Baking or roasting of turkey is done in an oven, often in a roaster pan. Basting is a cooking method that serves to add flavor and moisture to the meat while it cooks. While different methods of cooking require basting to distribute moisture and flavor during the cooking process, basting of turkey is done to make the skin of the bird crispy and golden brown, and one of the most widely-used ingredients for basting a turkey is melted butter.
Step 1
Place one stick of butter in a saucepan and place the pan on a stove over medium-low to medium heat. Watch and stir the butter with a spatula constantly to make sure it does not burn. Once the butter has completely melted, pour it into a small container.
Step 2
Use a basting brush to evenly apply a generous amount of melted butter to the turkey, covering the entire surface area of the bird. The bottom of the turkey does not need to be basted because all juices, fat and oils will drip to the bottom of the bird itself and the pan. Also, the point of basting a turkey is to have a crispy skin, and basting the bottom will only add more moisture to the bottom of the turkey, which will get a generous amount of fats and juices once cooking begins. Place the bird in the oven and cook as directed by the recipe.
Step 3
Open the oven door after 30 minutes and baste the turkey again, using the same method as earlier, covering the surface of the bird in an even coat of the melted butter. Do this quickly so as to avoid lengthening cooking time due to heat loss by opening the oven door. Baste the turkey in this manner every 30 minutes until the turkey is done. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the turkey has been cooked through. Temperatures for cooked turkey should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit all the way through.
Things You'll Need
- Basting brush
- 1 stick butter
- Small container
- Meat thermometer
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