[Just Lori]

OK, normally I charge for this advice, but here is the secret of really good turkey. Cook it upside down for the first 1/2 of the cooking time. What happens is all the fat and juice from the dark meat on the bottom baste the breast. After 1/2 time turn it over and cook normally.
It really works. I thought I had an original idea, then I read in a cookbook that the French turn the turkey on it's side for 1/3 the time, then flip it over on the other side and finally onto it's bottom.



Ok, stupid question time.... How do you turn over a large turkey when it's hot? It's a great idea, and I'd like to try it, but I have this image of a half cooked hot turkey on the kitchen floor.

[ProudVet77]

I've never tried it on a very big bird but have on birds up to 16 lbs. To tell you the truth at about the 1/2way point the bird isn't very hot, and it's still quite firm. What I've done is take it out of the oven, take my biggest chefs knife and inesrt it into the bird. If you have rotessery rod that might work. Just lift and roll.
Someone early mentioned just using their hands with oven mits on. Don't see why that wouldn't work too.