How to cook turkey in convection oven? Cooking turkey in a convection oven is an easy way to take your holiday feasts up a notch.
Yes, it requires just a bit of extended preparation - thawing and trussing the bird, deciding on necessary seasonings and ingredients - but as soon as you introduce that golden-brown roasted wonder into your kitchen, youre guaranteed to be pleasantly surprised at how quickly the good smells of savory roast turkey waft through your home.
With the right tips and techniques of how to cook turkey in convection oven under your belt (which well provide here!) plus that familiar appliance humming along in the background, cooking turkey in a convection oven almost guarantees moving culinary success!
Table of Contents
Convection Oven vs. Conventional Oven: What is The Difference?
Before getting to how to cook turkey in convection oven, check out whether convection or conventional oven - which one is better?
- A convection oven is an ideal kitchen appliance, providing even and steady cooking of your food with its powerful built-in fan system that circulates hot air around the oven. Its ventilation feature also helps to reduce humidity buildup while youre cooking.
- An regular oven operates with a single heater, which leads to an uneven dispersion of warmth and inconsistency in temperature as the heat radiates from one central source.
Is A Convection Oven Good For Cooking Turkey?
Why is a convection oven good for turkey?
The answer is a resounding A BIG YES!!! Convection ovens are great for cooking turkey because they use both convection heat and radiant heat to help cook food faster and more evenly than traditional ovens.
This also helps prevent dryness, allowing you to serve your guests juicy and tender roast turkey that will have them coming back for seconds. Keep on reading to know how to cook turkey in convection oven.
Which Temperature is The Best for Cooking Turkey in Convection Oven?
When cooking turkey in a convection oven, the ideal temperature is 350°F. This high temperature helps to crisp the skin while allowing the interior of the bird to cook evenly and fully.
For an even crispier finish on your turkey skin, you can turn up the heat to 375-400°F towards the end of your roasting time.
How to Cook Turkey In Convection Oven?
How to cook turkey in convection oven?
Ingredients of how to cook turkey in convection oven:
- One turkey (thawed and trussed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, pepper, plus other different desired seasoning
Instructions of how to cook turkey in convection oven:
1. Preheat your convection oven to 350°F.
2. Rub the turkey with the olive oil and season it generously with salt, pepper, and other desired seasonings.
3. Place the turkey on a roasting pan and place it in the oven.
4. Cook for 20 minutes per pound (or weight), or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F (74°C).
5. When the turkey is finished cooking, cover with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
6. Serve warm and enjoy!
There are 2 YouTube videos of how to cook turkey in convection oven for you to watch:
Pro Tips to Cooking Turkey in Convection Oven
Were done with how to cook turkey in convection oven. Now, here are some tips to help you get started cooking the perfect roast turkey in a convection oven:
Tips to cook turkey in convection oven better
- Thaw your turkey completely in advance (check out USDAs tips on safely thawing your turkey). This step is especially important if youre using a frozen bird, and will make sure that it cooks evenly throughout.
- Truss the turkey so that it cooks more evenly and has a better presentation when its finally done.
- Preheat the convection oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and place your bird on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan or baking dish.
- When you are about 30 minutes away from taking the turkey out of the oven, start basting the bird with some melted butter or margarine. This will help to keep your turkey from drying out while it cooks.
- Check the internal temperature of the bird with a food thermometer and take the turkey out when its reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit (following the USDAs warning of safety internal temperature).
- Allow the turkey to rest for a minimum of 15 minutes prior to slicing and serving. This will help keep all of the juices inside the bird, ensuring a juicy and flavorful meal.
- When learning how to cook turkey in convection oven, there is no need to baste your turkey as the blowing heat quickly seals in its flavor and juices. However, if you prefer an extra special sauce or marinade on top of your turkey, feel free to lightly brush it onto the surface during the last hour of cooking.
- To reach a golden brown crispness, dont cover the turkey in foil - its not necessary. But if you notice the wings or legs becoming too browned, then thats when you should use aluminum to protect them from burning.
Convection Oven Brands Recommendation
To cook the turkey perfectly, convection oven is one of the factors that effect your final dishes. Here I come 3
- KitchenAid 30 inch: This model provides a large cooking capacity thats totally a bargain for multiple dishes at once.
- Frgidaire 30 inch: The self-clean mode of this model is convenient for people who are not into cleaning. Also the extra large oven window can help you view the delicious baked goods inside.
- Samsung 3o inch: The frame is made of stainless steel with flat and narrow bezels and make the oven look sleek and stylish.
FAQs
Is it better to cook a turkey in a convection oven or a conventional oven?
Roasting a delicious turkey in any type of oven is achievable with the proper temperature control and monitoring. Convection ovens can speed up the process, but even an ordinary bake oven can produce delectable results when cooked to an interior heat of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is it necessary to cover my turkey with foil in a convection oven?
Cooking with convection will truly bring out the succulent flavor of your turkey, and to do that its best not to cover it while roasting. Nevertheless, if any areas such as the wings or legs start browning too quickly, you can use foil for those spots in particular. Ultimately all parts should be golden-brown once finished; a sure sign of an appetizing meal!
Do you put water in the pan when baking a turkey?
To ensure your turkey remains moist and succulent, add about half an inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan.
Not only will this create a fragrant aroma while cooking, but you can use it for basting too - even though there is some debate as to whether this has any effect on the flavor!
Basting may be something that has been part of the tradition since time immemorial, so why not give it a go?
Should be butter or oil put on my turkey?
To avoid an unsatisfactory outcome, bypass the butter and opt for vegetable oil when prepping your bird for roasting. Butter will not make the meat juicier; however, it can help to give a more desirable golden-brown tint since it contains 17 percent water.
This said, beware that butter may lead to spotty skin on your chicken - so put away the tub of melted goodness and reach instead for some flavorful veggie oil!
Conclusion
Now that you know how to cook turkey in convection oven, its time to put your new skills to the test. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we know you want to impress your family with a delicious feast.
Weve got you covered with our comprehensive guide on how to cook a turkey perfectly every time. But thats not all, be sure to visit our website at thebluestove.com for even more cooking and baking recipes. We can help you become the best sous chef in no time, so get cooking!
