HOW CAN I GET A BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN BROWN TURKEY WITHOUT DRYING OUT THE BREAST MEAT?
Tent the turkey loosely with foil to delay browning of the breast. The foil should be removed during the last 30 to 45 minutes to allow the turkey to brown. Tenting for the entire roasting time can actually slow cooking. Do I need to baste a turkey while it’s cooking? Our Test Kitchen doesn’t feel that basting today’s turkeys is necessary. More importantly, basting tools, such as brushes and bulb basters, could actually be sources of bacteria contamination if dipped into uncooked or undercooked poultry juices, then allowed to sit at room temperature and used later for basting. How do I know when my turkey is really done? Can I trust the pop-up timer? Temperature should be your guide to doneness. You can use the pop-up timer as an aid, but to assure that the turkey reaches a safe temperature, always use a thermometer. The thermometer should be inserted into the thickest portion but be sure it does not touch bone or the pan. Use either a meat thermometer, which can be inserted at the beg
