What can be brushed on the turkeys skin to keep it moist?

Answer 1

Oils and butter are commonly brushed on turkey skin prior to baking. However, I would not trust these to keep the skin moist. A popular tip for keeping the skin moist is to cover it with pork bacon.

Brining or Koshering:

* Bring 1.5 to 2 gallons of water to a boil * Dissolve 1.5 pounds of salt plus 1 pound of sugar (or 2 pounds of salt) in the boiling water * Add several pounds of ice or ice cold water to cool the brine * When cool, add the turkey and soak 8 to 18 hours * This can be done in a large canning pot in the refrigerator or in a garbage bag inside an ice chest * Rinse, dry and rub with oil prior to cooking * It is said that the brine helps to close the pores and seal in the juices (I cannot confirm or deny this claim, but can say that most cooks who have tried this method swear by it.)

Cook the turkey upside down - this allows the most dry portions of the meat (breast) to be basted in the turkey's own juice as it cooks. Turn right side up and cook for the last few minutes of cooking time to brown up the skin (cover with oil or butter for a nice, brown finish.)

Cover with tented foil, sealed at the edges - (shiny side in) remove the foil for skin browning at the end of cooking time.

Use a "bake in bag" such as Reynolds

Use an injector to inject juices directly into the meat prior to cooking - substances injected include almost anything (fruit juices, broth and stock, seasonings and spices, store-bought blends)

Never use dried breadcrumbs for stuffing - if you stuff your bird, use fresh bread. Opinions vary on whether or not proper stuffing causes a more moist or a more dry bird in the end, but the use of dried breadcrumbs is known to draw the moisture out of the bird and is considered taboo, even by those who believe stuffing helps to keep the turkey moist.

Stuff wtihout stuffing - cooks recommend various things be placed in the cavity to help give the bird moisture (apples, onions, lemons, Oranges, prepared mixes, etc.)

Use a covered roasting pan - those who have old-fashioned aluminum ones will swear by their use.

It should be noted that whether or not to baste a turkey is a point of argument among cooks. It seems many do it because it is the way they were taught and is based on the belief that it keeps the skin and meat moist. Modern belief is that frequent basting has two main problems. It requires too much opening of the oven door, thereby decreasing the heat and increasing the baking time, which can lead to a more dry turkey. It requires uncovering the bird and exposure to air, which has the same effect as opening the oven door and the additional effect of letting out the "steam."