Tillie Doyle
Cooking a turkey can be daunting, but the key to a delicious, moist roast is in the preparation and placement within the pan. There are a few methods to prepare your turkey, but the most important step is to ensure the turkey is placed breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. This allows for even cooking and helps achieve that all-important crispy skin.
How to place the turkey in the pan
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pan type | Roasting pan or sheet pan |
| Rack | Yes, to elevate the turkey and ensure even cooking |
| Turkey position | Breast-side up |
| Wing tips | Tucked underneath the turkey to prevent burning |
| Vegetables | Chopped onions, celery, carrots, and apples can be placed at the bottom of the pan |
| Aromatics | Herbs, such as rosemary and sage |
| Liquid | 2 cups of low-sodium broth, water, or turkey stock to keep the oven moist and the turkey juicy |
| Cover | Loosely tented with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning |
| Internal temperature | Minimum of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh |
| Resting time | At least 20-30 minutes after removing from the oven |
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What You'll Learn
Place the turkey breast-side up
To place your turkey breast-side up in the pan, start by removing the neck and giblets from the turkey and rinsing it. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and fill it loosely with stuffing. You can also add in other herbs and spices of your choice.
Next, rub the outside of the turkey with softened butter. Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in your roasting pan. If you want the bottom of the turkey to be crispy, you can place it on a rack inside the pan. Alternatively, fill the bottom of the pan with chopped vegetables like apples, celery, onions, and carrots. This will lift the turkey off the bottom of the pan, allowing the bottom to get crispy and adding flavour to the drippings for your gravy.
Pour liquid—such as water, broth, or stock—into the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist and the turkey juicy, and prevent the drippings from burning. The amount of liquid you add depends on your preferred method. Some recipes call for pouring in about 1/2 inch of liquid, while others suggest adding 2 cups.
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Tuck wing tips underneath
To tuck the wing tips of a turkey underneath, start by locating the joint where each wing meets the body of the turkey. You can do this by gently lifting the wings. Once you've found the joint, gently fold the wings back behind the bird's body, so that the tips are tucked underneath. This will give the bird a neater, more compact appearance, and prevent the wings from overcooking or burning.
Tucking the wings also has the added benefit of making the bird easier to handle, and it can help the turkey cook more evenly. This is because the wings are secured behind and close to the body, which tightens up the overall appearance and allows all parts of the bird to reach the ideal temperature without any risk of charring.
You can further secure the wings by using kitchen twine to tie them in place. Cut a piece of twine and tie the legs together at the drumstick ends. Take another piece of twine, loop it under the bird's body across the tucked wings, and tie securely.
If you don't want to use kitchen twine, you can simply rely on the tucked wings to hold the bird together. However, some cooks prefer to use twine to secure both the legs and wings, ensuring that the bird stays compact during roasting.
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Truss the turkey
Trussing a turkey is a great way to ensure your bird cooks evenly and achieves that perfect, compact shape. It's not a difficult process, but it is important to get it right. Here's a step-by-step guide to trussing your turkey:
Firstly, ensure your turkey is completely thawed. This is best done in the refrigerator over a day or two. Once thawed, remove the neck and innards from the cavity. You can keep the neck for gravy if you like, or dispose of the neck and organs as you see fit. Rinse and pat the turkey dry, then let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Now it's time to truss! You'll need a nice long length of cotton butcher's twine—several feet long. Lay your turkey on a cutting board with the drumsticks pointed toward you. Turn the turkey breast-side up. Tuck the tips of the wings firmly under the shoulders to prevent scorching and to stabilise the turkey for later carving.
Take your twine and fold it in half, making a loop at the centre point. Tuck this loop over the top of the neck, then pull the twine downward. Wrap the twine tightly around either side, underneath the breasts, bringing it back towards you. Tie the twine in a tight double knot just under the tip of the breasts.
Next, take each length of twine and put one side under the drumstick and loop it over, then do the same with the other side, looping it under. Pull these ends tight to pull the drumsticks together, then wrap the twine back around, underneath the breasts. Bring the twine back to the front of the bird and tie a tight double knot. Cut off any excess twine.
And that's it—you've trussed your turkey! You can now fill the chest and neck cavities with stuffing or aromatics like chopped onions, carrots, and herbs.
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Use a roasting rack
Using a roasting rack is a great way to ensure your turkey cooks evenly and efficiently. The rack helps elevate the turkey above the bottom of the pan, allowing heat to circulate all around the bird. This also helps prevent the skin from becoming flabby and moist. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can use balls of aluminium foil or upside-down ramekins to lift the turkey from the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, you can create a bed of vegetables, such as carrots, celery, and onions, to act as a makeshift rack, providing similar benefits to using a roasting rack.
When using a roasting rack, it's important to ensure that your turkey is properly prepared before placing it on the rack. Start by removing the giblets and neck, then rinsing the turkey thoroughly. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and season the cavity with salt and other desired herbs and spices. You can also truss the turkey by tying the legs together with kitchen string or dental floss, ensuring even cooking and a neat appearance. Don't forget to tuck the wing tips underneath the turkey to prevent them from burning.
Once your turkey is prepared, place it on the roasting rack inside the roasting pan, ensuring the breast side is facing up. You can add a small amount of liquid, such as water or stock, to the bottom of the pan to create a moist environment and prevent the drippings from burning. Cover the tips of the wings with aluminium foil to prevent overcooking, and consider basting your turkey with butter or pan drippings every 45 minutes to enhance its flavour and moisture.
Roast your turkey at the recommended temperature, typically around 325°F to 350°F, and allow it to cook for approximately 13 to 20 minutes per pound. It's essential to use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of your turkey. The turkey is cooked when it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh. Remember to let the turkey rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes after removing it from the oven to ensure the juices redistribute, resulting in a moist and delicious roast.
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Tent with foil
Tenting a turkey with foil is a great way to protect it from over-browning and ensure it stays moist and juicy. Here is a step-by-step guide to achieving this:
Firstly, preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a roasting pan, at least 2 inches deep, with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, rinse it, and pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt, pepper, and any other desired herbs and spices. You can loosely stuff the turkey at this point if you wish.
Next, place the turkey in the foil-lined roasting pan, breast side up. Brush the outside of the turkey with oil or softened butter. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, ensuring it does not touch the bone.
Now, create the foil tent. Take another sheet of foil and place it over the turkey, leaving a gap of about 1 inch between the top of the turkey and the foil tent to allow for heat circulation. Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast the turkey until the meat thermometer reads 165°F to 180°F.
For the final step, remove the foil tent during the last hour of roasting to allow the skin to brown. Once the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving. This resting period helps the meat retain its juices, resulting in a moister, more flavorful turkey.
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Frequently asked questions
Place the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting pan, a sheet pan can be used instead.
First, remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and rinse it. Then, pat the turkey dry with paper towels. You can then season the cavity with salt and pepper and fill it with stuffing. Rub the skin with butter and season with more salt and pepper.
To truss a turkey, tie the legs together with kitchen string or dental floss. Then, use the remaining string to tie the wings to the body of the turkey, keeping it compact.
Pour 2 cups of broth, water, or stock into the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist and the turkey juicy. You can also cover the breasts with a piece of foil to prevent them from drying out.
