Turkey is the star of most Thanksgiving dinners, but it can also be the most stressful component of the meal for home cooks. How many times have all of us wondered: Will it be ready when the guests arrive? Will the meat be dry? What if the bird isn’t actually cooked throughout?
If roasting a turkey under pressure sounds intimidating, consider another strategy: Cook the turkey ahead. Roasting your turkey ahead will save you the time spent testing and carving, allowing you to spend more time with your guests.
It’s easy: Simply cook it a day or two in advance, let it cool completely, then carve the bird into large pieces—breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks. Store in a container in the refrigerator until the big day.
If you’re traveling, this is an easy way to transport your turkey. Then complete the following steps to reheat it once you reach your destination.
To reheat the turkey, put the meat back in a roasting pan, pour a bit of chicken stock over the turkey to keep it moist, and cover. Bake in a 325ºF oven alongside side dishes for about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the bird. Once it’s warm, carve the turkey into slices; you’ll find that this is much easier to do with segments than it is with a whole bird.
Though a reheated turkey may lack the crispy skin of one right out of the oven, the method described here can actually result in juicier meat—and an infinitely more relaxed host.
41 comments
I will certainly do the Turkey etc. before the big event! It was moist and delicious, as everyone commented.. I finally got to enjoy The Big Dinner!
Well to each his/her own, but this recipe was an absolute DISASTER for me! Yesterday I had a beautiful moist perfect turkey with nice crisp skin, Today, after following this awful recipe, I have a dry turkey with soggy skin. I will never make this mistake again. No more day ahead of time foolishness. It should have been obvious that reheating at 325 is way too high. It was obvious to my husband, but I said no no I’ll follow the recipe and it will be fine. NOT. Zero stars from me.
I’ve been making this turkey for five years, and every year the gathering grows. Once the food is being consumed, all you can hear are yumminess and requests like “please pass the turkey” or “please pass the gravy.” I simply follow this wonderful recipe exactly, savoring every every drop.
Roasting your Thanksgiving turkey is a great way to save time and have dinner ready when you get home from work or school. It’s also a good way to ensure that the turkey is cooked to perfection. If you’re worried about the size of your oven, don’t be!
Question:Doing Turkey for Easter and want to do it this way. I assume you make the gravy the day before as well or do you save the drippings and make the next day? It seems to me the best way to make sure that you incorporate all of the bits stuck to the pan is to just make the gravy the day before as well?
Yes, we would also make the gravy ahead. It will save you time on the holiday and may even taste better after the flavors have had a chance to come together. Enjoy!
This worked like a charm! I took an entire Thanksgiving dinner on the road and followed the instructions for reheating when we got to our destination: poured a little chicken broth and some drippings from the day before over the sliced turkey and reheated for about 45 minutes. Just as juicy and moist as if it was just roasted. I’ll be doing this again next year even I’d we’re at home for the holiday.
Do you take the skin off the day before?
I’m doing this sounds like a wonderful idea 🙂
I’m wondering if I can prepare the Turkey for thanksgiving (we receive one from my husbands boss), and just use enough for the two of us. Is it possible to cut and store in the suggested way in the freezer instead for Christmas?
Yes! Roasted turkey freezes very well, but you should remove the meat from the bones first and freeze each separately. Turkey can be frozen for up to three months.
As a chef I always roasted turkey ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas and they were so much better that way that I have never looked back and always do them this way. No getting up early, delicious tender, juicy, relaxed meat and a happy me!
Did this for an early Thanksgiving with family. I will most likely ONLY do this method from now on! It was great to only have to do a little slicing on the breast meat, and heat it and the au jus! It was probably slightly over cooked, but I refrigerated it with some broth, and it was wonderful! Thanks for this!!
[…] William Sonoma’s recipe for How to Roast Your Turkey Ahead of Time and enjoy a calmer, more relaxed roast turkey Thanksgiving […]
[…] For Less Stress, Roast Your Thanksgiving Turkey Ahead […]
I roast two 20 lb birds ahead of time, that’s the minimum amount we’ll need. I then put a smaller 12 lb bird in on Thanksgiving day for “presentation” and back-up! Much less stressful for me!!!! (and the one year when the “day of” bird wasn’t completely done, whew!!! I didn’t have 38 people waiting on it!!!)
👍👍great idea
I used this recipe Thanksgiving 2019, loved the concept and not one of my hungry guests said anything about not having a “carving”. Oh, no leftovers, either😥. Moist, delicious.
Looks like Woody has a lot of haters! Reheating the turkey is preparing a whole, eneaten turkey after it has been cooked the day or two ahead.Its NOT LEFTOVERS WOODY!!!!! The chicken broth you pour over the top not only helps keep it moist, it also helps preserve the meat!!!!
I made a Turkey yesterday I thought It was cooked but when I went to carve it today I noticed parts were still bloody and raw. I put in the oven today. Now I am wondering is it safe to eat since it sat in partially raw juices o er night until I noticed it had not cooked all the way through.
Any comments
do you have to carve the turkey, can you just leave it as is and refrigerate it until it is time to reheat?
Cutting the meat off the bones will likely help it to cool quicker and then reheat faster when you’re ready to serve…. plus it’s one less thing to mess with on “the day of”… carving takes time and lots of counter space!
I’m sure Woody’s in the kitchen helping “the little woman” with the cooking, carving, mashing, stirring, setting the table, cutting desserts , entertaining guests. I hope he’s not sitting in his barco-lounger with a beer in his hand watching football. I’ve been cooking 40 pounds of turkey every year for my church one day ahead and it works beautifully.
I’m sure Woody’s in the kitchen helping “the little woman” with the cooking, carving, mashing, stirring, setting the table, cutting desserts , entertaining guests. I hope he’s not sitting in his barco-lounger with a beer in his hand watching football.
This is a make or break thing for me. The stress of doing Christmas dinner for 17+ ranging in age from 3 to 86 with some food restrictions due to one on dialysis plus actually trying to enjoy the day is just too much. Especially as I tend to be a perfectionist. I will trust “Williams Sonoma” when they say that this can even result in a juicier turkey. This sounds like a clever idea, and if it reduces kitchen chaos we will all have a happier day. Making memories with my family is far more important. (Blessings to Woody. Hope life gets better for you soon.)
I decided to roast my turkey today with Thanksgiving being tomorrow. I feel much better with the task being out of the way. Time to carve the turkey and refrigerate! Much less stress for me tomorrow!
Sounds like a deal! Woody can eat tv dinners, I’m having home cooked food
Doesn’t he realize some things in restaurants are made daily, some a day or 2 in advance? Some stuff fresh, and some stuff frozen? He’d better not go out to eat. Woody, hope you eat fresh daily AND have to make it yourself. 🦃
This is wonderful. I have been cooking my turkey the day ahead, for the past three 3 years. No slippery greasy piping hot bird, taking up the oven, making my sink dirty, burning my fingers, taking up Space.
I cut the bird into large portions and pour all the broth over it, and into the fridge it goes. The next day I slice and reheat it.
Woody….get a grip. Obviously you never had to clean the pans, cook the dinner, serve the guests and entertain your company all at once.
This is a game changer!
If you want the roasting turkey smell…it will still be there when you reheat the turkey.
Woody, it’s obvious that you do not cook. There is absolutely nothing wrong with pre-roasting a turkey a day or two before serving.It’s not “leftovers”. If what Catherine said makes you feel somehow “unsafe”, perhaps you should refrain from making the type af comment you made.
I think it’s rude to serve reheated chicken broth turkey to unsuspecting guests
Woody, you’re more than welcome to come to my house on Thanksgiving day and cook the turkey for us while simultaneously competing with my family members for oven space for the rolls…the pies…the random appetizers someone wants to “throw in the oven for 15 minutes…” etc. Oh, not to mention having four people in your kitchen using the oven, stove, microwave, and two Crock Pots while you’re in charge of making sure your turkey is done and perfectly timed — so as not to seem “rude” to people who should already know you well enough to permit you this one indulgence to simplify your own life.
I think I can live with being considered rude ONE day out of the year. Others may have to live with that personality flaw more often.
Catherine – your comments make me feel extremely uncomfortable and unsafe. I only ask that you Alert your guests they’re being surved day old ,warmed over turkey.
While Thanksgiving is promoted as a”food” day, it’s really about spending time with family and friends. My family and friends would be happy to eat whatever I served for the chance to spend the day together!
Woody
I think you have forgotten the reason for the day. Geez, let go of the little stuff.
Woody, I hope you are trolling, because you come off as a complete pus*y!
Woody, you need to relax. Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy friends and family. The food is just a nice plus.
best idea for stress free holidays
what do people think of baking the turkey the day before?
Works like a charm. MY mother roasted and carved her turkey the day before christmas, and now I do it. Reduces your stress on the big day and leaves your oven free for other items. The best cooking
[…] Thanksgiving and then reheat it? Turkey is always best served the day it is roasted. However, if you need to cook it ahead, carve the roasted turkey into thick slices, arrange in a shallow baking dish and refrigerate. When […]