Need an overnight turkey recipe? Many of us are getting our holiday menu together or at least starting to think (stress) about about it. I thought y’all might be interested in this quick post about how you can make a turkey overnight to save you some time (and stress).
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!
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 (my heart says giblets are a wee bit on the gross side).
- 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!
Does the breast get brown cooking the turkey breast side down the entire time or do you recommend flipping the turkey to brown the breast? If so, at what point do you flip the turkey? Thanks!
My turkey came out very moist (including the breast) just from doing an overnight brine and without turning it breast side down, but I will have to try this recipe out one day. I did Alton Brown’s turkey recipe…
I use Alton Brown’s method of brining a turkey. The night before I plan to cook it, I make a brine of water (Alton says vegetable broth, but I use water), kosher salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, and a few other spices. You cook the brine for awhile, then put it in the fridge to chill. When it’s cold (you don’t want to precook the turkey!) place the turkey in a large container and cover in the brine.
This year I “cheated.” I put my turkey in a clean garbage bag, inside of one of the pull-out bottom fridge compartments. A 15lb turkey fit perfectly. Turkey went back in the fridge until Thursday around 11 am. I took it out and rinsed off all of the brine. I stuffed the cavity with quartered oranges and lemons with a little bit of butter. I put more butter under the skin of the breast, and everywhere on the outside of the skin. Salt and pepper on top of the skin.
Turkey went into a roasting pan as normal. Alton Brown says to cook for 30 minutes at 500 degrees (I preheated while I was rinsing and preparing the bird), then dropped it down to 350 until it was 161 degrees.
After the bird was done, my husband actually said “This isn’t turkey! Everyone knows turkey is supposed to be bone dry, not juicy.” Our turkey came out more juicy and full of flaver than I have EVER had in a turkey.
On Friday evening, I made Southern Plate’s chicken noodle soup, slightly modified. I took our turkey carcass, vegetables, and seasonings, and threw it in the crock pot, covered with water, and placed on low until Saturday afternoon. That broth turned out WONDERFUL! I really liked the noodles, too 😉 My son absolutely went crazy over it… you know you’ve got a good dish when a picky 2 year old eats it!
I understand why you want to use a bag to line the refrigerator drawer, but a garbrage bag, even a clean one, is not manufactured to be used in food preparation. Chemicals from them may be absorbed into the food. I suggest that you use a bag that is specifically made for food preparation, food-grade plastic.
I am obsessed with cooking my turkey in a turkey bag! It’s the best way imho. However, I get to spend many TG with my family and they do not use this method. It takes a lot of gravy to swallow it…That’s all I can say. ;0>
I have always made my roast chicken breast side down…I guess now’s the time to try it with the turkey!
Thanks and Have a great TG!
This was very helpful, thank you!
I have always roasted my Turkey breast down. It really does make the breast more juicy.
My husband and I also roast our turkey breast down and we wonder why you hardly ever hear it recommended by the “official” turkey advisers. Oh well, we know it works!
I have a question about your recipe: What size turkey are you using for these instructions? I’m guessing the time in the oven would vary for a smaller or larger bird.
Thanks so much and have a GREAT Thanksgiving!
Hey!! I do make giblet gravy…only umm..I don’t use the giblets! LOL I love a boiled egg in mine as well, just the whites like you said!
As far as size goes, this will work for just about any size bird. We’ve done it for up to fifteen pounds, beyond that you might want to give it another hour or so but won’t take much more! Just a good slow cookin’ way of makin’ your turkey!
now i’m off to make thanksgiving pies!!!
Gratefully,
Christy
My husband always cooked the dang bird and made the noodles. I should of paid attention to what he did but I was busy doing all the rest. I’m the Baker too.
I know he never used a stick of butter inside the bird. But I tryed it plus put the bird on a rack above the bottom of the pan.
Now to my question…..
All the butter is in the bottom of the pan and so are those awful giblets / neck. Ick
He always cleanedthe neck meat for the gravey . Isn’t that a lot of butter for making gravy???? I bought jar gravy also. I’m 72 and have lost my touch for cooking since he did it for so many yrs. ( passed away 2 yrs march)..
Plus we had a gas stovery and food seems to taste better than electric??.. ( I think )
It’s a 12 lbs my family is eating there 1st meal before coming to my house so not like their going to be hungry. I didn’t buy the chicken broth this yr it seemed like it was bad in the past ? Any suggestions. ??
Thanks…. pap made the BEST noodles and I can’t make them taste like his. I forgot carrots to. I still work part time and am raising a now 3yr old grandson. My excuse for forgetting half of the groceries. :/
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.