Turkey in an Electric Roaster

Sharing is caring!

This Turkey in an Electric Roaster recipe answers all your questions about cooking a picture-perfect golden brown turkey in your electric roaster oven.

Cooking Turkey in a Roaster

If you want to free up the oven when making your holiday dinner, I’ve got all the tips and tricks on how to cook a crispy and flavorful turkey in a roaster.

The electric roaster oven Is here to make holiday meals much easier and more manageable. You can plug an electric roaster oven in anywhere. Heck, to free up counter space in the kitchen, I’ve cooked a turkey in my roaster oven right on top of my dryer. True story!

The initial prep for the roaster turkey is the same as what you’d do for an oven turkey – you don’t have to do anything special or extra. Just unpackage, remove the innards, then rinse and pat dry….that’s it.

Oh, and did you know you can also make Prime Rib, Ham, and Corned Beef and Cabbage in a roaster oven too?

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

• Turkey: Fully thawed, rinsed, and patted dry, neck and giblets removed from the interior.
• Celery and carrots: I used these to fashion a cooking rack for my turkey to rest on in the electric roaster, but you can also use the metal rack that comes with an electric roaster at time of purchase.
• Aromatics for the turkey cavity to add flavor: Halved onions, oranges, lemons, and garlic, plus fresh poultry herbs, such as sage, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
• For brushing the turkey: Oil combined with baking powder (this promotes great browning for the turkey skin) and seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• Chicken, turkey or vegetable broth: For cooking the turkey in the electric roaster.

RECIPE TIPS

• Get beautifully browned by adding baking powder to the oil used to brush the exterior of the turkey.
• Thaw your turkey 2-3 days ahead. Never cook a frozen turkey.
• Always cook your turkey by internal temperature, never by time. A fully cooked turkey should be be 165 degrees F. in the breast and 180 degrees F. in the thigh when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer probe.
• Don’t open the roaster too often since this will delay when the turkey is finished cooking. Every time the lid is removed, the roaster loses about 25 degrees F. in temperature.
• Don’t touch a bone or the bottom of the roaster with your thermometer. This can give you a false read.
• When you place the turkey onto a platter for your holiday table or buffet, replace the herbs with fresh ones for beautiful presentation.

Tukey in a Roaster Oven

Preheat the electric roaster to 450 degrees F. or it’s highest temperature.

Remove the packaging and rinse the turkey under cool running water.

Remove the turkey neck and bag of giblets from the turkey cavity. You can throw these out or set them aside to make gravy, if preferred.

Place the turkey onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. I use paper towels to pat the turkey exterior dry.

Use the celery and carrots to make a cooking rack, and lay the veggies side-by-side across the bottom of the roaster.

Insert the orange, lemon, onion, and garlic halves into the turkey’s cavity. Add a few bundles of fresh herbs, allowing them to protrude from the turkey’s cavity.

Place the prepared turkey onto the cooking rack in the roaster, breast-side-up.

Combine the olive oil and baking powder in a small bowl until smooth. Using a silicone pastry brush, spread it all over the exterior of the turkey.

Make sure to get down into all the nooks and crannies of the turkey skin.

Sprinkle the oiled turkey with seasoned salt all over. Cover the roaster with the lid and let the turkey roast for 30 minutes.

Remove the roaster lid, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Add the broth to the roaster slowly since the roaster has just been cooking at 450 degrees.

Be careful of hot steam when the broth is added to the bottom of the roaster.

Continue roasting the turkey until the internal temperature reaches 180°F in the thigh and 165°F in the breast when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer.

Carefully lift the turkey from the roaster oven to a large cutting board. Cover with foil and allow the turkey to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

If you plan to make turkey gravy, strain the drippings that remain in the roaster to use for the gravy.

Apple Cider Turkey Brine

I love to get the most out of my turkey by allowing an apple cider turkey brine to permeate and flavor the meat. A good brine makes the meat juicy and flavorful, even when it’s overcooked a bit.

I’ve had lots of turkeys in the past that we overcooked, but since they had been brined, they were still moist and juicy.

Can you Brine a Frozen Turkey?

Yes, you can put a frozen turkey into brine. It just needs to be defrosted enough to remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity.

The turkey will finish defrosting while in the brine. Always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated to keep it at a safe, chilled temperature.

How Long to Cook a Turkey in a Roaster Oven

When tested with an instant-read meat thermometer, plan to cook unstuffed turkey for 10-12 minutes per pound, or until it reaches 165 degrees F. in the breast and 180 degrees F. in the thigh.

• 7 to 8 pounds – 1 – 1.5 hours
• 12 to 13 pounds– 1.5 to 2 hours
• 15 pounds – 2 to 2.5 hours
• 18 to 20 pounds – 2.5 to 3.5 hours

Remember! It’s always best to cook the turkey by internal temperature, not time!

A safe internal temperature for a fully cooked turkey is 165 degrees F. in the breast and 180 degrees F. in the thigh when tested with an instant-read meat thermometer.

How Often to Baste Turkey

I never baste my turkey because I brine it before I begin the cooking process.

However, some cooks prefer to brine their turkey every 30-40 minutes as it cooks electric roaster oven.

Remember that whenever you remove the roaster lid to baste the turkey, the heat is escaping, cooling off the interior. This can lead to a longer cooking time.

Keeping Turkey Warm in an Electric Roaster

The best way to keep your turkey warm in the electric roaster is to cook it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator once it has cooled.

Then, when you are ready to serve your turkey, slice it up and lay it in your electric roaster to serve with a drizzle of turkey or chicken broth.

Turn your electric roaster to 325 degrees until the turkey is warm throughout, then turn the roaster down to the lowest warm setting.

You can cook your turkey and reheat it safely for up to three days before serving.

Precook a Turkey for Thanksgiving

Precooking a turkey before the Thanksgiving meal is an absolute no-brainer. I cook my turkey ahead of time and let it cool before slicing it.

I place the slices of turkey, dark and white meat, into a large casserole dish and place it into the fridge.

When it’s time for my holiday dinner, I remove the casserole turkey dish from refrigeration and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes to remove some of the chill.

Reheat the turkey, covered, in a 325-degree F. oven until it is warm throughout.

Or, you could also place the cooked turkey directly into the electric roaster set to 325 degrees. Turn the roaster to the warm setting once the cooked turkey is fully warmed.

How to get Crispy Turkey Skin in a Roaster

Because a turkey cooks in moist heat when using an electric roaster, it is pretty difficult to get really crispy skin.

Some cooks say that they turn the heat up high to 425-450 degrees F. and cook the turkey breast-side-down during the first 30 minutes. Because the skin is again the bottom of the roaster at a high temperature without any moisture, it will get a crisped, brown skin.

After 30 minutes, turn the roaster down to 350 degrees F; then turn the turkey breast-side-up to finish cooking.

You can easily get turkey skin that is deeply golden brown when cooking in an electric roaster using this method.

How to get a Turkey Golden Brown in a Roaster

Truthfully, a turkey cooked in a roaster oven will never be quite as browned and beautiful as a turkey cooked in a conventional oven.

However, you can do a couple of things to achieve some pretty darn good browning. Two things are mentioned in this recipe above. Those things are using the olive oil and baking powder brush and ensuring your roaster is preheated well before cooking your turkey.

Another secret I use from time to time is to brush some browning sauce all over the turkey skin before cooking it in the roaster oven. My Grandma Lucille and my Grandma Elsie used browning sauce a lot back in the day, and the brand was Kitchen Bouquet.

Browning sauce can be found in the grocery department near the prepared and dry gravy mixes. Use according to the package directions.

Turkey Bag in a Roaster

A turkey bag is not for use in an electric roaster because an electric roaster is smaller in size than a conventional oven.

It could wind up resting directly on the roaster’s bottom, sides, or top, causing it to melt, possibly releasing unsafe chemicals into the food.

Using a Roaster Liner

Since this recipe instructs to cook the turkey at 450 degrees F. for the first 30 minutes to get crispy skin and lots of browning, do not use a roaster liner as it’s not safe.

Electric roaster liners are safe and suitable for roasting meats or poultry, as long as they are not used at temperatures above 400 degrees F at any time during the cooking process.

Best Size of Roaster Oven

Typically, electric roasters range in size from 16-quart-capacity to 22-quart-capacity.

As a rule of thumb, a roaster can hold the weight of it’s capacity plus four additional pounds. As an example, a 20-quart-capacity roaster can hold and cook a 24 pound turkey.

I have a 22-quart-capacity roaster and it fits two smaller turkeys side-by-side or one large turkey nicely.

Electric Roaster Too Big for a Turkey

All cooking appliances (including conventional ovens) produce foods that taste better when filling at least half to two-thirds as they cook. Otherwise, the food inside can easily overcook.

How Much Turkey Per Person

I like to aim for about 1. 5 lbs. of turkey per person when purchasing a turkey.

Yes, this sounds like a lot of turkey per person, but you must factor in bones and big eaters.

If you want to make sure you have some turkey for leftovers, (yay – turkey sandwiches!) figure 2 lbs. of turkey per person when you shop.

If you have ten people to feed and want leftovers, go for that big 20 lb. turkey.

How Long to Thaw a Turkey

The best, safest way to thaw a turkey is in the refrigerator. Since it will take 24 hours for every 5 lbs. of turkey, you can see that we need to plan a bit.

If you have a 15 lb. turkey to cook in your roaster, it will take at least three full days to thaw completely in the fridge, probably more like four days.

Roaster Oven vs Conventional Oven

An electric roaster and a conventional oven will cook very similarly. My experience using my roaster oven has been that foods seem to cook more quickly!

I believe this is because it is smaller than my conventional oven. The lid is also very tight fitting and helps the electric roaster retain heat better.

Reheat Leftover Turkey

You can reheat leftover turkey in the microwave or by placing it into a baking dish. Add a splash of broth over the meat, then place the turkey into the oven at 300 degrees F., covered, and warm until hot throughout.

Remove the meat from the turkey bones and store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Leftover turkey also freezes well and will keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Best Side Dishes

We love eating mac and cheese, cornbread casserole, cornaroni, and a big ole pan of hot rolls with this turkey.

Leftover turkey to use up? Try Tropical Turkey Salad for a refreshing chilled salad your family will enjoy.

Originally published August 3, 2023. Updated November 5, 2024.