How do I get a turkey beautifully browned like you see on the covers of cookbooks and on t.v. (more)?

Question

I cook them and they're wonderfully juicy and flavorful, but the skin is always less than a deep golden brown. Is there a way to cook them with that color without drying them out - I mean, do the cookbooks overcook them to get the cover shot?

Answer 1

As the centerpiece to the meal, a golden brown, mouth-watering turkey gives friends and family great anticipation. With a little imagination and these simple tips, any chef can enhance the presentation of the turkey. The Butterball Open Pan Roasting Method consistently creates a golden, picture-perfect turkey with little effort.


Before roasting, brush the turkey with oil. Then, cook the turkey in a shallow roasting pan at 325°F.
When the turkey is a light golden color, about two-thirds of the way done, shield the breast with lightweight aluminum foil to prevent the breast from overcooking.
Be sure to use a meat thermometer to determine doneness (180° in the thickest part of the thigh).
With picture-perfection in mind, Butterball Turkey drumsticks are tucked under a natural band of skin. This eliminates trussing, sewing and unattractive metal clamps.
Before roasting, turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place. This also levels the turkey and balances it in the roasting pan and on the platter, making it easier to carve. Slicing the breast meat is easy with the wings out of the way.
The Turkey Lifter, a looped string that comes with every Butterball Turkey, cradles the turkey while it's being lifted from oven to platter with no need to pierce the picture-perfect skin.

Answer 2

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You cover the turkey (particularly the breast) AFTER placing your bird in a high dry intense oven temperature 500 for the first 30 minutes. Then you lower the temperature to 350 then cover throughout. Why? The whole point of the dry intense high temperature is to evenly brown the skin. The cover helps to cook the breast at the same time as the thigh without compromising the temperature. After all, ideal breast temperature is 161, while the thighs needs to reach around 170. The cover helps to reflect the unnecessary heat away from the breast. The thighs do not dry out as easily. And DON'T BASTE! It's a waste of time, seriously... You lower the temperature every time you open the oven, thus prolonging the cooking time. And thusly, basting does not do anything to enhance the flavor of the turkey. If you plan to glaze a bird, do that at the last 30 minutes.

Answer 3

Golden Brown Turkey

Answer 4

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RE:
How do I get a turkey beautifully browned like you see on the covers of cookbooks and on t.v. (more)?
I cook them and they're wonderfully juicy and flavorful, but the skin is always less than a deep golden brown. Is there a way to cook them with that color without drying them out - I mean, do the cookbooks overcook them to get the cover shot?

Answer 5

I cover my turkey till like the last 50 or 60 minutes . Then take a baster and about every 10 minutes bast the turkey with the juices in the bottom of the pan.

Answer 6

I've always just kept basting the turkey with softened butter, periodically during roasting. Make sure to remove foil tent 30 minutes before end of cooking time.

Answer 7

I use a cooking bag and pat the turkey with olive oil. It has always turned out a nice brown and the turkey is moist.

Answer 8

Hahah... there is a whole industry devoted to food photography. You wouldn't want to eat something that you see on the cover of a cook book, believe me. When it come to things like roast chicken or turkey, it's not unknown for the photographers to use stuff like wood stain to achieve the 'desirable' colour :|

Answer 9

I usually use a combination of olive oil and butter and rub the turkey skin with it before cooking. Frequent basting helps, too.

Answer 10

Coat the skin with butter, rub with salt/pepper as desired, cook uncovered at 475° til brown enough, cover and reduce heat. Finish cooking.