Upside-Down Turkey (2024)

FAQs

Is it worth cooking a turkey upside down? ›

The benefits of roasting a turkey breast-side down are twofold: The dark meat cooks faster when it's closer to the heat source, and the juices trickle down for extra-moist breast meat. Talk about a turn for the better! This works on all types of birds—organic, conventional, heirloom, you name it.

Cook the bird upside down, meaning the breast meat down, then flip it halfway through based on your estimation. If you are using a kettle and have all of your charcoal on one side of the grill, you will also want to rotate the turkey when you flip it so that it doesn't overcook on one side.

This one works every single time. Cook the turkey upside down so the juices run through the breast meat, resulting in the juiciest roast you'll ever dream of. Simply turn the turkey over for the last 40 minutes to get that incredible golden skin too.

"Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey."

Season turkey on the outside, stuff inside with fresh produce and herbs, cook upside in a baking bag. A fool proof way to produce juicy, tender turkey every time. Remove giblet bag, neck and pop-up thermometer.

We recommend roasting turkey at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey. We've done the math for you — check out the chart below to determine both turkey cook times and estimated servings (with leftovers!).

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) Preheat your oven and take the turkey out of the fridge. Thirty minutes to an hour before the turkey needs to start roasting, turn on your oven and let the turkey sit out at room temperature while it's heating up.

Having some liquid in the bottom of your roasting tray, smearing with butter and draping over smoked bacon will all help to keep the crown moist during cooking and stop it from drying out. You can keep an eye on the internal temperature of your bird as you're cooking if you have a temperature probe.

Lift up the skin of the turkey with your fingers and separate it from the flesh. Divide the herb butter and spread it under the skin. Season well, place in a roasting tin. Cook the crown for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and cook the turkey for 1½ hours, or until the juices run clear.

Do you deep fry a turkey upside down? ›

Slowly lower the turkey into the oil. Place the turkey on the poultry rack with the breast side facing down and the legs facing up. Once the oil reaches 375°F, turn off the burner.

Cook your turkey with indirect heat by putting the roasting pan on the unlit side of the grill. Half way through the cooking process you may flip the turkey over.

Eating undercooked turkey (or other poultry) can cause food poisoning. It is best to use a temperature probe or food thermometer to make sure your bird is cooked. Check the thickest part of the bird (between the breast and the thigh) reaches 75°C or above. Meat should be steaming hot all the way through.

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.