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Roasting a Jaindl Turkey
Jaindl Grand Champion turkeys are leaner than most turkeys, so they cook faster. Plan on about 13 to 15 minutes per pound, compared with up to 20 minutes for many other birds. A meat thermometer is the most reliable way to keep a lean bird juicy instead of overcooked.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 2.5-6 hrs, Rest 20-30 min
- Total Time: 4-7 hrs
- Yield: Varies based on turkey size
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 Jaindl Grand Champion turkey, thawed
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil (optional)
- Fresh rosemary, thyme and sage sprigs (optional)
- 1 lemon, halved (optional)
- 1 onion, quartered (optional)
- 2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
Instructions
Before you start: Keep it cold.
Our turkeys are sold fresh, so there’s no thawing needed. Keep yours refrigerated in its packaging and roast it within one to two days of purchase
Check your oven. Put an oven thermometer inside and preheat to 325 F. If the thermometer reading doesn’t match the dial, adjust the dial to make up the difference. Even a 25-degree gap can throw off the timing.
Directions
- Prepare the turkey. Heat the oven to 325 F. Take out the neck and giblets from the body cavity and the neck cavity. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Don’t rinse it, because rinsing spreads bacteria around the sink. Season it inside and out with salt and pepper, and brush the skin with butter or oil if you’re using it. Loosely fill the cavity with herbs, lemon and onion if you like.
- Set up the pan. Put the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour 2 to 3 cups of broth or water into the bottom of the pan. This keeps the drippings from burning and gives you a base for gravy.
- Roast. Use the chart below as an estimate for an unstuffed turkey, and start checking the temperature 30 to 45 minutes before the low end of the range. If the skin browns too quickly, cover the breast loosely with foil. You can baste with the pan juices if you want, but keep the oven door closed as much as you can, because every opening adds cooking time.
| Turkey weight | Approximate roasting time |
|---|---|
| 12 pounds | 2½ to 3 hours |
| 16 pounds | 3½ to 4 hours |
| 20 pounds | 4¼ to 5 hours |
| 24 pounds | 5¼ to 6 hours |
- Check doneness with a thermometer. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Don’t let the probe touch bone. If your turkey has a pop-up timer, treat it as a backup and confirm with a thermometer, because lean birds can overcook before the timer pops.
- Rest and carve. Move the turkey to a cutting board, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest 20 to 30 minutes so the juices settle back into the meat. While it rests, make gravy from the pan drippings.
Notes
Tips
- Stuffing: For the most even results, bake the stuffing in a separate dish. If you do stuff the bird, fill it loosely just before roasting, add time to the roast, and make sure the center of the stuffing reaches 165 F.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking. Eat them within three to four days.
About Jaindl turkeys
Jaindl has raised lean turkeys for more than 30 years, through breeding rather than feed. Citing USDA figures, the company says its turkeys have 55% less fat and 25% fewer calories than other raw turkey, which qualifies them as “Lite” under USDA labeling rules.
Food Safety Notice: Always wash hands and sanitize surfaces before and after handling raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Use separate cutting boards for raw proteins and ready-to-eat foods. USDA recommends whole muscle beef and lamb reach 145°F with a 3-minute rest, fish reach 145°F, and all poultry reach 165°F. Temperatures noted for whole muscle beef, lamb, and fish reflect culinary preference and may differ from federal guidelines. Ground meat of any kind must always reach 160°F. Consuming undercooked meat, poultry, or seafood may increase your risk of foodborne illness.