Moist roasted turkey

[FlemmieAnn]

I like my turkey moist, but whenever I try to make it it ends up dry. I guess it is due to my 'high level' cooking skills. Last week my friend told me about this roasting blanket with which you can cover your turkey before roasting it, http://www.sparkinnovations.com/poultry-perfection/. She said this will keep the turkey moist. I wanted to know if this will work before buying it. have you used this product? Will it work as they claim?

 

[Rosa moschata]

I can't speak of that, but I can tell you three reasons why my Thanksgiving turkey is moist.

1) I get a heritage breed, rather than a broad-breasted variety. The former has more "normal" bird proportions and is easier to cook evenly as a whole bird without one part (the breast) being prone to drying out from an extended cooking time.

2) I brine the turkey overnight in a solution containing salt, sugars, and spices. This causes the meat to absorb extra liquid and flavor before cooking.

3) I cook the turkey in my rotisserie oven. Last year, my 15 pound turkey took just two hours from raw to finished, and the regular oven was free for heating up the sides. Being a plug-in oven, I was able to have the rotisserie outside on the deck while it was cooking -- just set it and forget it, as the old informercial used to say.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

My mom always covered the turkey in bacon to keep the bird moist. It works like a charm and you just remove the bacon close to when the turkey is done to let the outer part brown. The bacon is usually devoured in seconds at our house!

 

[MeepBeep]

After I had my first deep fried one I have never went back to baking... I also spoiled my entire extended family as well, now when I'm invited to diner they expect me to bring the fryer and bird, they cook everything else...

 

[FlemmieAnn]

Thanks for the replies guys. So I guess I wil try these methods before deciding about buying the blanket. The problem is that I am a working mom, and I don't get much time to spend in the kitchen. So usually I go for the easy work.
Once again, thanks for the tips.

 

[Gldnrose]

My husband does most of the cooking but I can tell you that he also puts the turkey in a brine overnight and just bakes it in the oven the next day. Always moist!
Good luck on whatever you decide )

 

[MarcoPollo]

A friend who is a cook recommended this. Turn the turkey upside down for the last 1/4 to 1/3 of baking time. I haven't baked a turkey for years, but the last one was baked that way and it was delicious. It was a little awkward to turn the turkey upside down though, so if you are baking a very large bird, you would have to make sure you had a way to flip it upside down.