How Long Should You Let the Turkey Rest Before Carving?

Whether you’re Googling “how to carve a turkey” or need a quick refresher, we have the simple steps you need to know to make carving turkey easy work.

Katie Workman, the creator behind The Mom 100, put together a guide to walk you through this important job. Her advice? Don’t be intimidated, don’t rush and take it one step at a time.

This turkey tutorial, edited for clarity, comes courtesy of the National Turkey Federation. See more turkey recipes at www.eatturkey.org.

The star of most Thanksgiving meals is undoubtedly the turkey. After spending hours preparing, seasoning, stuffing, and roasting this impressive bird, you want to make sure you let it rest properly before carving so that it turns out moist, flavorful and picture perfect. But exactly how long should you let the turkey rest before slicing into it? Here’s a guide to determining the ideal resting time for your Thanksgiving turkey.

Why Let the Turkey Rest?

You may be tempted to dive right in and start carving the turkey as soon as it comes out of the oven. After all, the delicious aroma is mouthwatering and you and your guests are eager to indulge. However, patience is a virtue when it comes to roasted turkey. Letting the turkey rest prior to carving is one of the most important steps to ensure it turns out perfectly cooked.

There are a few key reasons to let the turkey rest

Allowing the juices to redistribute: When you remove the turkey from the oven, the juices inside are still bubbling and in motion. If you cut into the turkey immediately, the juices will spill out onto the cutting board rather than staying moist within the meat. During resting time, the juices redistribute and reabsorb back into the turkey.
Allowing the proteins to relax: The high heat of roasting causes the turkey proteins to contract and tighten. As the proteins relax during resting time, the texture of the meat becomes more tender and supple.
Cooling the turkey A piping hot turkey straight from the oven can actually burn your fingers and mouth upon serving Letting it rest allows the turkey to come to an ideal temperature for easy handling and eating

Simply put, resting results in a moister, more evenly cooked, and better textured turkey. Not letting the bird rest can lead to dry, stringy meat and a big mess to clean up.

How Long Should You Let the Turkey Rest?

There is some debate around exactly how long you should let the turkey rest after roasting. Recommendations range from 30 minutes up to a few hours. Here are some general guidelines based on expert advice and experience:

Minimum of 30 minutes: Letting the turkey rest for at least half an hour is recommended across the board by chefs and cooking experts. This allows enough time for the juices and proteins to relax and for the meat to cool slightly.
30-45 minutes: For the average 12-15 pound turkey, 30-45 minutes of resting time is sufficient. This accounts for the size of the bird and gives ample time for the resting process.
1 hour: Some chefs and recipes suggest letting the turkey rest for a full hour before carving, regardless of size. This longer resting time guarantees thoroughly rested, flavorful meat.
Up to 2-3 hours: Privately at home, some cooks let the turkey rest in a warm environment for 2-3 hours with great moistness and flavor results. However, experts caution that prolonged resting introduces food safety concerns.

The USDA recommends not letting turkey sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours to prevent bacteria growth. Additionally, the longer the turkey rests, the cooler its temperature gets, which is less ideal for serving.

The consensus of most experts is to let the turkey rest for 30-60 minutes at a minimum. This strikes the right balance between adequate resting time and optimal serving temperature. Keep food safety in mind if tempted to let it rest longer.

turkey resting tips

To maximize the benefits of turkey resting time, follow these tips:

Let the turkey rest before removing stuffing: If you cooked your turkey stuffed, remove the stuffing and let it rest in a separate dish for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Letting the stuffing remain in the hot turkey will lead to overcooked, dried out stuffing.
Transfer turkey to a cutting board: For easier maneuvering, transfer the turkey from the roasting pan to a cutting board before letting it rest. Choose a large cutting board that will contain any run-off juices.
Loosely tent with foil: Cover the turkey with a loose sheet of aluminum foil during resting to prevent the skin from drying out. Avoid wrapping it too tightly or the skin will become soggy.
Keep it out of drafts: Make sure the resting turkey is not in a drafty area. Keep it in a warm spot in or near the kitchen to retain heat.
Make gravy: Take this time before carving to make your gravy using the turkey drippings, which will incorporate all the rested turkey juices.
Finish side dishes: Complete any last minute prep or reheating of side dishes so they are ready to serve once the turkey is carved.
Sharpen your knives: Ensure your carving knife is sharp while you wait for the turkey to rest. A sharp knife will make quick work of slicing the turkey.

Signs Your Turkey is Rested and Ready to Carve

You can evaluate a few signs to determine your turkey is adequately rested and ready for carving:

The skin has firmed up and is not overly hot to the touch.
The turkey has cooled slightly and the meat has relaxed.
The juices have settled and the turkey is no longer steaming.
A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 150-160°F.
The minimum recommended resting time of 30 minutes has elapsed.
The aromatic smell makes your mouth water and you and your guests have reached peak anticipation!

Keep in mind that the white meat of the turkey breast rests faster than the dark leg and thigh meat. If enjoying your turkey in courses, you may be able to start carving the breast slightly sooner than the legs.

Carving the Well Rested Turkey

Once rested, it’s finally time to carve up the bird! Follow these tips for maximizing your carved turkey presentation:

Work on a large cutting board with a moat or drip pan to catch juices.
Use a sharp, non-serrated knife to cleanly cut through the meat.
Cut the thigh and drumstick portions away from the body first.
Then slice the breast meat off the bone in uniform, even slices.
Arrange slices neatly on a platter with the drumsticks and thighs.
Pour any collected juices over the platter or into gravy.
Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
Carve only what is needed for initial servings to prevent meat drying out, then carve the rest as needed.

Finally, be sure to save any leftover turkey for delicious sandwiches, soups, casseroles and more! Follow food safety guidelines for promptly refrigerating leftovers.

The Takeaway on Turkey Resting

Letting the turkey rest before carving may involve exercising some patience, but it’s a vital step to ensure your holiday bird looks and tastes its absolute best. While recommendations vary, the ideal resting time for a standard turkey is about 30-60 minutes. If you can wait to carve the turkey, you’ll be rewarded with juicy, evenly cooked meat that makes for an incredibly tasty and memorable Thanksgiving meal.

how long do you let the turkey rest before carving

Where to carve the turkey

We’ve all seen the Norman Rockwell-esque s of a whole turkey being presented at the table, carved right in front of the seated guests. If youre not in a hurry, you have a lot of turkey carving confidence and loving family and friends, go for it.

Because it usually takes a lot of space, I prefer to carve in the kitchen. As the turkey is cut into smaller pieces, I usually move larger slices from the main cutting board to a smaller cutting board or platter, then return them to the larger cutting board for the final slicing after wiping down the board. After that, the turkey gets arranged on the clean serving platter with garnishes.

All of this takes time and space and can be somewhat messy, so my advice is to take care of this in the kitchen while others carry other dishes to the table or the buffet.

How long to rest turkey before carving

When youre planning your cooking and serving time, remember to account for at least a half-hour, and up to one hour, for the turkey to rest after you remove it from the oven.

Let it rest on the rack in the pan, or on a cutting board with a moat to catch the juices. Resting allows the turkey to re-absorb its juices before you slice it. Otherwise, those juices would run out on the cutting board, leaving you with dry turkey. Turkey breast in particular loses its moisture when sliced too quickly.

Don’t tent the turkey with foil as it rests, which can make the skin soggy. Letting the turkey sit uncovered preserves the crispness of the skin.

How long should I let the turkey rest before carving once it’s cooked?

FAQ

Do you cover turkey when resting?

To do so, remove the turkey from the oven when it’s done cooking and let it cool down for about 20 minutes. If you cover it right away, the trapped heat will continue to cook your bird and will result in overcooked (aka dry) meat. After 20 minutes, cover the turkey with foil and then place a kitchen towel on top.

How long to rest a turkey before carving Gordon Ramsay?

Leave the turkey to rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes; make the gravy in the meantime. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before carving.

What happens if you don’t let turkey rest?

If you skip resting, you will lose more flavorful juices when the meat is cut. The internal temperature of the meat will always continue to rise a little during the resting period, so you should remove your meat from the oven or grill prior to reaching its target doneness temperature.