When I first heard about cooking turkey upside down for Thanksgiving dinner, I was tempted. On Thanksgiving, there are many things to think about, such as how much turkey to serve each person, what sides to serve with your main dish, the best desserts to end the meal, and more. Anything to make cooking a turkey easier or tastier is music to my ears.
As Thanksgiving approaches, home cooks across America are gearing up to roast the star of the holiday meal – the turkey. When prepping your bird for the oven, you may wonder whether it makes a difference which side faces up during cooking The short answer is yes, it does matter which way you position your turkey in the oven. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of different orientations to determine the best method for optimal doneness, moisture, appearance, and ease
Cooking Breast Side Up
The traditional approach is to place the turkey breast side up in the roasting pan before putting it in the oven. There are a few advantages to this tried-and-true technique:
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Better browning: With the breast facing up, the turkey’s ample white meat and skin are directly exposed to the oven’s dry heat. This allows the breast skin to fully crisp up and turn beautifully golden brown.
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Moisture migration: As the turkey cooks, the juices will run downward into the breast. So keeping the breast on top enables the meat to self-baste as natural juices redistribute.
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Easier basting Basting with pan drippings is simpler with the breast facing up, The cook can spoon juices directly over the breast meat and skin
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No flipping: Roasting breast up requires no potentially messy or dangerous flipping halfway through cooking. You simply place it breast up at the start and leave it undisturbed.
So cooking breast side up clearly delivers excellent results. It’s hands-down the best approach for gorgeously browned, succulent turkey breast meat. However, thighs may end up slightly drier since they don’t self-baste.
Cooking Breast Side Down
Some cooks advocate starting the turkey breast side down and then flipping it over partway through roasting. Here’s the rationale behind this method:
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Moist thighs: With the thighs and drumsticks facing up first, gravity pulls juices downward into the dark meat as the turkey initially cooks. This keeps the thighs very moist.
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Overall evenness: Flipping the bird midway through roasting allows both breast and thighs to get direct heat exposure and self-basting benefits.
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Faster cooking: With the dense thigh meat facing up, the bird may cook slightly faster since heat can penetrate this area first.
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Crisp skin: The skin still crisps nicely when flipped over later in cooking. Starting breast down helps render fat from the skin.
However, there are some downsides to consider with the flip technique:
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Tearing skin: Flipping a large roasted bird can be tricky. It’s easy to tear the delicate skin or unintentionally pull it completely off during the flip.
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Uneven browning: If heat exposure is limited early on, the breast skin may end up paler or blotchy compared to cooking breast up the entire time.
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Safety issues: Flipping a heavy, awkward, juice-dripping raw turkey hot out of the oven can lead to burns or spills. Use extreme care.
So while starting breast down offers some benefits, the risks and drawbacks make it less than ideal for most home cooks.
Cooking On Its Side
For the sake of completeness, let’s also consider the option of roasting the turkey on its side. Some advantages:
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Self-basting: Like breast up, the juices will run downward into the meat, keeping things moist.
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Compact shape: With the turkey rotated, it may fit more easily into some ovens, leaving extra room for other dishes.
However, the cons outweigh the limited pros:
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Uneven cooking: With an oddly shaped bird, the side facing up will brown more while the bottom side is pale and soggy.
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Skin tearing: The unusual shape makes the turkey prone to skin tearing as it expands and recedes during roasting.
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Support issues: Without a flat base, the turkey may roll or need extra supports to stay upright during roasting.
There’s no good reason to wrestle with cooking a turkey on its side. Stick with breast up or down.
When it comes to achieving the perfect roast turkey, orientation matters more than you may think. Cooking breast side up offers the best results in terms of beautifully browned skin, moist breast meat, easy basting, and no risky flipping. Starting breast down can deliver very juicy thighs and promotes overall evenness, but may lead to tearing, uneven browning, or accidents when flipping. Roasting the bird on its side is tricky and prone to problems. For the optimal Thanksgiving turkey, go with tradition and keep that breast up. With the right technique, your holiday meal will be one to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I stuff my turkey? Does the orientation matter?
Yes, it’s still best to cook a stuffed turkey breast side up. This allows the exposed breast meat to fully brown and crisp. Keep in mind it may require a longer cooking time for the stuffing to reach a safe internal temperature.
Should I truss my turkey before roasting?
Trussing is recommended to hold everything together neatly and ensure even cooking. But skip the trussing if spatchcocking or butterflying your turkey, since those methods require the bird to lie flat.
Is basting necessary if cooking breast side up?
Basting helps promote browning and adds flavor. But since juices run into the breast when cooking up, basting isn’t strictly necessary. Use pan drippings to baste if desired.
Can I roast a turkey breast side down on a roasting rack?
Yes, placing the bird on a rack and starting breast down allows air flow all around, encouraging even cooking. Use a sturdy rack that fits the roasting pan securely.
Does breast up or down cooking vary by turkey size?
The principles remain the same regardless of turkey size. For a large 20+ lb bird, starting breast down may help the thighs cook through. But for most turkeys, breast up is preferred.
Conclusion
When tackling your Thanksgiving turkey, don’t take the bird’s orientation for granted. Cooking breast side up offers the best bet for gorgeous, evenly cooked meat. While starting breast down has some potential benefits, the risks usually outweigh the rewards for home cooks. Focus your efforts instead on techniques like brining, seasoning, and proper temperature monitoring for holiday success.
Why roast a turkey upside down?
The idea is that flipping the bird during cooking keeps the breast from coming into direct contact with the oven’s heat, which makes the white meat juicy and the dark meat perfectly cooked. According to some cooks, the fat from the legs and thighs drips into the breast meat. This idea makes sense if you look at gravity, but maybe not if you look at physics.
I had to find out for myself so I ordered a frozen, 12-pound gobbler. Once it was no longer frozen, I took it out of the fridge and patted it dry. Then I drizzled it with oil and sprinkled it with salt. Then it was time for the flip. As if I were in cobra pose, I turned the turkey over so that the breast side was down and the tips of the wings were tucked under the drumettes.
What happens when you cook a turkey upside down?
Heres what I learned after roasting the upended bird at 375°F until the internal temperature reached 165°F:
- It’s faster. From what we know about past turkey recipes, it should take a little over 2 ½ hours to roast a 12-pound bird. The same size bird flipped over only took 2 hours. It’s likely because the legs and thighs cook faster when they’re facing up, which cuts the cooking time and saves time.
- The legs and thighs get beautifully golden brown. The bird turned brown so quickly that I had to cover it with a tent after only an hour because I didn’t want it to burn. As a bonus, the skin stayed crispy until we were ready to eat, which doesn’t happen with most birds.
- The breast is lackluster. While the legs and thighs were shocking and amazed, the breast was mostly pale and had marks where it had been on the roasting rack.
- It requires broiling. You’ll need to wait until the bird is a little cooler before you can flip it back over to brown the breast. Trust me, browning the breast will make it taste and look better. This part is tricky; after a bird rests, it’s likely ready to carve. When I broiled the breast, it wasn’t evenly golden brown, and it was hard to get the sides of the breast done. It’s better than no browning, but not ideal. Check out the picture below to see how the dark and white meat are different in color.
