The thighs are dark meat, which take longer to cook than white meat, such as the breasts.
Ensure that the thermometer isn’t touching a bone, which could give your thermometer a false reading.
Keep in mind that the turkey will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven, so don’t cook your turkey beyond 165 °F (74 °C) or the meat will become dry.
The juices within the turkey will redistribute while the turkey rests. This will prevent the juices from running out of the turkey as soon as you start carving it. Since most turkeys are large and will retain heat, there’s no need to cover the turkey while it rests.
Since thigh meat is muscular and dark, it takes the longest time to cook.
You don’t need to cut very deep into the thigh. Cut about 2 inches (5. 1 cm) or until you see the juices start to run out.
Make a gravy with the pan juices while you wait to carve the turkey.
