Description

This Instant Pot Whole Turkey recipe offers a quick and easy way to prepare a juicy, flavorful turkey using your pressure cooker. Perfect for busy families or anyone short on time, this method infuses traditional herb seasonings and vegetables into the bird while significantly reducing cooking time compared to conventional roasting. The turkey is finished under the broiler for a golden, crispy skin, delivering all the taste of a classic Thanksgiving turkey with minimal effort.

Ingredients

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 substitute your favorite seasoning mix)
1 tsp dried rosemary (or substitute your favorite seasoning mix)
1 tsp dried thyme (or substitute 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

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Instructions

Season the Turkey: Season the outside and inside of the turkey generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the dried sage, rosemary, and thyme evenly onto the skin of the turkey to infuse it with classic herb flavors.
Stuff the Cavity: Place half of the sliced onion and one clove of garlic inside the turkey’s cavity to add aromatic depth during cooking.
Prepare Instant Pot: Arrange the remaining onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and the dried bay leaf at the bottom of an 8-quart Instant Pot’s inner pot. Place the trivet over the vegetables, then pour in 1 cup of chicken broth to create a flavorful steaming environment.
Position the Turkey: Tuck the turkey’s wings underneath to secure them and set the turkey on top of the trivet, ensuring it is elevated above the broth and vegetables.
Pressure Cook: Lock the Instant Pot lid in place and set the steam release valve to the sealing position. Press the High Pressure or Manual setting and cook for 46 minutes, calculating approximately 6 minutes per pound of turkey.
Release Pressure: Allow the turkey to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes after cooking. Then carefully turn the steam valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
Rest and Broil: Carefully open the lid and let the turkey cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a large baking sheet. Baste the skin with oil or drippings 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 crisp, watching closely to prevent burning.

Notes

You can cook a juicy and delicious Thanksgiving turkey in your pressure cooker, saving time without sacrificing flavor.
This method is excellent for families or anyone short on time who wants a traditional turkey.
Be sure to monitor the broiling step closely, as the skin can burn quickly.
Allow the turkey to rest slightly before carving to retain juices.
Adjust the seasoning herbs to your preference 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: 120 mg