When I first heard about cooking turkey upside down for Thanksgiving dinner, I was tempted. Between figuring out how much turkey per person, what Thanksgiving sides go with your main, the perfect desserts to end your meal and more, there’s a lot to think about for this food-centric holiday. Anything to make cooking a turkey easier or tastier is music to my ears.
Cooking a juicy flavorful turkey breast is one of the keys to a memorable Thanksgiving meal. When using a roaster oven, one of the common questions is whether to cook the turkey breast side up or side down. There are pros and cons to both methods that impact moisture skin crispiness, and ease of cooking. In this article, we’ll uncover whether to cook a turkey breast up or down in a roaster and provide tips for success with each technique.
The Case for Cooking Turkey Breast Up
Cooking the turkey breast side up, with the skin on top, is the more traditional roasting method recommended by most experts. Here are some of the main benefits of this technique:
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Allows fat to drain away from the breast meat – Fat pools on top of the skin when cooked upside down, which can make the meat soggy. Cooked upright, excess fat drips down off the breast.
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Promotes even cooking – Heat circulates better around a breast cooked upright The meat cooks evenly, without drying out
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Crispy skin – With the skin exposed directly to the heat, it’s easier to get a crispy browned exterior.
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Easier to monitor doneness – It’s simpler to insert a meat thermometer into the top of the breast to check the internal temperature.
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Easy basting – Basting the skin with juices helps it get browned and crispy. This is harder if the breast is upside down.
The USDA recommends roasting a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Many cooks find this upright method reliably produces a moist, tender bird with browned skin.
Flipping the Script: The Case for Cooking Turkey Breast Down
While less common, some cooks strongly prefer cooking a turkey breast upside down in the roaster. Reasons include:
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Moist meat – With the underside against the pan, gravity pulls moisture back into the breast meat instead of the cavity.
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Softens skin – The skin is pressed against the pan instead of exposed to dry heat, keeping it soft and flexible.
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Self bastes – Melting fat accumulates under the breast, effectively basting it from the underside as it cooks.
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Reduces need for turning – The breast rests in its own rendered fat, eliminating the need to rotate periodically.
For these reasons, breast-down can result in a very moist, tender bird. However, the skin may not get as crispy and brown. The breast also needs to be turned over near the end to finish cooking the skin.
Tips for Cooking Turkey Breast Up
If you opt to cook the turkey breast upright, keep these tips in mind:
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Prop it up – If the breast won’t stand upright, prop it up with vegetables or crumpled foil in the cavity.
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Baste frequently – Baste the skin every 30 minutes using the pan juices.
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Go high-heat first – Start at 450°F for the first 30 minutes to brown the skin.
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Watch temperature – Cook to 165°F internal temperature.
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Let rest before slicing – Allow to rest 15 minutes before carving for juicy meat.
Follow these guidelines for excellent results when roasting a turkey breast upright.
Tips for Cooking Turkey Breast Down
To cook a turkey breast upside down, use these helpful tips:
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Cook breast-down longer – Roast upside down for about 75% of the total cooking time.
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Finish skin-up – Flip breast up for the last 25% to brown the skin.
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Monitor doneness – Track internal temp, not time. Cook to 165°F.
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Make pan drippings gravy – Use the drippings at the bottom for flavorful gravy.
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Let rest before serving – Allow to rest for 15 minutes post-roasting.
With these tips, you can get super moist meat and crisp up the skin even when cooking the turkey breast upside down.
Testing Both Methods for the Best Results
When trying to determine the best roasting method, it can help to test cooking a turkey breast both ways. Evaluate the results and pick the technique that works best for your preferences. Crispy skin or ultra-moist meat? The choice is yours.
For a clear comparison:
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Cook one breast up, one breast down.
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Use thermometers to track doneness.
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Roast to 165°F internal temperature.
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Let rest; check moisture and skin crispiness.
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Pick the method that achieves your priorities.
By directly comparing the end results, you can decide whether to cook future turkey breast up or down in the roaster.
Additional Tips for Roasting Turkey Breast
Beyond which direction to cook the breast, keep these tips in mind:
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Brine or marinate – Brining ensures a moist, flavorful breast.
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Pat skin dry – Remove excess moisture for crispy skin.
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Use aroma veggies – Stuff the cavity with onion, apple, herbs.
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Preheat roaster – Heat to 450°F before adding turkey.
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Roast on a rack – Elevate breast on a rack for air circulation.
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Check for doneness – Cook to 165°F internal temperature.
Mastering these best practices, along with the up vs down techniques, will yield incredible turkey breast every time.
The Verdict on Cooking Turkey Breast Up or Down
When cooking a turkey breast in a roaster, both up and down methods have their merits. For ideal crisp skin, cooking upright may be best. But for the ultimate moist and tender meat, upending the breast encourages self-basting as it cooks.
Weigh your priorities, do a trial run, and decide which technique works for you. If opting for cooking upside down, remember to flip in the last quarter to brown the skin. Rely on a meat thermometer for doneness either way. With the right roasting method, your holiday turkey breast will be succulent, golden brown, and mouthwateringly delicious.
What happens when you cook a turkey upside down?
Heres what I learned after roasting the upended bird at 375°F until the internal temperature reached 165°F:
- It’s faster. Based on previous turkey recipe development, a 12-pound bird should take a little over 2 ½ hours to roast. The same size bird flipped over only took 2 hours. This is likely because the legs and thighs cook more quickly face-up, which shaves minutes off your cooking time.
- The legs and thighs get beautifully golden brown. I had to tent the bird after just one hour because it was browning so rapidly and I didn’t want it to burn. The skin stayed crisp right up until we were ready to eat — a bonus I don’t typically get with a traditional bird.
- The breast is lackluster. Though the legs and thighs shocked and awed, the breast was almost completely pale with indents where it had rested on the roasting rack.
- It requires broiling. To brown the breast — and trust me, you’ll want it brown for the best flavor and presentation — you’ll have to wait until the bird cools slightly so it’s safe to flip back over. This part is fussy; typically after a bird rests it’s ready to carve. After broiling, the breast wasn’t evenly golden-brown and it was tricky to get the sides of the breast. It’s better than no browning, but not ideal. Peep the picture below to see the difference in color between the white and dark meat.
Why roast a turkey upside down?
The theory states that flipping the bird during cooking is the best way to achieve juicy white meat and perfectly cooked dark meat, as it prevents the breast from being directly exposed to the oven’s heat. Some cooks maintain that the fat from the legs and thighs drips into the breast meat, a belief that makes sense by the laws of gravity — but maybe not by physics.
I had to find out for myself so I ordered a frozen, 12-pound gobbler. After letting it thaw in the fridge for about three days, I patted it dry, drizzled it with oil and seasoned it with salt. Then it was time for the flip. With a firm grip, I rotated the turkey breast-side down with the wing tips tucked under the drumettes, like a yogi in cobra pose.
How to Cook a Turkey in an electric roaster, EASY and QUICK! I Episode 6
FAQ
Should turkey breast be up or down in roaster?
Cook the turkey breast side down. While the turkey roasts, the juices fall down towards the breast, resulting in the most succulent meat. The breast is also more protected from the heat, which helps keep it from getting too dried out.
Do you put breast side up or down in electric roaster?
Step 3: Place Turkey in Roaster
Add the rack back to the roaster and place the turkey on the rack, breast side up Cover and roast until the thermometer registers 175°F in the thigh (and the breast reaches 165°F).
When frying a turkey, is the breast up or down?
The best way to cook turkey is breast side down until the end so that the fats sink into the white meat and keep it moist. Then just before you take it out, flip it and broil it for a bit to brown the skin. Even if you don’t brown the skin this is going to give you the best, most juicy, breast meat.