How to Cook Two Turkeys in One Oven
Cooking one turkey is a relatively easy process, but sometimes you are forced to cook two turkeys at the same time, in one oven. In order to cook two turkeys in one oven, you must use specific preparations and a cooking process to ensure the meat is cooked properly, so it is moist and flavorful.
Cooking one turkey is a relatively easy process, but sometimes you are forced to cook two turkeys at the same time, in one oven. In order to cook two turkeys in one oven, you must use specific preparations and a cooking process to ensure the meat is cooked properly, so it is moist and flavorful. Numerous variables contribute to the cooking time of two turkeys including the cooking temperature, size of the turkey and thickness of the meat. Despite all of these variables, the most important factor to cooking two turkeys in one oven is using a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature of the turkey.
Step 1
Select two turkeys that are approximately the same weight. This allows you to use the same basic preparations and cooking temperature so the cooking time is also about the same.
Step 2
Preheat the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 3
Dry each turkey with paper towels and place breast-side up on separate wire racks inside separate roasting pans.
Step 4
Tuck the wing tips under the shoulder of each bird. This helps to cook the turkeys evenly, as well as conserve space inside the oven.
Step 5
Fill the bottom of each roasting pan with 1/2 cup of water and place both pans in the oven.
Step 6
Rotate the position of the turkeys every 15 minutes.
Step 7
Cook the turkeys for a total of about 2 to 4 hours. A 10-lb. turkey in a convection oven requires about 2 hours of cooking, while the cooking time increases to 3 hours in a conventional oven.
Step 8
Check the internal temperature of each turkey by inserting a separate thermometer probe into the deepest portion of the thigh. Make sure the probe is in the middle of the meat and not touching any bones.
Step 9
Remove each turkey when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 10
Wait at least 15 minutes before carving so that the natural juices settle into the meat making it more tender.
Tip
Always cook each turkey to the appropriate internal temperature before removing it from the oven. Add 1 hour to cooking times for stuffed turkey. The cooking time for two turkeys depends on the internal temperature of the meat. If the heat inside the oven is maintained throughout the entire cooking process, the total cooking time for two turkeys will be similar to cooking only one turkey.