Learning how to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving using an air fryer can transform your holiday cooking experience.
Using an air fryer to prepare a holiday turkey makes the process quicker, healthier than frying, and more convenient, allowing you to enjoy more time with family and friends.
In this guide, we’ll explore why the air fryer is a great option for your Thanksgiving turkey and include step-by-step tips to ensure your bird turns out perfect.
Benefits of Using an Air Fryer To Make Your Thanksgiving Turkey
Air fryers became popular because they can cook things quickly and more healthy with less oil. Those same benefits can apply to Thanksgiving, too, giving you a less fatty meat option than frying and a quicker cook time than oven roasting.
An air fryer achieves all this with the rapid hot air circulation. This ensures that your turkey has a crisp, golden skin while maintaining juicy and tender meat inside all while cooking the bird faster than a regular oven. Moreover, it saves you the hassle of dealing with large amounts of hot oil when roasting or frying.
Here are some key benefits that make the air fryer an attractive option for how to prepare a turkey for thanksgiving:
- Healthier cooking: Reduces the fat content compared to frying as it uses far less oil.
- Saves time: Cooks faster than a conventional oven, freeing up time for other holiday preparations.
- Saves space: Leaves your oven free for side dishes and desserts, easing the chaos in the kitchen.
- Easy to use: Simple and straightforward operation with preset functions on many models.
- Consistent results: Evenly cooks the turkey, resulting in a perfectly cooked bird every time.
- Safety: Eliminates risks associated with hot oil, making it a safer alternative, especially when kids are around.
Getting Started: Choosing the Right Air Fryer
Selecting the right air fryer is crucial for achieving a delicious turkey. Here are several factors to consider when making your choice:
Capacity
Ensure the air fryer is large enough for your turkey to fit. Most air fryers can only fit turkey crowns or breasts, but some can handle whole turkeys.
Ease of Use
Opt for an air fryer with intuitive controls and preset functions. This simplifies the cooking process, letting you focus on other holiday dishes and tasks.
Safety Features
Focus on models with safety features like cool-touch handles and automatic shut-offs. These reduce the risk of accidents, which is particularly important when you have family members around.
Additional Functionality
Think about how you’ll use your air fryer before you buy. For example, if you want to cook using several different modes, look for an air fryer that can go from air frying to rotisserie to baking. If you’ll want to cook more than one thing at once, look for an air fryer with separate drawers for side dishes.
Cleaning & Maintenance
If you’re concerned with keeping your new air fryer clean, you can choose one with removable, dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleanup and a front-access grease tray to keep your air fryer tidy.
Seasoning & Flavoring Your Turkey
How to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving starts with seasoning. Seasoning and flavoring your turkey is crucial for enhancing its taste and keeping the meat moist and the skin crispy. With the right blend of herbs and spices, you can elevate the bird’s natural flavors, making it the star of your family meal.
Herb Butter Mixture
One of the best ways to keep your turkey moist and flavorful is with an herb butter mixture. Combine softened butter with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage.
Gently lift the skin of the turkey breast and spread the herb butter evenly underneath. This infuses the meat with rich flavors and also helps keep it moist during cooking.
Dry Rub
A good dry rub seals in juices and adds a flavorful crust. Mix together kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pat this mixture all over the surface of the turkey, ensuring even coverage.
Aromatics
Stuff the turkey cavity with aromatics like quartered onions, lemon halves, and fresh herb sprigs. These ingredients release their flavors during cooking, infusing the meat with a subtle yet delicious aroma.
Optional Extras
Add a citrus twist by incorporating lemon or orange zest into your herb butter. Or, if you prefer bit of heat, sprinkle a touch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika into your dry rub for a spicier flavor profile.
How to Prepare a Turkey for Thanksgiving
If you’re still wondering how to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving using an air fryer, proper preparation is key. Start by ensuring your turkey is fully thawed—cooking a frozen turkey can result in uneven cooking and a dry bird. Plan ahead, as thawing may take a few days in the refrigerator based on the turkey’s size.
Then, once your bird is ready to cook, follow these essential steps:
- Clean the turkey: Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Make sure you dry the turkey thoroughly for crispy skin.
- Season generously: Refer to all of our tips above. At the very least you’ll want to season the bird either with just salt or pepper or your dry rub, then apply your herbed butter under the skin. Next, rub oil on the outside of the bird for a crispy skin.
- Truss the legs: Tie the legs together using kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird to promote even cooking and to save some space.
- Rest at room temperature: Allow the turkey to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. This step helps it cook more evenly.
- Skip the brine: Brining can result in overly salty meat when air fried.
Taking these steps will prepare your turkey for the air fryer, setting you up for a delicious and stress-free holiday meal.
Cooking the Turkey: Step-by-Step Guide
Cooking a turkey in an air fryer can yield impressive results—juicy meat and crispy skin. Follow this step-by-step guide to ensure your turkey turns out perfect:
1. Preheat the Air Fryer
Start by preheating your air fryer to 350 degrees F. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes. Preheating ensures the turkey cooks evenly right from the beginning.
2. Prepare the Turkey
If you haven’t already done so, make sure your turkey is seasoned and at room temperature. Truss the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird so it cooks evenly.
3. Place the Turkey in the Air Fryer
Carefully place the turkey in the air fryer basket, breast-side up and ensure it’s well-centered to allow for even air circulation. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to adjust the turkey to fit properly.
4. Set Cooking Time & Temperature
Cook the turkey at 350 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes per pound. For instance, a 15-pound turkey will take approximately 2-2.5 hours. It’s important to monitor the internal temperature so use a meat thermometer to check that the thickest part of the breast and thigh reaches 165 degrees F.
5. Rotate & Check
Halfway through cooking, rotate the turkey for even browning. This is also when you can check if any parts are browning too quickly, such as wing tips or legs. If they are, cover them with aluminum foil if necessary.
6. Let the Turkey Rest
Once the turkey reaches the desired internal temperature, carefully remove it from the air fryer. Next, let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving. Resting allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist and flavorful meat.
Following these steps will guide you to a perfectly cooked turkey, making your family meal a memorable one.
Recap of Best Tips for How to Prepare a Turkey for Thanksgiving Using an Air Fryer
Though we’ve included these tips throughout, here’s one last checklist of our pro tips that no guide on how to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving is complete without. Attention to these details mean your turkey will come out of the air fryer juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.
- Fully thaw: Always thaw your turkey completely to avoid uneven cooking.
- Pat dry: Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry before seasoning to get crispy skin.
- Season generously: Apply herb butter under skin and dry rub evenly on top of the skin.
- Monitor temperature: Use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperatures reach 165 degrees F.
- Rotate: Rotate the turkey halfway through cooking for even browning.
- Protect with foil: Cover browning parts like wing tips with aluminum foil if needed.
- Build in resting time: Let the turkey rest 20-30 minutes before carving to retain juices.
Making Gravy from Drippings
One final step that can really push your holiday spread over the top is making your own gravy. The drippings from your air-fried turkey can be the secret ingredient to a rich, flavorful gravy that complements your meal perfectly.
Here’s how to turn those tasty drippings into a delicious gravy:
Steps for Making Gravy:
- Collect drippings: Carefully remove the drip tray from the air fryer, ensuring you capture all the flavorful juices.
- Separate fat: Pour the drippings into a fat separator or let them sit to separate out the fat from the liquid.
- Create a roux: In a saucepan, melt four tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add four tablespoons of flour, whisking constantly to form a roux.
- Add drippings: Slowly add the drippings liquid to the roux, whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
- Simmer: Let the mixture simmer, stirring until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
- Season: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Make This Year’s Turkey Dinner Memorable
Learning how to prepare a turkey for Thanksgiving using an air fryer offers a modern twist on a classic meal, providing a healthier and more convenient option.
With the right air fryer, careful preparation, and a few essential tips, you can serve a juicy, flavorful turkey with crispy skin that will impress your family and friends. Enjoy the simplicity and efficiency of air frying, and make this year’s turkey dinner one to remember.
