When I first heard about cooking turkey upside down for Thanksgiving dinner, I was tempted. On Thanksgiving, there are many things to think about, such as how much turkey to serve each person, what sides to serve with your main dish, the best desserts to end the meal, and more. Anything to make cooking a turkey easier or tastier is music to my ears.
We’ve all been there – you carefully prepare the turkey, pop it in the oven, and realize hours later that it was somehow cooked breast side down! While this cooking mistake may seem like a disaster, there are ways to salvage an accidentally upside down turkey. As an amateur home cook who’s made this very blunder, I want to share what I’ve learned about how to rescue an upside down turkey and still have a delicious holiday meal.
How Cooking Upside Down Affects the Turkey
Turkeys are traditionally roasted breast side up to promote even cooking and maximum browning of the breast meat. So what happens when cooked upside down? Here are the effects:
- The breast meat presses against the pan steaming and braising rather than directly roasting. This can make it less brown but more moist and tender.
- The darker leg and thigh meat is more exposed to the heat, resulting in deeper browning and potential overcooking.
- Flavors from the aromatic vegetables under the turkey can infuse more into the breast meat
- The pan drippings and juices collect more in the breast area rather than the back cavity.
While perhaps not ideal, an upside down turkey can still be quite tasty if handled properly. With some adjustments after realizing the mistake, you can serve up a memorable holiday meal.
Tips for Salvaging an Upside Down Cooked Turkey
Don’t panic if you discover the upside down turkey mishap mid-roast! Here are some tips to help salvage it
- Carefully flip it breast side up once discovered, even if not fully cooked. The remainder of roasting time will further brown and dry the breast skin.
- Tent foil over the breast area if it is browning too rapidly after flipping. This prevents overcooking.
- Baste the breast frequently when flipped over to add moisture as it finishes cooking.
- Remove the turkey once the breast reaches 165°F for optimal doneness even if the legs need more time. The legs can be returned to the oven.
- Let the turkey rest longer, up to 30-45 minutes, to allow juices to redistribute into the breast meat.
With a few adjustments, you can still get delicious results despite the turkey being cooked upside down halfway through.
Serving and Carving an Upside Down Cooked Turkey
When ready to serve and carve your upside down roasted turkey, follow these tips:
- Carve the turkey starting with the legs and thighs since they were most exposed during roasting.
- Slice the breast meat next. It may be more moist and tender than typical.
- Arrange sliced white and dark meat on a platter attractively for serving if possible.
- Pour the juices from the turkey cavity over the meat to add back moisture.
- Use any juices collected in the breast area for making gravy and drizzling over the meat.
- Remove skin if it seems overly thick and rubbery before serving.
With careful carving and a good sauce or gravy, an upside down turkey can still be a tasty centerpiece. Focus on the positive!
Alternative Ways to Use an Upside Down Cooked Turkey
If the turkey is overcooked from being upside down, get creative with these alternative uses:
- Slice or shred the meat for dishes like turkey chili, casseroles, soups, sandwiches, wraps, salads and more.
- Reserve the leg and thigh meat for other purposes since it cooked more. The breast may be drier.
- Use any unsalvageable meat in turkey stock for amazing soups and sauces.
- Turn undesirable dry turkey into moist heat dishes like turkey pot pie or turkey tetrazzini by cooking in sauce.
With imagination, you can reinvent even the driest upside down turkey into something delicious! Don’t let it go to waste.
Lessons Learned from an Upside Down Turkey
While an upside down turkey mishap may seem disappointing, valuable lessons can be learned:
- Double check turkey positioning before roasting to prevent this mistake next time.
- Monitor the turkey closely and baste frequently for best results.
- Let the turkey rest adequately before carving so juices redistribute.
- Understand how to rescue a turkey cooked upside down if needed.
- Get creative with leftovers if the turkey has issues. Avoid waste!
Even cooking mistakes like this one provide growth opportunities. Your guests will appreciate the effort to creatively salvage the upside down turkey!
Don’t fret about an accidentally upside down roasted turkey ruining the meal. With a few adjustments and some creativity, you can still have a mouthwatering holiday centerpiece. By following the guidance above, you can rescue this cooking mishap and have fun telling the memorable story for years to come!
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. From what we know about past turkey recipes, it should take a little over 2 ½ hours to roast a 12-pound bird. The same size bird flipped over only took 2 hours. It’s likely because the legs and thighs cook faster when they’re facing up, which cuts the cooking time and saves time.
- The legs and thighs get beautifully golden brown. The bird turned brown so quickly that I had to cover it with a tent after only an hour because I didn’t want it to burn. As a bonus, the skin stayed crispy until we were ready to eat, which doesn’t happen with most birds.
- The breast is lackluster. While the legs and thighs were shocking and amazed, the breast was mostly pale and had marks where it had been on the roasting rack.
- It requires broiling. You’ll need to wait until the bird is a little cooler before you can flip it back over to brown the breast. Trust me, browning the breast will make it taste and look better. This part is tricky; after a bird rests, it’s likely ready to carve. When I broiled the breast, it wasn’t evenly golden brown, and it was hard to get the sides of the breast done. It’s better than no browning, but not ideal. Check out the picture below to see how the dark and white meat are different in color.
Why roast a turkey upside down?
The idea is that flipping the bird during cooking keeps the breast from coming into direct contact with the oven’s heat, which makes the white meat juicy and the dark meat perfectly cooked. According to some cooks, the fat from the legs and thighs drips into the breast meat. This idea makes sense if you look at gravity, but maybe not if you look at physics.
I had to find out for myself so I ordered a frozen, 12-pound gobbler. Once it was no longer frozen, I took it out of the fridge and patted it dry. Then I drizzled it with oil and sprinkled it with salt. Then it was time for the flip. As if I were in cobra pose, I turned the turkey over so that the breast side was down and the tips of the wings were tucked under the drumettes.
TIFU by accidentally cooking the turkey upside down. #tifu #reddit #redditstories
FAQ
What happens if you cook a turkey upside down?
Can you cook a turkey upright?
What happens if you cook a Turkey upside down?
Cooking a turkey upside down can have a number of negative consequences, including: * The turkey will not cook evenly. The breast meat will be overcooked, while the legs and thighs will be undercooked. * The turkey will be dry. The juices from the turkey will drip down to the bottom of the roasting pan, leaving the turkey dry.
Should you cook a turkey breast upside down?
The idea is that by roasting your bird breast side down, it’s further away from the heat source and the juices from the dark meat can trickle down to the white meat, resulting in juicier white meat that won’t dry out. Then you flip the turkey right side up so the skin on the breast can crisp up in the oven. So should you cook a turkey upside down?
How long do you cook an upside down Turkey?
Answer: The ideal cooking time for an upside-down turkey varies based on its weight. Generally, you should cook it at 325°F, allowing about 15 minutes per pound. For a more precise estimation, use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the turkey. 2. Do I Need To Flip The Turkey During Cooking?
How do you keep a Turkey from turning upside down?
A: To prevent your turkey from cooking upside down in the future, there are a few things you can do: 1. Use a roasting rack. A roasting rack will help to keep the turkey upright while it cooks. 2. Tuck the wings under the turkey. This will help to keep the turkey from tipping over. 3. Secure the turkey with kitchen twine.
Can you flip a Turkey upside down?
Flipping your turkey can take away from your unveiling. When cooking turkey upside down, we found that the roasting rack can leave unsightly marks and indents on the turkey’s breast, which is the display side of the bird. Or worse, you could tear the skin during the flipping process. For the most beautiful bird, stick to roasting right-side up.
Can you taste the difference between roasting a Turkey upside down?
“You can definitely taste the difference.” When Greenberg says to roast the turkey upside down, what he really means is flip the turkey over and cook the bird breast-side down. By cooking your turkey upside down, all of the juices that normally drip to the bottom of the pan—the ones you’d use to baste your turkey—naturally seep into the breast.