This Amish-style slow cooked turkey in oven recipe is the secret to a moist, tender, and flavorful turkey every single time. It uses a simple brine and a low, slow bake that keeps the meat juicy all the way through.
If you've ever sat down to a holiday meal and found the turkey dry and disappointing, you're not alone. That's exactly why I love this oven-baked slow cooked turkey - it always turns out perfectly moist and packed with rich, savory flavor.
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Why You'll Love This Amish Turkey Recipe
- Juicy and tender: The slow cooking method and brine work together to keep every bite perfectly moist and tender.
- Full of flavor: The brine infuses the meat with seasoning, while herbs, garlic, and onion add classic, homemade flavor.
- Simple and traditional: No fancy equipment or complicated steps - just good, old-fashioned Amish-style cooking.
- Perfect for holidays: Whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinner, this recipe always delivers a beautiful, flavorful centerpiece.
- Hands-off cooking: Once it's in the oven, there's no need to hover or baste - just let it slow-cook to perfection while you enjoy your day, or let it cook overnight while you're sleeping.
Ingredients You'll Need
- A whole frozen turkey - Choose a high-quality brand for the best flavor and texture. This recipe works well for any size bird.
- 2 - 3 gallons water - For the brine. Make sure there's enough to fully cover the turkey in a large, food-safe bucket, cooler, or tub. Cold water is essential to safely thaw and brine the turkey at the same time.
- Morton's Tenderquick - A curing salt made mostly of salt and sugar that seasons the meat and helps retain moisture. This gives your turkey a rich flavor and beautiful color.
- Butter, melted or softened - Rubbed over the skin, butter adds richness, helps the skin brown, and keeps the outer meat juicy during baking. (If preferred, you can use oil instead of butter.)
- Garlic cloves, halved - Place inside the cavity for a savory aroma and subtle flavor that flavors the turkey from the inside out.
- Small onion, sliced - Adds natural sweetness and depth of flavor as it roasts inside the turkey.
- Herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.) - Fresh or dried, these give the turkey that classic homemade flavor. Use your favorites or what you have on hand.
- Black pepper and paprika - Sprinkle on the skin to season and add a warm, inviting color. You can also experiment with garlic powder or other spices if desired.
Defrost Turkey in Brine
This recipe starts with a frozen turkey in a brine, which does double duty: it slowly defrosts the bird while infusing it with flavor and moisture. Using a brine is what helps your slow cooked turkey turn out juicy, tender, and well-seasoned - no dry meat here!
How to brine:
- Place the frozen turkey in a clean, food-safe 5-gallon bucket or cooler. (If you don't have a cool enough place to keep the turkey, a large drink cooler or small ice chest will be a better option.)
- Mix a gallon of cold water with 1½ - 2 cups Morton's Tenderquick (1 ½ c. for a small turkey, 2 c. for a larger one) until dissolved.
- Pour the brine over the turkey, and add more water until it is fully submerged. (Make sure the turkey is completely covered. If it wants to float, you may need to set something on top to weigh it down.)
- Cover the bucket tightly and store it in a cold place (like a cold garage or refrigerator) for 3 days.
Safety notes:
- Never brine at room temperature - bacteria can grow.
- Use a food-safe container with a lid to avoid contamination.
- Check the water level - make sure the turkey stays fully submerged for even brining.
How to Make Slow Cooked Turkey in the Oven
Step 1: Prepare the turkey
Remove the turkey from the brine (if using) and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Remove the giblets from the cavity.
Step 2: Add aromatics
Place halved garlic cloves, sliced onion, and fresh herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, sage, or oregano) inside the cavity for added flavor. Then fill the cavity with ice cubes (ice helps the turkey cook more evenly and keep the breast meat moist).
Step 3: Choose your roasting method
Place the turkey into a large roasting bag (follow the bag instructions), or put it in a roasting pan that can be covered tightly with several layers of foil. Both methods help retain moisture during the slow bake.
Step 4: Butter and season
Brush melted butter over the top and sides of the turkey to help the skin brown beautifully and add richness. Sprinkle with black pepper, paprika, and any extra herbs or garlic powder for flavor and color.
Step 5: Bake low and slow
- Preheat the oven to 250°F.
- Bake the turkey until fully cooked - about 5-6 hours for a 12-15 lb bird, or up to 8 or 9 hours for a large bird.
- Check the internal temperature: the breast should reach at least 165°F and the thighs at least 180°F. This makes sure the turkey is safe and perfectly tender.
Step 6: Brown the top
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
- Open the roasting bag or remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the skin is golden and slightly crispy.
Step 7: Rest the turkey
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
- Resting locks in the juices and makes carving easier.
- Remove some of the broth to make a delicious gravy to serve with your carved turkey.
Step 8: Carve and serve
- Slice the turkey and drizzle some of the pan juices over the carved meat to create the most amazingly moist and flavorful slow cooked turkey. Enjoy your delicious creation - the best Thanksgiving turkey ever!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can brine a fresh turkey. Leave it in the brine for only 24 hours instead of 3 full days. Keep the brine cold (below 40°F) to keep it safe.
Absolutely! You can skip the brine entirely and still make this slow cooked oven turkey. Rub the bird generously with butter, herbs, and seasonings, and be sure to add salt (approx. 1 Tbsp.) to the skin and inside the cavity to help flavor the meat. The turkey will still turn out tender, though it won't have the same depth of flavor or enhanced juiciness the brine provides.
Tenderquick is a curing salt made mostly of salt and sugar, with small amounts of sodium nitrate/nitrite. It helps season the meat, retain moisture, and preserve a beautiful color.
Yes! Slow roasting at 250°F is perfectly safe as long as the turkey reaches the proper internal temperatures. The breast should reach about 160°F and the thighs about 170°F. While resting, the breast continues to cook, reaching the safe 165°F. This low-and-slow method actually helps keep the meat juicy and tender without overcooking.
Yes! My Amish mom always roasted her turkey in the oven overnight. Roasting a turkey at 200°F overnight is a popular method for achieving tender, juicy meat with minimal effort. The general guideline is to roast a turkey at 200°F for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour per pound.
Absolutely! If you are needing your oven to bake other dishes, your turkey will stay warm in your warm kitchen for a while. After removing the turkey from the oven, you can cover it with foil and let it rest for up to an hour. This keeps the meat warm, allows the juices to redistribute, and gives you extra time to bake other dishes. If you're scared it will cool off too quickly, cover the pan tightly and wrap it in a large towel.
Lancaster County Amish Turkey and Stuffing
Growing up Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, turkey was never served on it's own. We always made roasht.
My mom made a giant bowl of bread stuffing, she prepped her turkey, filled the cavity with some of the stuffing, and baked it low and slow overnight. The next morning, she removed the stuffing from the turkey, cooled the meat and then removed all the bones. The turkey got cut up into bite-sized pieces and mixed in with the giant bowl of stuffing.
So our turkey was always mixed with the stuffing, and we called it "Roasht". Roasht is served at most Amish weddings in Lancaster County, along with cooked celery, mashed potatoes, homemade bread or buns, and a whole array of other sides and desserts.
What to Do With Leftover Turkey
Have leftover turkey? Don't let it go to waste! (Just make sure to completely cool the meat before covering it tightly. Leftover turkey, when properly chilled, will be good for up to a week. It can also be frozen for longer storage.) You can use it anywhere you would use cooked chicken. Here are a few ideas:
- Turkey Salad: Dice or shred the meat and mix with mayo, celery, and seasonings (use my chicken salad recipe). It's perfect for sandwiches or wraps.
- Turkey Soup or Stew: Add chopped turkey to soups for a comforting meal. Check out my cheesy chicken chowder recipe or use leftover broth and turkey to make my Amish chicken corn noodle soup.
- Casseroles: Use shredded turkey in pasta casseroles such as chickenetti, make Amish-style chicken gumbo, or pot pie.
- Croquettes: Replace chicken with turkey to make these simple croquettes.
Leftover turkey is versatile and can turn into quick, delicious meals for days after your big holiday feast.
More Amish Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
With this Amish slow cooked turkey recipe, you won't have to worry about dry turkey again. It's full of flavor, wonderfully tender, and easy enough for anyone to make - perfect for your next Thanksgiving or family gathering.
If you try this simple brine and slow baked turkey recipe, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Slow Cooked Turkey in Oven (Amish Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey
- 2 - 3 gallons cold water
- 1 ½ - 2 cups Morton's Tenderquick
- 4 garlic cloves, halved
- 1 small onion, sliced
- herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, etc.
- ice cubes
- 2 - 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- black pepper and paprika, as desired
Instructions
- Place a frozen turkey into a clean/food safe 5 gallon bucket with a lid, or use a drink cooler.1 whole turkey
- Mix the tenderquick with a gallon of water, and pour it over the turkey. Add water as needed to cover completely.2 - 3 gallons cold water, 1 ½ - 2 cups Morton's Tenderquick
- Cover the bucket tightly and set in a cold place for 3 days.
- Drain the brine, remove the giblets, and dry the turkey with paper towels.
- Place the garlic cloves, onion slices, and fresh herbs inside the cavity, then fill up the cavity with ice cubes.4 garlic cloves, halved, 1 small onion, sliced, herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, etc., ice cubes
- Place the turkey into a large turkey roasting bag and follow the instructions for using the bag. (If you don't have any roasting bags, you can just place it into a roaster and cover with several layers of foil.)2 - 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Brush melted butter all over the top and sides of turkey. (Or rub softened butter over the turkey.) Sprinkle black pepper, paprika, herbs, garlic powder, etc. (as desired) over the top.black pepper and paprika, as desired
- Bake at 250℉ until done. (It takes about 5 - 6 hours for a 12-15 pound turkey and more like 8 or 9 hours for a large one.)
- Once the turkey is done baking (having reached internal temperatures of at least 165℉ in the breasts, 180℉ in the thighs) increase the oven temp to 425℉, slit the top of the bag open/remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes to brown the top.
- Remove some of the pan juices to make a delicious gravy to serve with the turkey.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. Carve and drizzle some of the pan juices over the meat for extra moisture. Enjoy!
- Completely cool any leftovers and store in airtight containers or bags. Refrigerate for up to 6 days. Leftovers can also be frozen to use in dishes later.
Anna
This turkey is moist and flavorful every time!