According to University of Illinois Extension, the average Thanksgiving turkey weighs 15 pounds, so your 21.5-pound turkey is a hefty bird! As such, it requires a relatively long turkey roasting time — about 4.5 to 5 hours at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
The extended cooking time presents you with two main challenges: preventing the meat from drying out and keeping the skin from overcooking before the meat is done. The keys are to prep your turkey properly, cover it for the first part of the cooking process, refrain from basting and avoid opening the oven frequently. Pay close attention to turkey cooking times and temperatures for a safe, tasty meal.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
Read more: How to Cook a 25-Pound Turkey
Step 1: Set Up the Oven
Position an oven rack low enough that the middle of the turkey will be centered in the oven chamber. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, this is the minimum temperature that should be used when baking turkey.
Step 2: Prepare the Turkey
Remove the turkey neck and giblets from the body cavity of the turkey if necessary. Though conventional wisdom says to rinse the bird before cooking, it's not necessary and can be a food safety issue.
Rinsing a huge, slippery turkey in your kitchen sink is awkward and can splash harmful bacteria all over the sink and counter — and you. So skip the bird bath and rely on cooking the turkey to the proper internal temperature to kill any bacteria.
Wash anything that comes in contact with the raw turkey — utensils, dishes, the countertop and your hands — in hot, soapy water to avoid spreading bacteria to other dishes you might be cooking. If the raw turkey touches your apron or clothing while you're handling it, change clothes before you continue working in the kitchen.
Step 3: Position the Bird
Insert a cooking rack into a shallow roasting pan. Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up. Tuck the ends of the legs under the loose skin at the tail area, or tie the ankles together with kitchen twine. Tuck the ends of the wings under the shoulders.
Step 4: Keep the Skin Moist
Brush the surface of the turkey with melted butter or olive oil. Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper over the bird. Add any other seasonings according to taste or your recipe.
Step 5: Stuff It (or Don't)
An unstuffed turkey takes a little less time to cook, which is an advantage with a 21.5-pound bird. And although many people like to cook the stuffing inside the turkey, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends baking it in a separate casserole dish for safer, more even cooking.
However, if you choose to stuff the bird, combine the wet and dry ingredients at the last minute. Pack the turkey loosely with the stuffing and put it in the oven immediately. Alternatively, you can let the turkey bake for half the recommended time, and then stuff it and return it to the oven. This method allows you to prep the stuffing while the turkey starts to cook.
Step 6: Finish the Prep
Pour a cup of chicken broth or water into the bottom of the roasting pan. Stick an oven-safe meat thermometer into the deepest area of one thigh muscle. Make sure the thermometer is not in contact with bone, and that its tip is in the middle of the muscle. Either place the roasting pan lid on the turkey or tent the bird with a large sheet of aluminum foil. Put the turkey in the oven.
Step 7: Cook the Turkey
Rotate the roasting pan once an hour to promote more even cooking for a turkey this large. If possible, keep the roasting pan from touching the edges of the oven to prevent obstructing the heat flow. After 60 to 90 minutes, remove the aluminum foil.
Step 8: Check on the Bird
Replenish the chicken broth or water in the bottom of the pan as it evaporates. If you want moist, tender skin, refrain from basting the turkey, advises the University of Illinois Extension. Basting doesn't make the turkey meat more moist; it only promotes browning of the skin.
Opening the oven for frequent basting also lets heat out, extending what is already a long cooking time. If you have an oven light, use that to check in on the cooking process, rather than opening the door.
Step 9: Turkey Roasting Times (at 325 Degrees)
Roast the turkey until the meat thermometer indicates the internal temperature in the thigh muscle is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you stuffed the turkey, use the meat thermometer to make sure the center of the stuffing is also at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the USDA.
Expect it to take 4.5 to 5 hours to cook a 21.5-pound turkey at 325 degrees Fahrenheit — if your turkey is unstuffed. If it's full of your favorite stuffing, add at least 15 minutes to the total cooking time. Determine when the turkey is done by internal temperature only. Don't rely on the fact that your turkey's pop-up thermometer has sprung, as cooking time always varies.
Step 10: Get Ready to Eat
Remove the turkey from the oven and place it on a serving platter or large cutting board. Let the large bird rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving to make it easier to slice and serve. Then, if you stuffed your turkey, remove the stuffing before carving.
Read more: 13 Healthy Baking Tips That Will Transform Your Food
Warning
Avoid roasting a 21.5-pound turkey in an aluminum pan. The disposable pans are too flimsy to support the weight, making it difficult and unsafe to lift or carry the bird in it, especially when the contents are extremely hot.