A miraculous technique for roasting turkey using aluminum foil smeared with butter to protect the breast from intense heat, while basting it. The foil is removed at the end so that the skin can crisp up. This article also has information about brining, and whether you should do it, as well as tons of tips for perfectly roasted turkey.
You probably know that my parents owned and operated restaurants when I was growing up. What you might not know is that they also did a lot of catering. We estimate that they’ve catered over a thousand turkey dinners, with each dinner requiring numerous turkeys. Their dinners have always had rave reviews, and now, I’m explaining to you my mom’s technique for perfect roasted turkey. First we’ll talk about the size of the turkey that you need, then we’ll get into the cooking technique (it involves basting and crisping the skin with butter!) that gets you perfectly cooked, juicy meat – even the breast meat is juicy!
Baking a juicy, tender turkey breast with crispy skin can seem like an intimidating task for many home cooks One of the most common questions is whether you should cover the turkey breast during the baking process. There are good arguments on both sides of this debate, so let’s take a detailed look at the pros and cons of baking your turkey breast covered vs uncovered.
Why You Should Cover Your Turkey Breast While Baking
There are several good reasons to bake your turkey breast covered at least for part of the cooking time
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Retains Moisture: Covering the turkey breast traps in moisture and steam which keeps the meat tender and juicy. The steam creates an environment that prevents the turkey breast from drying out.
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Prevents Overcooking: A cover shields the turkey breast from the direct heat of the oven which can lead to overcooking. It allows the turkey to cook more gently and evenly.
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Shortens Cooking Time: The trapped moisture and steam shortens the cooking time compared to cooking uncovered. The turkey breast cooks faster when the heat is contained.
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Enhances Flavor: Any juices or liquid added to the covered roasting pan create extra moisture and flavor. Chicken or turkey stock enhances natural flavor.
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Easy Method: Covering with foil is an easy “set and forget” method compared to having to monitor and repeatedly baste an uncovered breast.
How to Cover Your Turkey Breast
There are two easy options for covering your turkey breast in the oven:
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Aluminum Foil: Cover tightly with a tent of foil. Make sure to tent only the breast if cooking a whole turkey.
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Roasting Pan Lid: Cook in a covered roasting pan, adding liquid if desired. Ensure the turkey breast fits without touching the lid.
Should You Cover the Turkey Breast the Whole Time?
It is recommended to cover the turkey breast for the majority of the cooking time. However, the breast should be uncovered for the last 30-45 minutes. This allows the skin to crisp up and turn golden brown.
If desiring an extra crispy skin, uncover 10-15 minutes earlier. But watch closely to avoid overcooking.
Why You May Want to Bake Turkey Breast Uncovered
Although the benefits of covering outweigh the downsides, here are a few reasons one may choose to bake their turkey breast uncovered:
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Crispier Skin: Exposed to direct heat, the skin crisps up and browns more than when cooking covered.
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More Basting Control: Basting is easier without having to lift and replace the foil or lid repeatedly.
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Easier Monitoring: Visually monitoring the doneness of the meat is simpler without having to uncover.
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Potentially Shorter Cooking Time: The high heat may shorten cooking time slightly in some instances.
Tips for Baking an Uncovered Turkey Breast
If choosing to bake your turkey breast uncovered, keep these tips in mind:
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Monitor temperature closely with a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking.
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Baste the breast every 30 minutes using pan drippings or broth to prevent drying out.
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Tent breast loosely with foil if browning too quickly or unevenly.
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Bake at a lower temperature (325°F) to allow the interior to cook through before exterior overbrowns.
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Brining or rubbing butter under the skin provides extra moisture when not using a cover.
Should You Cover a Turkey Breast When Resting?
Whether baked covered or uncovered, it is important to tent the turkey breast with foil while it rests after cooking. Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Tenting retains warmth and prevents the turkey breast from drying out during this time.
The Best Approach for a Juicy, Tender Turkey Breast
While uncovered baking can produce good results with babysitting, the consensus among most cooking experts is that covering your turkey breast for a portion of the baking time is the easiest path to perfect results. Covering helps ensure a moist interior and prevents overcooking without the hassle of constantly basting.
For home cooks seeking an easy, fuss-free method that delivers a mouthwateringly tender and juicy turkey breast, baking covered is the best approach. Follow the simple steps of covering with foil, uncovering toward the end, and resting tented—and you’ll have a holiday-worthy turkey breast everyone will rave about.
STEP #4: Roast The Turkey
Preheat the oven to 350F. Once it’s ready, put the turkey into a roasting pan and then into the oven. If you have an oven-safe rack that fits into your roasting pan, it’s a good idea to use that since the heat will then circulate more evenly. If you don’t have one, you can use a few uncooked full-sized carrots or celery ribs under the turkey. You won’t be eating them, they’ll just be there to prop the bird up a bit. They will add extra flavor to your gravy though!
If you have an oven-safe probe thermometer, you can use that. Insert it into the breast or the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone. I don’t use one of these so I’m not really an expert on it. I just use an instant-read thermometer that I poke around with when I think the turkey is nearly ready.
STEP #5: Temperature and Basting
The turkey is going to take between 11-15 minutes per pound. Smaller turkeys often require a little bit more time, and larger turkeys often require a little bit less. Here’s a chart showing the likely roasting times:
Do you cook a turkey covered or uncovered?
FAQ
Should a turkey breast be cooked, covered or uncovered?
Should You Cover a Turkey When Cooking? To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven.Nov 13, 2024
Should I cover my turkey breast with foil when baking?
Should I roast turkey breast covered or uncovered? It’s typically recommended to roast the turkey breast uncovered after an initial period of covering to allow it to brown and develop a crispy skin. However, if you notice it’s browning too quickly, you can tent it loosely with foil.
Is it better to cook a turkey breast at 325 or 350?
- Juicy results: The lower heat allows for slower cooking, which helps retain moisture in the turkey breast.
- Less risk of burning: With a lower temperature, the skin is less likely to burn before the meat reaches a safe internal temperature.
- Consistent cooking: A lower temperature ensures the turkey breast cooks evenly throughout.
How to cook a turkey breast in the oven to be moist?
Roast at 300°-325°F until internal temperature reaches 170°F on an instant read thermometer. (I raise the temperature to 350° for the last approximate 30-45 minutes to crisp skin). (I roast my 18-20 lbs. fresh turkey at 250°F in a convection oven.
Should you cover a Turkey before cooking?
But now a study has revealed the secret to safe and succulent meat this festive season — tightly covering the bird in foil as soon as it is removed from the oven and leaving it to rest for at least 90 minutes before serving. Laboratory research looked at how the temperature of cooked whole turkeys changed as they rested.
Should you cover a turkey breast with foil?
Simply tent the foil so that it loosely covers the whole turkey. Some recipes suggest only covering the breast as this is the part prone to dryness, but it can’t hurt to make sure the rest of the turkey is tented with foil, too.
Should a turkey breast be covered?
This means that starting out covered is the way to go. You also have the option to just cover the breast with foil, as the white meat cuts of turkey are less fatty to begin with and heat up faster than the wings and thighs. Because of that, they’re more at risk of drying out.