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If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. So many people don't even take it out until it hits 180 degrees F. That's crazy! Not

If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. So many people don't even take it out until it hits 180 degrees F. That's crazy! Not overcooking is one of the keys to pretty much anything you want to cook, actually. Also, use an oven bag, which traps all the moisture in the bag. Comes out great when I make it that way, no need for basting or anything. Learned about not overcooking from Mark Bittman: > At least one reader has expressed concern that a turkey will not be done if its internal temperature is less than 165, as the U.S.D.A. recommends. The recipe calls for temperature of 155 because salmonella is killed at 140 (as long as it’s held there for 12 minutes). Further, if turkey is cooked to 155, its temperature will rise to 165 or higher while resting. A temperature of 165 isn’t unreasonable, but the turkey’s temperature will rise to 175 or 180 before serving, and that’s overcooked. If you’re more comfortable cooking to higher temperatures, feel free, but expect drier meat. [1] [1] Mark Bittman - http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/magazine/classic-roast-turkey.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/magazine/classic-roast-tur...

brechin 14y ago
> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. A thousand times, this. Whether you're cooking chicken, turkey, pork, beef, eggs, or anything else solid built on a protein matrix, overcooking will result in a dry and tough end product[+]. + - The notable exception being very long-cooked proteins, which do relax and become tender again, but require the presence of fat and/or collagen and/or sauce to maintain the experience of juiciness.
IvyMike 14y ago
> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. I'll agree with that. But for a food that most people cook maybe once or twice a year, in a woefully finicky home oven, on what many consider the most stressful day of the year, I consider brining/salting a very acceptable insurance policy.
- joeyo 14y ago
  > ... in a woefully finicky home oven ... This is a very good point. Older ovens often have inaccurate thermostats. Getting a cheap ancillary oven thermometer can make a big difference.
dubyah 14y ago
It's not so clear cut as that(though I will concede that being mindful of carryover is an important point). The problem with turkey is that the breast and thigh meat are really quite different. The former being leaner has an ideal cooking temp of ~150 and the latter having more connective tissue is better at ~165-170. It wasn't until just a few years ago the FDA revised their safe cooking recommendation of 165 for the breasts and 180 for the thighs to just 165 for the whole bird. Brining caught on because it allowed an acceptable degree of overcooking the breast until the thighs were done. I believe the current ideal method on cooking turkey these days is salting vs brining and using ice packs on the breasts to create a ~20 degree gap between the breasts and the thighs before putting it into the oven. Ideally, we would just break up the whole bird and cook it according to the cut, but tradition dictates a whole bird. I butterflied / spatchcocked my turkey last year.
shanecleveland 14y ago
I used to overcook meat, being paranoid about undercooking. I started using a meat thermometer and seeing just how much the temp will rise once taken of the heat. So I am sure to remove from heat a few degrees prior to the done temperature. The results are much better. A big turkey, particularly a stuffed one, can be hard to not overcook some of the meat. I actually made an online meat temperature guide after doing a new search every time I cooked: http://www.donetemperature.com http://www.donetemperature.com
jcampbell1 14y ago
> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. It is not that simple. The flavor certainly changes as more of the proteins get denatured. 180 is where you get ideal tenderness and the best meat flavor, but it is damn hard to keep it moist at that temperature. I don't think it is possible in an oven. The best way to cook a turkey is to fry it under pressure. I like the pot, lid, and cinderblock method, but it is quite dangerous and the temperature is hard to control.

brechin 14y ago

> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. A thousand times, this. Whether you're cooking chicken, turkey, pork, beef, eggs, or anything else solid built on a protein matrix, overcooking will result in a dry and tough end product[+]. + - The notable exception being very long-cooked proteins, which do relax and become tender again, but require the presence of fat and/or collagen and/or sauce to maintain the experience of juiciness.

IvyMike 14y ago

> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. I'll agree with that. But for a food that most people cook maybe once or twice a year, in a woefully finicky home oven, on what many consider the most stressful day of the year, I consider brining/salting a very acceptable insurance policy.

joeyo 14y ago
> ... in a woefully finicky home oven ... This is a very good point. Older ovens often have inaccurate thermostats. Getting a cheap ancillary oven thermometer can make a big difference.

dubyah 14y ago

It's not so clear cut as that(though I will concede that being mindful of carryover is an important point). The problem with turkey is that the breast and thigh meat are really quite different. The former being leaner has an ideal cooking temp of ~150 and the latter having more connective tissue is better at ~165-170. It wasn't until just a few years ago the FDA revised their safe cooking recommendation of 165 for the breasts and 180 for the thighs to just 165 for the whole bird. Brining caught on because it allowed an acceptable degree of overcooking the breast until the thighs were done. I believe the current ideal method on cooking turkey these days is salting vs brining and using ice packs on the breasts to create a ~20 degree gap between the breasts and the thighs before putting it into the oven. Ideally, we would just break up the whole bird and cook it according to the cut, but tradition dictates a whole bird. I butterflied / spatchcocked my turkey last year.

shanecleveland 14y ago

I used to overcook meat, being paranoid about undercooking. I started using a meat thermometer and seeing just how much the temp will rise once taken of the heat. So I am sure to remove from heat a few degrees prior to the done temperature. The results are much better. A big turkey, particularly a stuffed one, can be hard to not overcook some of the meat. I actually made an online meat temperature guide after doing a new search every time I cooked: http://www.donetemperature.com http://www.donetemperature.com

jcampbell1 14y ago

> If you don't want dry turkey, stop overcooking it. It's as simple as that. It is not that simple. The flavor certainly changes as more of the proteins get denatured. 180 is where you get ideal tenderness and the best meat flavor, but it is damn hard to keep it moist at that temperature. I don't think it is possible in an oven. The best way to cook a turkey is to fry it under pressure. I like the pot, lid, and cinderblock method, but it is quite dangerous and the temperature is hard to control.