly to cooking. Even if you’re not someone who likes the skin, you should still leave it on the bird. The skin serves as a protective layer to keep your breast meat tender and moist.

Do you put water in the bottom of the roasting pan for turkey?

“Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey.”