The latest Thanksgiving hack to surface all over the Internet isn't some crazy turkey-frying technique or a new fancy, stuffing recipe. It's actually quite a simple idea: Roast your turkey breast-side down for the first 30 to 45 minutes of cooking (then flip it back over), and you won't end up with a dry, flavorless dinner.
Some of the pros in our test kitchen have tried out this turkey spin move, and it does make for a moist bird. Still, it's not really the best way to make a tasty turkey. Here's why:
1. Flipping a piping hot turkey over is too tricky.
"It's pretty unwieldy to turn the bird in the middle of roasting it," says food director Susan Westmoreland. "And we found that our easy tenting method works just as well for keeping the meat moist."
For the first hour of roasting (or up to two hours for larger birds), prop an aluminum foil tent over the turkey. After you remove the tent, the skin will still have enough time to get brown and crisp. It's a much easier move than precariously flipping your twenty-pounder in the roasting rack.
2. Brining is the real winning idea.
It's the most foolproof (and tastiest!) method for making sure your turkey won't dry out as you roast it. When it comes to brining, you have two options: Rub the bird all over with kosher salt a couple of days ahead or add it to a salt-concentrated liquid brine.
3. It could mar your turkey's highly-anticipated unveiling.
We've found that the roasting rack can leave unsightly marks on the turkey's breast if you cook it upside down. "Or worse, you might end up tearing the skin when you flip the turkey," warns Sharon Franke, director of the kitchen appliances and technology lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. If you live for that once-a-year, glamour-shot carving moment, stick to roasting right-side up.
