Should You Slather Your Turkey in Butter Before Roasting?

As Thanksgiving approaches roasting the perfect turkey becomes top of mind. Everyone wants moist flavorful meat with crispy, golden brown skin. A time-honored technique for achieving this is rubbing the turkey with butter before cooking. But is lavishing your bird in butter necessary? Or does it make a difference at all? Let’s explore the pros and cons of putting butter under the turkey skin.

Why Do Cooks Butter Their Turkeys?

Using butter to baste the turkey serves multiple purposes

• Moisture – Butter helps keep the lean turkey meat from drying out during extended cooking times The milk fats in butter bast over the meat and seal in natural juices

• Flavor – Butter adds richness and depth of flavor as it mingles with the turkey juices. Melted butter also crisps up the skin for texture contrast.

• Browning – The milk solids in butter promote gorgeous browning through the Maillard reaction. This gives the turkey skin a beautifully burnished appearance.

When butter melts and permeates the meat, it undeniably makes the turkey taste more succulent and complex. The real question is whether the effect is significant enough to warrant the extra calories.

Applying Butter Under and Over the Skin

To maximize butter’s impact, it helps to get it under the skin as well as spread it on top. Here’s how:

• Under the skin: Carefully loosen the skin from the breast and thighs. Rub softened butter underneath, evenly coating the meat.

• Over the skin: Brush melted butter over the skin right before roasting. Repeat basting every 30 minutes while cooking.

Sliding butter under the skin allows direct contact with the meat fibers for better moisture retention and flavor infusion. Topical basting crisps the exterior and replenishes richness lost from oven heat.

Potential Drawbacks of Butter on Turkey

While butter can undoubtedly enhance taste, texture, and appearance, there are some potential drawbacks:

• Saturated fat – Butter adds significant saturated fat, bumping up the calorie count. This may be concerning for anyone monitoring heart health or calories.

• Soggy skin – Too much butter can make the skin slimy rather than crisp. Balance added fats with oil or broth for a better result.

• Cooking difficulties – Butter can burn or end up unevenly distributed. Basting helps, but it takes effort.

• Cost – Coating a full turkey requires a few sticks of butter, an expensive ingredient to lavish.

So while butter helps produce beautifully burnished, flavorsome turkeys, restraint may be warranted for health, cost, or ease.

Alternative Options for Flavor and Moisture

Fortunately, you can still achieve stellar turkey without drenching it in fats. Some healthy options include:

• Brining – Soaking the turkey in a saltwater brine adds moisture and seasons the meat.

• Aromatics – Stuffing the cavity with onions, garlic, citrus, or herbs infuses flavor.

• Dry rub – Coat the skin with dried spices, garlic powder, mustard, or thyme before roasting.

• Basting – Use broth, wine, cider, or oil instead of butter for sheen without excess calories.

• Marinade – Let the turkey soak up bold flavors overnight from a marinade before roasting.

With smart techniques, you can get remarkably juicy, well-flavored turkey without going overboard on butter.

Making the Most of Butter in Your Turkey Recipe

If you do opt to use butter on your turkey, follow these tips to make the most of it:

• Use high-quality butter – Splurge on premium European-style butter with 82% fat for the richest flavor payoff.

• Refrigerate firmer butter – Chilled butter is easier to evenly insert under skin without tearing. Let it warm up as the turkey cooks.

• Flavor your butter – Blend in fresh herbs, citrus zest, garlic, or other seasonings for a flavor boost.

• Combine with oil – Mixing butter with oil like avocado or olive oil gets the best of both worlds.

• Watch heat carefully – Prevent butter from burning or oozing out by maintaining even, moderate oven temperatures.

With the right techniques, butter and turkey can indeed be a match made in heaven. But for those monitoring health or cost, alternatives get equally tasty results. This Thanksgiving, consider your priorities before lavishing on the butter. Your guests will savor your perfectly cooked turkey however you prepare it!