NPR: do you flip your turkey?

EMT

I just got home from a cooking class "how to cook like a personal chef".   She discussed and gave recipes and tips on Thanksgiving dinner and it left me feeling wholely (sp?) inadequate.

I had never even thought to flip the turkey and I bought my frozen turkey yesterday at *gasp* the grocery store.  A lot of it was way over my head and high brow but I did get a few good tips and might add a couple of her recipes to the rotation.

 

sunshiny79

No, never...seems wierd to do that, wouldn't it get soggy?  I baste it throughout cooking though.  I like the outside to be crispy...mmmmmm!

kertybird

Nope!

EMT

She said rather than flipping which apparently you are supposed to do to cook it evenly, to put a cheesecloth soaked in stock/butter (whatever you are basting it with) over the breast part for part of the time because the breast cooks a lot faster than the dark meat and meat with bones in it.

The cheesecloth was actually a good tip but I can't imagine flipping a 20 lb 350 degree bird!!

hopefulmom

I bake it breast side down...is that what you mean?  I do that because then the breast doesn't dry out.  Most pictures show it breast side up so maybe it is "flipped" before putting it on the carving platter?  Not sure what you mean by flipping it or when.

hopefulmom

Oh my gosh...so that is what you mean.  Absolutely not...I do not flip it in mid-bake.  Besides I use a "turkey bag" because it bakes much faster.  You could never do it then because there are slits in the top of the bag.

tanzer13

No, but I have heard to cook it breast side down so the juices drip into the breasts and they don't get dried out.

Tasa_chan

HAHAH I thought I was on 0-6 months and when I read "do you flip your turkey" .... I thought you meant baby.

Definitely time to go to bed for me.

BTW - I don't flip my turkey.

EMT

She also talked about this one recipe where you ask your butcher to de-bone the turkey.  You wind up with this long flat piece of meat which you pound to be thin and even and then you put stuffing on the meat and roll up/tie it up.  She said it's like a big snake in the oven but that sounded pretty amazing (albeit way too advanced for my culinary skills!).

SumnerBride

EMT:

She said rather than flipping which apparently you are supposed to do to cook it evenly, to put a cheesecloth soaked in stock/butter (whatever you are basting it with) over the breast part for part of the time because the breast cooks a lot faster than the dark meat and meat with bones in it.

The cheesecloth was actually a good tip but I can't imagine flipping a 20 lb 350 degree bird!!

 

This is how DH prepares our turkey-the Martha Stewart cheesecloth way.

Jamaica_Bride

I have done the boneless turkey before- to DIE for!

I do not flip my bird but I may this year!

grja

I do!!!

One year, my mom accidentally the turkey upside down. But it was the best turkey we ever had. It was so juicy and the breast didn't get dried out.

So now i cook it breast side down for most of it, then flip it over for the last hour or two so the skin gets all browned and normal looking. Its not that bad to flip. I have these silicone gloves with grippers on them. DH holds the pan, and i pick it up and flip.

AnnapolisLari

Nope. We use the Alton Brown method from the Food Network.