- Cook the turkey breast side down. …
- Use a meat thermometer to take out any guess work of when the turkey is done.
- Cook the turkey stuffing separately, not in the cavity, which makes it easier to cook the turkey more evenly.
We comprehend that you might not want to make too many changes to your Thanksgiving turkey recipe. You don’t want anyone to be let down by a strange main dish. But you don’t have to prepare your turkey exactly the same way just because the flavors aren’t new. It seems that giving your bird a quick flip can actually change the course of the game. We’ll demonstrate how to cook a turkey on its side and discuss the benefits of trying this technique.
Tips for Browning the Breast Meat
Some recipes for upside-down turkey call for flipping the bird over for the final 30 minutes of cooking to brown the breast skin, but after trying this, I don’t believe the risk of harm justifies the minimal amount of browning that occurs during those final 30 minutes of roasting. Rest the turkey, then flip it over and broil it (or just the breasts) for a few minutes under the broiler if you really want a brown, crisped breast skin.
How to Roast an Upside-Down Turkey
This upside-down turkey’s recipe isn’t all that dissimilar from any other roasted turkey recipe. On the day of roasting, you should make sure the turkey is completely thawed. Remove the neck and giblets and liberally salt the turkey. I enjoy stuffing my turkey with an apple, an onion, and some fresh herbs, but only for the aroma they produce while it roasts.
Put the turkey in a roasting rack breast-side down and place the rack in a roasting pan. Then roast the turkey. Start roasting it in a hot oven to encourage browning, then turn down the heat and roast the bird until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Here are some suggestions for judging your turkey’s doneness.
Why you should not cook your turkey upside down
Your oven is probably set between 375°F and 400°F when roasting a turkey. This implies that a hot upside-down turkey, probably weighing around 12 lbs, is being held up by a hot roasting rack inside a hot roasting pan.
Could there be a safe, simple way to turn your turkey right side up? The answer is no. Do you grab a wooden spoon and a stack of paper towels when you’re ready to flip it? Do you cover your oven mitts in foil?
It is safe to say that cooking a turkey upside down will present challenges when you attempt to flip it back up, running the risk of splattering hot turkey fat all over yourself or causing a burn to your hand on the roasting rack.
FAQ
Is it good to cook a turkey breast side down?
Roasting a turkey breast-side down has two advantages: first, the juices trickle down for extra-moist breast meat, and second, the dark meat cooks more quickly because it is closer to the heat source. This works on all kinds of birds—organic, conventional, heirloom, you name it—talk about a change for the better.
Should I roast turkey breast upside down?
When roasting a turkey, cooking it upside down allows the juices to drip down, resulting in particularly moist and juicy breast meat. Additionally, because the dark meat is nearer the heat source, it cooks more quickly than it would using the conventional technique.
Do you cook a turkey upside down or rightside up?
We’ve discovered that the roasting rack can leave unsightly marks and indents on the turkey’s breast if you cook it upside down. Or even worse, if you try to flip it, you might rip the skin. For the most beautiful bird, stick to roasting right-side up.
