Overnight Roasted Turkey is crispy and golden brown on the outside, while staying moist and juicy on the inside. With just 15 minutes of prep this turkey cooks all night long with no basting needed!
Most people are used to the traditional Roast Turkey Recipe you’ll find on our site. Along with other easy Holiday Recipes you can make in your slow cooker, you could put the recipes together the night before and wake up to a fully prepared feast without any of the extra work!
OVERNIGHT TURKEY RECIPE
You may be wondering, why cook an overnight turkey? This recipe is perfect for those of you who like to serve Thanksgiving lunch!
There are many readers who’ve been reaching out for help with preparing Thanksgiving lunch vs. a Thanksgiving dinner. For those of you who find yourselves in this position, you do not have to get up at 4 o’clock in the morning anymore to start cooking. Let your oven act like a crockpot overnight!
I know most of you haven’t tried cooking a turkey overnight, but have you ever considered it? I have roasted a lot of turkeys in my life and trust me, this Overnight Turkey Recipe will change your life… in a good way. You can slow roast a turkey overnight without checking on it periodically.
Roasting a turkey is so much easier when cooked overnight. This slow-roasted Overnight Turkey Recipe is hands free once it’s in the oven.
With this recipe, you can rest, literally, assured that your turkey will be ok when you wake up. Not just ok, your turkey will be moist and tender and ready for your finishing touches before you place it on the Thanksgiving turkey serving platter.
OTHER HOLIDAY SIDE DISH RECIPES
Green Bean Casserole
Baked Mac and Cheese
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
Easy Apple Sausage Stuffing
Overnight Roasted Turkey vs. Classic Roasted Turkey
A typical roasting temperature is around 325 degrees F for up to 8 hours depending on the size of your turkey.
As you slowly roast your turkey overnight at 200 degrees F for approximately 10 hours, the low temperature and moisture is basting your turkey while you sleep. No need to baste your turkey.
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HOW TO ROAST AN OVERNIGHT TURKEY
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Mix the Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and sage into the butter.
- Rub the herb butter all over the outside of the turkey.
- Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan breast side up and pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
- Tent the roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil.
- Place the turkey into the oven overnight to cook for approximately 10 hours.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the turkey’s internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh and in the turkey breast. Once the turkey breast has reached a temperature of 160 degrees, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- Remove the aluminum foil and roast for another 15-20 minutes on high heat until the skin is browned and crispy.
- Remove the turkey from the oven, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
LOOKING FOR MORE IDEAS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY TURKEY?
Roast Turkey
Roast Turkey (in Electric Roaster)
No-Baste Roast Turkey
Deep-Fried Turkey
WHAT ABOUT THE STUFFING?
Do not stuff a slow cooked turkey. Grandma’s favorite stuffing recipe (normally cooked in the cavity of the turkey) will be a flop because the low temperature and moisture overnight will make it a soggy mess.
This Thanksgiving be kind to yourself. Plan for Thanksgiving dinner to be around Noon. Both the Overnight Turkey and the Slow Cooker Stuffing will be hot and ready to enjoy.
Stuffing is best cooked separately at all times for food safety reasons. By the time the liquid from the turkey (that the stuffing has absorbed) reaches a food safe temperature, the white meat of the turkey will be overcooked. You are always best to cook them separately.
WHAT ABOUT THE GRAVY?
This recipe calls for 32 oz. of broth to roast your Thanksgiving Turkey in all night long. Cooked low and slow, the turkey juices will be full and rich with flavor.
This year’s gravy might just be the best gravy you’ve ever had. Here’s a tried and true recipe I’ve used for years for you to use.
- Pour the liquid left behind in the roasting pan into a measuring cup and remove as much of the fat (reserve two tablespoons) as you can.
- Add two tablespoons of your turkey fat into a sauce pan on medium high heat and combine with 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Whisk and let cook on medium for a minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Add in the rest of the turkey broth and let it cook until thickened, approximately 3 – 5 minutes.
- Season to taste.
If you’re slow roasting your turkey overnight, you may want to consider doing your entire holiday meal in the slow cooker! Here are more holiday side dish options, all made in the slow cooker!
SLOW COOKER HOLIDAY SIDE DISHES
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Ultimate Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Slow Cooker Stuffing
VARIATIONS FOR OVERNIGHT TURKEY
- Poultry Seasoning: If you’re in a pinch and don’t have the seasonings called for in this recipe, you can swap 1 tbsp of poultry seasoning for 2 tsp sage and 1 tsp either dried thyme or marjoram.
- Chicken Broth: You’ve been to the store so many times already and you don’t want to run back for chicken broth? No worries, If you have 1 bouillon cube or 1 teaspoon instant bouillon granules, pour into 1 cup water and Voila! you have 1 cup broth. You’ll need 4 cups of broth to cook a 14 – 16 lb bird.
- Turkey Cavity: Some place a celery stalk, small onion and small peeled carrot in the cavity of the turkey while cooking to add flavor.
HOW LONG CAN I STORE AND FREEZE OVERNIGHT TURKEY
- Serve: Once removed from the roasting pan, let the turkey rest 20 – 30 minutes and then carve and serve.
- Store: Tightly-covered, your leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days. Use zipper-type plastic bags. Leftover stuffing and gravy should be used within a day or so.
- Freeze: Slice the meat from the turkey and wrap it in freezer paper or foil, then seal in plastic freezer bags (make sure to press out all the air before sealing) or use airtight containers.
Overnight Turkey Recipe
How to Cook a Roast Turkey Overnight with no basting needed!
Ingredients
- 14-16 lb turkey , defrosted
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 32 ounces chicken broth
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. (If your oven has a minimum temperature of 200 degrees, set it to 200, but the turkey will likely be done sooner, so use a meat thermometer.)
In a medium bowl, mash together the butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and sage.
Dry your turkey well inside and out with paper towels, then rub the butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey.
Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan breast side up then pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
Tent the roasting pan with aluminum foil but make sure the foil is not touching the turkey.
Cook the turkey for 9 hours.
Use a meat thermometer to check the turkey's internal temperature and make sure the thickest part of the turkey thigh is at 160 degrees.
Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees, remove the foil tent and cook an additional 15-20 minutes until the skin is browned and crispy.
Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes, with the foil loosely covering the turkey.
THANK YOU for this recipe. I remember my mom cooked the Turkey overnight but she passed before I was old enough to understand time and temperature for the bird to cook properly. Now I can make it like mom used to make hers.
Hi Sabrina, i have 10lb turkey and want to cook it overnight.
You say 180 to 200 degrees, but is that farenheight or Celsius and would you know what gas number that would be please.
Your way of cooking this looks the best i can find.
I live in the UK.
Please help. email me please
Regards
Alan
It looks like, after consulting google, that it 180 degree oven would be the equivalent to a gas mark of 4. 200 would be a gas mark of 6. I hope this helps, Alan. Enjoy!
Love the recipe and the fact you love BACON so I imagineered then enhanced your recipe by laying strips of bacon all over the bird. Yummie for our tummies.
Sounds like perfection!
This is absolutely the best recipe for a turkey I have every come across!
With spices on hand already, it was so easy to prepare – the prep work was minimal. The directions are for up to a 16lb turkey, but I had a 23lb turkey so I had to adjust a bit with the proportions and the cook time.
My husband, whom says that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday, raved about the flavor of the meat – he said it was the best tasting turkey, ever!
In addition to the delicious taste of the bird, it looked beautiful when fully cooked…but not too good not to eat 🙂
do yourself and your family a favor and use this recipe from now on when you are cooking a turkey!
Wow, thank you Julia! I appreciate the review so much, Happy Holidays!
Followed it exactly using a 145 lb turkey after 12 hours it was only at 155 degrees. I’m so hungry. Ugh.
14.5 pounds and it didn’t hit 160? Bump up temp to 350 it’ll be done in 15 minutes. I’m so sorry you’re still waiting.
Thanks! Similar thing happened to my bird. But only at 140 after 9 hours….I bumped it up to the 450 to brown first, since I already took all the foil off.
Please let me know if you’d do something different.
Great recipe Sabrina. Followed it precisely with a 14 lb turkey for 9 hours. (Added oranges and onions in cavity) New oven (actual temp was 184) Internal temp after 9 hours- 140. Raised oven temp to 375 and cooked turkey for another hour without foil. Then the internal temps were around 185. Used the drippings to make gravy as suggested. Very good gravy. I’d say this was the juiciest turkey I’ve ever cooked. Will use this method again next year – but will probably cook at 200 instead next time. Thank you Sabrina for sharing this excellent turkey recipe. Glad I found it.
You are so kind! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review! I am going to be testing the recipe for 14, 16, 18, 20 and 22 pound turkeys before next Thanksgiving, so I’ll be ready to answer and help with more turkey questions. My original turkey was 16 pounds. Happy Thanksgiving!
Mine isn’t finished yet. It’s been on 180 for 12 hours and the internal temp is only reaching 140. Hopefully it’s done soon. It’s smells amazing!
Kaley what size bird is it?
I cannot comment on how the turkey tastes, but it smells amazing. It has been cooking for 10 1/2 hours and the thigh still doesn’t reach 160 degrees. Hopefully it will be done soon.
How many pounds was your bird? How close is the temperature right now? Happy Thanksgiving!
Good god. Enough with the crap on the screen. There’s a video that loads on top. (Using my Data!) There’s a flashing banner at the bottom. A border slides in from all four sides for an ad. Search button. Like button. Ads every second paragraph.
I feel like I’m getting shaken down at the fairgrounds over and over instead of someone sharing something helpful.
Unlikely to be back
Hi Terry, I’m sorry the ads were so overwhelming. An ad company controls for them me so I don’t pick them out but because the recipes are all free it is the only source of income we have. I’m sorry to have lost you as a reader. Have a happy thanksgiving.
Beware when using a small turkey. We have 11.66 lb turkey so I put it in as late as I could before bed (1:00 am). Slept in a bit and checked it at 8:22 am and the thigh was already at 172 and the breast was already over 180. We plan on eating around 1:00 or 2:00 pm, so for a small bird this could easily have been started early in the morning (5 or 6 am) then go back to bed for a bit. One disclaimer…..we used one of those traditional roasting pans (like ma and grandma used…..black oval pan with its own lid). Any comments on whether it makes a difference using one of these vs tented aluminum foil would be appreciated.
UPDATE….Even though the small turkey was over cooked and sat for so long before lunch, it still turned out better than conventional cooking. It was only slightly dry and just before we sat down we carved the meat and drizzled some of the pan drippings on the breast meat and popped the platter in the oven to reheat. No one complained about dryness, and the flavor was delicious. My only concern was how long it sat on the counter in the roasting pan before lunch. We actually ate around 2:00 pm so it sat on the counter for about 5 and a half hours. No one is sick yet…LOL. In the end however, I will start this process early in the morning if ever cooking a smaller turkey. My guess is that the 11.66 lb turkey reached 160 degrees in the thigh in about 7 hours or less. Leftovers at around 8:00 pm were just as good!
Glad it still turned out well and thank you so much for coming and letting me know how it turned out! I am so glad you had a good Thanksgiving dinner!
After 10 hours you still couldn’t tell you were cooking a turkey, usually the house smells like turkey.
Wasn’t sure what to do since I needed this turkey done by now so I turned up the oven and I’m hoping for the best.
You should have a browned and delicious turkey. Have you taken the temperature of it? I would test the temperature before turning up the oven? How does it look?
Is this over recipe for a 25 pound Turkey ?
Hi Ray, I’ve only tested this for a 14-16 pound turkey but in the comments more people have experience with larger birds. Hope that helps! Next year I’ll have more weights tested. Happy thanksgiving!
I do the exact same thing as Diane. It is the best turkey. I cook a 20 pound turkey and put on at midnight and eat at noon.
This seems like a great idea and is currently in the works, but I have a concern.
The “danger zone” for foodborne illness is 130f for about 4 hours if I am correct. Would this not be an issue at such a low temperature. The turkey is currently in the oven at 250 for the first few minutes to attempt to mitigate this issue to get past 130 and then I will drop it down to about 180-200 for the long cook.
Thoughts?
I love that you are making replying to comments on this!
That’s a similar concern for people who use slow cookers. How do we ensure food safety with how long it may take that roast to come to temperature. When I tested the recipe I did it with a thermometer probe in it to watch the temps over time. I found it left the danger zone before 2 hours and stayed at a safe temperature throughout the cooking process. This depends on the fact that we are using a specific turkey size, any larger is not tested to be safe (which I mentioned too) and of course no stuffing which would be a food safety issue. I think if you try it with the right sized bird you’ll see it passes the timing test. Happy thanksgiving!
Can you slow roast 20 lb. turkey over night in an oven bag?
No, the overnight recipe really does depend on the smaller size. I wouldn’t know the right timing/instructions to give to you to ensure it was safe to eat. I wish I could help more! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi,
I have roasted a 20-22 pound Turkey overnight for the last 30 years. You take the normal cooking time for the size bird you are cooking and multiply it by 3. this will give you the correct time. Preheat oven to 350 and cook bird at that temperature for 1 hr then lower the temp to 180-200 degrees. Your bird will self base. If you stuff it the stuffing can be soggy. I also place the bird breast side down . I know this is not the conventional way to roast the Turkey. But it is the best way if you are roasting your bird all night. When the Turkey reaches the correct Temp you may leave it in the oven until you are ready to take it out to rest before carving. Good Morning Ce ?
Thank you for this Diane! I will test out the theory next week with a few different sized birds so I can add that data (tested) to the post. I appreciate you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for this Diane! I was curious how to do this with a bigger turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!