When roasting a turkey, letting it rest before carving is an essential step to ensure moist, tender meat. During resting, the juices redistribute throughout the turkey. Covering the turkey while it rests helps keep it hot and moist. So should you cover the turkey while it rests? There are pros and cons to consider when deciding whether or not to tent foil over the roasted bird.
Why You Should Cover Turkey While Resting
Here are some of the benefits of covering the turkey with aluminum foil during the resting time:
- Keeps turkey warm – Covering the turkey with foil traps the heat and steam, keeping the entire bird warmer as it rests. This allows the turkey to continue cooking gently from residual heat.
- Prevents drying out – Exposed turkey can quickly become cold and dry out on the outside. Tented foil prevents the exterior of the meat from drying out.
- Locks in moisture – Covering the turkey creates a warm, steamy environment under the foil. This keeps moisture from evaporating out of the turkey as it rests.
- Allows juices to redistribute – When covered, the turkey retains heat so the juices and moisture can redistribute throughout the meat before carving.
- Keeps skin crispy – Foil prevents the crispy turkey skin from sogging out or cooling too quickly while the bird rests.
Overall, covering the roasted turkey helps it retain heat and moisture during the resting time, resulting in a juicier, more evenly cooked bird.
Why You Should Not Cover Turkey
Here are some of the downsides of tenting foil over the turkey after roasting:
- Skin softens – Covering the turkey can cause the crisp turkey skin to become soggy and soft as steam condenses under the foil.
- Condensation drips – Moisture building up under the foil can drip down onto the turkey skin, making it wet.
- Overcooks breast meat – The foil traps heat next to the turkey, causing the thinner white breast meat to overcook and dry out.
- Makes skin less crispy – The hot, moist environment leads to skin that is less crispy after being covered.
- Requires tenting skills – It takes some practice to properly tent foil without touching the turkey skin.
Leaving the turkey uncovered allows the skin to stay crispy and prevents delicate breast meat from overcooking. However, the meat can cool down and dry out faster when left uncovered.
Key Considerations When Covering Turkey
If you want to cover the turkey after roasting, here are some tips to get the best results:
- Use a loose tent – Tent the foil high above the turkey, without touching the skin. This allows steam to escape and prevents sogginess.
- Cover pan rim only – Only cover the outer rim of the roasting pan, leaving the turkey itself completely uncovered.
- Cover partially – Tent foil over just the breast meat to prevent overcooking, while leaving the legs and thighs uncovered.
- Use V-rack to elevate – Place the roasted turkey on a V-rack set inside the pan before tenting to allow air circulation and drainage.
- Watch time – Check the turkey frequently and remove foil as soon as the breast meat reaches the desired temperature.
Using these tips prevents issues like soggy skin and overcooking when tenting foil over the rested turkey.
How Long to Cover Turkey After Cooking
Only cover the turkey for as long as needed to allow the juices to redistribute. Recommended resting times are:
- Whole turkey: 15-30 minutes
- Turkey breast: 10 minutes
- Turkey legs or thighs: 5-10 minutes
Make sure to check the internal temperature when covered. Remove foil once the breast meat reaches the ideal temperature of 160-165°F.
Table Comparing Covered vs. Uncovered Turkey Resting
| Covered with Foil | Uncovered | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Retention | Keeps turkey warmer | Turkey cools faster |
| Moisture Retention | Prevents drying out | Can dry out faster |
| Crispiness of Skin | Can soften and sog skin | Keeps skin crispy |
| Even Cooking | Allows juices to redistribute | Less redistribution of juices |
Conclusion
Whether or not to cover a roasted turkey with foil while it rests comes down to personal preference. Both uncovered and covered methods have pros and cons.
Covering the turkey keeps it warmer and more moist, allowing the juices to continue moving through the meat. But it can also lead to soggy skin and overcooked breast meat if you’re not careful.
Leaving the turkey uncovered prevents issues like sogginess and overcooking. Yet the meat cools down faster and can dry out quicker when left uncovered.
If retaining moisture and heat are your priorities, tent foil loosely over the turkey on a V-rack, checking frequently. For crispy skin and evenly cooked meat, let the turkey rest openly. Use your preference and cooking goals to decide which resting method works best for your roasted turkey.