Cooking a turkey in a NuWave oven could save you time in the kitchen, and frees up your traditional oven to cook other items for a special dinner. NuWave is a countertop oven that uses conduction, convection and infrared heat simultaneously to cook foods as much as 50 percent faster than an oven.
According to its manufacturers, NuWave ovens can bake, roast, grill, steam, broil, air-fry and dehydrate foods. It also includes a cooking rack that allows the fat to drip away. You can cook a whole turkey, fresh or frozen in a NuWave oven, although frozen turkeys take a little longer to cook.
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Read more: How to Cook a 25-Pound Turkey
Fresh Turkey in NuWave Oven
Step 1: Prep the Turkey
Rub the outside of the turkey generously with melted butter or olive oil. Season the turkey generously with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you would like.
Salt the inside cavity with salt as well and remove the giblet packet if you don't plan to use it with your meal.
Be mindful of your seasonings if you are watching your sodium intake. The American Heart Association recommends a daily intake of no more than 2,300 milligrams.
Step 2: Position the Turkey
Lift the dome lid off the NuWave oven and place the turkey breast-side down on the cooking rack. Replace the lid, which should fit into the base comfortably over the turkey.
If your turkey is more than 10 pounds, you will need to use an extender ring. Fit the extender ring into the base of the NuWave oven and then place the dome lid on top — it should fit into the extender ring.
Step 3: Set the Power Level
Press the "Power Level" button on the powerhead, which sits on top of the lid. Check that the power level is set to "HI" (high) on the power screen. If it is not, press "0," which will reset it to high.
Step 4: Set the Timer
Set the timer by pressing the "Cook Time" button on the powerhead. Set it to the amount of time the turkey needs to cook, based on the size of your turkey, then press "Start."
Fresh turkey cooks in the NuWave for about 12 minutes per pound.
Step 5: Flip the Turkey
Press the "Pause" button on the Nuwave halfway through the cooking time and remove the lid. Carefully flip the turkey over using oven-proof gloves, to allow for even cooking.
Replace the lid and press "Start" to continue cooking the turkey for the remaining time.
Step 6: Check the Temperature
Check the temperature of the turkey when the timer beeps, indicating it is finished. Use a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast to ensure it has reached a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safe consumption, according to the USDA.
The thighs and legs, which cook faster, should be around 175 F. Transfer the turkey to a platter to rest for about 20 minutes before carving.
Cooking a Frozen Turkey
Step 1: Place Bird in Oven
Place the frozen turkey breast-side down on the cooking rack of the NuWave oven and cover with the lid.
Step 2: Adjust the Power Level
Set the power level to high and set the timer based on the size of your turkey. Frozen turkey needs to be cooked for 15 minutes per pound in a NuWave oven. Press the "Start" button to start cooking the turkey.
Step 3: Remove the Giblets
Press the "Pause" button halfway through the cooking time and lift off the dome lid. Flip the turkey — which should be completely thawed by now — wearing oven-proof gloves and remove the giblet packet inside the turkey.
Step 4: Season the Bird
Brush the outside of the turkey all over with melted butter or olive oil and season generously with other seasonings, as you see fit.
Step 5: Rest and Serve
Replace the dome lid and press "Start" to resume cooking the turkey. When the timer beeps, use the meat thermometer to check that the breasts have reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and the legs, 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before serving.
Read more: 7 Leftover Turkey Recipes to Be Thankful For
Things You'll Need
Butter or olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Additional seasonings, optional
Oven-proof gloves
Tip
If your turkey weighs more than 10 pounds, you will need to purchase an extender ring to cook the turkey in the NuWave oven.
Cover the turkey with foil if it's browning too quickly and still has a ways to go to finish cooking.
For stuffed turkey, you will need to add 4 to 5 minutes of cooking time per pound. However, if you wait and stuff the turkey in the last 30 minutes of cooking, you will not need to add additional cooking time.
Warning
Do not touch any part of the NuWave oven except for the powerhead when it is on — the dome lid gets extremely hot. Only lift the lid by the handles on the powerhead, which is attached to the lid.