Everybody knows a high-quality oven is required to properly roast a delicious turkey. However, there’s some debate about cooking a turkey in a convection oven vs a regular oven. Does one method offer clear advantages over the other? By the end of this post, you’ll understand the difference between the two ovens and what it means when roasting turkey.

When it comes to cooking turkey, Convection Ovens cook the Thanksgiving bird more quickly (about 30% faster) and evenly than standard ovens. This is a result of internal fans that actively circulate hot air within convection ovens. For comprehensive information related convection ovens, be sure to check out this convection oven guide. 

Since convection ovens take less time to cook turkey, you should set them for a lower temperature than you would a regular oven. A 300-325°F temperature is perfect for producing a delicious bird that maintains a moist exterior while also reaching an ideal interior temperature of 165°F. Alternatively, regular ovens are usually set for 350°F when cooking turkey.

Average cook time for turkeys in either type of oven is generally 3-4 hours, but that doesn’t account for the time it takes a turkey to thaw or be prepped. No matter what type of oven you use to roast your turkey, it shouldn’t make a significant difference in how delicious the bird tastes when it's served for consumption. 

If you’ve roasted your fair share of turkeys and are looking into an alternate cooking method, you might want to consider deep frying.