Description
This Instant Pot Whole Turkey recipe offers a quick and flavorful way to prepare a juicy Thanksgiving turkey using your pressure cooker. The turkey is seasoned with classic herbs and cooked on a bed of vegetables and broth inside the Instant Pot, then finished under the broiler for a crispy, golden skin. Ideal for busy families, this method delivers tender, aromatic turkey with less effort and time than traditional roasting.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Turkey and Seasonings
- 7-8 lb turkey (fresh or fully thawed, rinsed & patted dry with insides removed)
- Coarse sea salt or Kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp dried sage (or your favorite seasoning mix)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary (or your favorite seasoning mix)
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or your favorite seasoning mix)
Vegetables and Broth
- 1 medium onion (sliced into quarters)
- 3 cloves garlic (cut into halves)
- 2 stalks celery (cut into thirds)
- 2 medium carrots (cut into large chunks)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Season the Turkey: Thoroughly season the outside and inside cavity of the turkey with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the dried sage, rosemary, and thyme evenly on the skin of the turkey to infuse it with classic herb flavors.
- Stuff the Turkey Cavity: Insert half of the quartered onion and one clove of garlic inside the turkey cavity to enhance taste from the inside out during cooking.
- Prepare the Instant Pot: Place the remaining onions, garlic cloves, celery, carrots, and the dried bay leaf into the bottom of the Instant Pot’s inner pot. Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth, then set the metal trivet on top of the vegetables to elevate the turkey.
- Position the Turkey: Tuck the wings under the turkey to keep them compact. Carefully place the turkey breast-side up on the trivet inside the Instant Pot, ensuring it sits securely above the liquid and vegetables.
- Pressure Cook: Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the steam valve. Select the High Pressure or Manual cooking setting and set the timer for 46 minutes, approximating 6 minutes per pound. Once the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually vent the remaining steam by switching the valve to venting.
- Rest and Transfer: Open the Instant Pot carefully. Let the turkey cool slightly for 5 minutes before transferring it onto a large baking sheet for the broiling step.
- Baste and Broil: Brush the turkey skin with oil or drippings collected from the Instant Pot, and sprinkle additional dried herbs if desired. Broil the turkey in the oven for about 5 minutes until the skin turns golden and crispy. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- You can cook a moist and flavorful Thanksgiving turkey using your Instant Pot to reduce cooking time and effort.
- Broiling at the end crisps up the skin for a traditional roasted appearance and taste.
- Veggies and broth in the Instant Pot create a natural steaming environment that keeps the turkey tender.
- Adjust seasoning herbs to your favorite blends for personalized flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 276 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
