Basting, were told, is simply the right thing to do. After all, if you want tender, juicy turkey meat, what better strategy than pretending your bird is in the bathtub and periodically dousing it with warm, bubbly pan juices? And yes, you did just scorch your knuckles on the third time you opened the oven door to baste. But thats a small price to pay for a Thanksgiving turkey thats as moist as slow-cooked pork belly.
Ahem. Sorry to interrupt this slo-mo basting fantasy sequence, but I cant keep down the real talk any longer. If you want juicy meat, basting the bird wont help—brining or salting it is what guarantees moist turkey. In fact, every time you baste the bird, the juices merely run along the skin rather than actually infusing the meat. Basting is for your comfort, not the turkeys.
Turns out, adding moisture is actually the last thing you want to do to your turkey skin. What you really want to do is take moisture away. See, the drier the turkey skin, the easier it crisps up. And thats what will turn your bird into a gorgeously bronze, uber-crispy trophy.
I really should have figured this out years ago. The famous Zuni Café roast chicken popularized by the dearly departed Judy Rodgers achieves incredibly juicy, crisp-skinned results by salting the bird and refrigerating it for up to three days instead of brining it. No basting required. Thomas Kellers favorite roast turkey has you brine the bird for a day, then air-dry it for another day to achieve that dry skin before roasting. Once again, no basting, and ridiculously juicy, crispy results.
Basting a turkey every 30 to 45 minutes is standard, especially if you wait until the last hour or so of cooking to begin basting. Remember that basting too often can greatly increase the turkey’s cook time, so don’t baste anymore often than every 30 minutes. When you do baste the bird, be sure to work quickly.
Slather the turkey with clarified butter, not the regular kind
If you cant resist the urge to give your bird a coating of something delicious, follow Kellers lead and try clarified butter instead of the regular melted kind. The couple minutes it takes to spoon the foam off the melted butter and pour off that clear, golden butterfat is more than worth it. Clarified butter doesnt have any water in it, so its ideal for promoting the crispiest skin. (You know what else is good for promoting crispy skin? Mayo.)
Air-dry your turkey before you roast it.
Whether you choose brining or salting (also called “dry brining”), youll want to let the skin of your turkey thoroughly air-dry before you put it in the oven. Take the turkey out of its brine–or the brining bag youve been salting it in—and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Then place it on a flat rack (or a couple layers of paper towels) on a large rimmed baking sheet and let it sit in your refrigerator for at least 8 hours (or overnight).
“Should I Baste My Turkey?” We Find Out Once and For All If Basting a Turkey is Necessary
FAQ
Does basting a turkey really help?
Should you baste turkey while resting?
Does basting a turkey make it crispy?
When should I baste?
How long do you Bast a Turkey in a 350F oven?
Here is a general basting schedule for a turkey that is cooked in a 350F oven: * First hour of cooking: Baste every 30 minutes. * Second hour of cooking: Baste every 45 minutes. * Third hour of cooking: Baste every 60 minutes. * Fourth hour of cooking: Baste every 90 minutes.
How long should you boil a Turkey before basting?
The liquid that you use for basting should be hot, but not boiling. Boiling liquid can cause the turkey to toughen. * Baste the turkey every 15-20 minutes. This will help to keep the turkey moist and flavorful. * Don’t baste the turkey too often. Basting too often can actually dry out the turkey.
Can You Bast a Turkey in the oven?
While basting is important, so too is keeping the oven or smoker warm for your turkey. For best results, remove your turkey from the heat source for basting, closing the door of the heat source while you do so. This will keep the oven/smoker nice and warm so your turkey can get right back to cooking as soon as the basting process is done!
What happens if you Bast a Turkey?
* Basting can increase the risk of foodborne illness. When you baste a turkey, you are introducing bacteria from your hands and utensils into the cooking cavity. This can increase the risk of foodborne illness if the turkey is not cooked to a safe internal temperature. * Basting can make the turkey take longer to cook.