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The Trick for Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey Every Time
Simply Recipes ^ | Nov 2024 | Laurel Randolph

Posted on 11/25/2024 3:22:03 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?

It's nothing fancy like brining or basting. It's just simply smart.

Do a quick search for roast turkey recipes, and you’ll come across countless tips and tricks for keeping your bird moist. Injecting, brining, dry brining, spatchcocking, basting—my head spins just thinking about it.

Every year I carefully consider all of these tricks, contemplating if I want to cut the backbone out of the turkey and hear the sickening crack of bones (I do not), or if I even have room for a giant turkey and its brine in my already cramped fridge. When I can’t muster the energy to prep way ahead or go the extra mile, there’s one trick that works every time no matter what. And it couldn’t be simpler.

Turn That Turkey Upside Down

You heard me! Instead of roasting the turkey breast side up, flip it over and roast it breast side down. I learned this trick from our founder Elise Bauer who uses it in her mom’s roast turkey recipe.

Prep the turkey as you normally would, thawing it completely before beginning. Bring it to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels before smothering with softened butter or olive oil. Either brine the turkey beforehand or salt the inside and outside of the bird generously, then stuff the cavity with aromatics, like lemon halves, wedges of onion, and herbs.

Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and secure the neck closed with twine or a skewer. Arrange the turkey on the roasting rack, breast side down. Roast at 400°F for 20 minutes to brown the skin, then turn the temperature down to 325°F and roast until done.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food
KEYWORDS: thanksgiving; turkey; turkeydinner
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Never heard about this. But my #1 advice is to use a Reynolds Turkey Bag, get juicy turkeys every time.

I also use a brine when I don't get Butterball Turkey.

1 posted on 11/25/2024 3:22:03 AM PST by where's_the_Outrage?
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

(Turn That Turkey Upside Down)

First did this in 1992 just after starting a new job a couple of months before.

Put it in the oven bag, then upside-down (don’t remember which brand) and all that in a roaster just to catch the juices when I opened the bag.

Worked great 👍👍👍.


2 posted on 11/25/2024 3:26:20 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

(Reynolds Turkey Bag)

That’s probably what I used


3 posted on 11/25/2024 3:26:56 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Nonsense. Turkey is naturally dry. Decide if you are making gourmet gravy or juicy turkey on the platter. Then use the drippings and bits adding butter and broth for one or the other.


4 posted on 11/25/2024 3:35:09 AM PST by anton
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To: where's_the_Outrage?
...flip it over and roast it breast side down.

Done that way in my family for over 40 years. Browning bag keeps the juices from evaporating. Moist breast meat every time.

5 posted on 11/25/2024 3:35:36 AM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I see so much fatty meat on the underside of a rotisserie chicken. That turkeys must be the same. So roast the turkey upside down, and the turkey will be basted by the fat dripping down.
Maybe tilt the turkey so this basting fat hits the turkey breast area more. Because the breast area is the one that comes out dry


6 posted on 11/25/2024 3:40:01 AM PST by dennisw
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

This is the first year out of 43 years together that we are celebrating Thanksgiving by ourselves. We bought 1 turkey breast and 1 pork tenderloin. Stuffing will be on the side. I think the tenderloin will be done before the breast, so I gotta keep an eye on the temperatures for both. Should be interesting.


7 posted on 11/25/2024 3:50:21 AM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I’ve not cooked one upside down, but it makes sense, as it seems it would self-baste with the fatty meat being above the breasts. Plus the heat naturally rising in the oven would be a few degrees less at the lower elevation of the breasts and the roasting pan would insulate the breasts resulting in a bit more evenly cooked turkey. That’s assuming it’s not in a convection oven where the fan would negate some of that.


8 posted on 11/25/2024 3:51:09 AM PST by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I like my turkey the old timey way, dry as a bone with rivers of gravy.


9 posted on 11/25/2024 4:09:53 AM PST by weezel
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

My mom died a little before Thanksgiving in ‘08 thereby forcing me to learn to cook. Went online to see how to do a turkey, and one of the first things I found was to do it pretty much as stated above. One of two things happen. Either the turkey falls apart under gravity into the buttery, marinade-y juices and all the chunks of the meat just basically stew like that and it’s DELICIOUS when this happens.

The other result is like how a turkey is supposed to look when my mom did it, like you’d expect a turkey to look. Still super delicious but less so than the other result, in my opinion. Another thing is the skin is a little bit darker on the sides than the top of the breast, not much, but noticeable. Not sure why.

Either way, my turkeys, while not uniform from one to another, are still so good I never wanted to try another way

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it


10 posted on 11/25/2024 4:10:10 AM PST by This_Dude
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To: anton

Unless you brine and deep fry it.


11 posted on 11/25/2024 4:31:55 AM PST by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

P.S. if you deep fry the turkey, you can make gravy by roasting off some turkey wings (smoked is even better)


12 posted on 11/25/2024 4:33:05 AM PST by AbolishCSEU (Amount of "child" support paid is inversely proportionate to mother's actual parenting of children)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Just get a Butterball and don’t overcook it. Works every time.


13 posted on 11/25/2024 4:35:22 AM PST by CodeToad (Rule #1: The elites want you dead.)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Three words for the best juiciest turkey ever. Trash Can Turkey


14 posted on 11/25/2024 5:07:45 AM PST by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Thing is, the skin on the breast doesn’t brown when you turn it over.


15 posted on 11/25/2024 5:21:44 AM PST by virgil (The evil that men do lives after them )
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

I did this by accident, in our first year of marriage.

It turned out, perfectly!!


16 posted on 11/25/2024 5:24:31 AM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

17 posted on 11/25/2024 5:46:02 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

A Reynolds turkey bag? Does that mean you’re cooking your meal in cheap aluminum?


18 posted on 11/25/2024 5:47:16 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: where's_the_Outrage?

Use more butter.


19 posted on 11/25/2024 5:54:28 AM PST by Kudsman (Hey,, Democrat,,leave them kids alone!)
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To: AbolishCSEU

Yea, I think you are right about that one method which I want to try but can’t do for my 35 guests. And after T Day I never seem to get back to it. I use my turkey fryer for a 5 gallon tub of boiled cottage hams and green beans. The cottage hams are artisan from my local butcher and are better and more consumed than the turkey. If I could do two 24 pound turkeys fried I would. I think it is the best T Day innovation since 1649 AD.


20 posted on 11/25/2024 6:02:24 AM PST by anton
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