recipe reviews for:

Upside Down Turkey

“This is a simple way to prepare a moist turkey without stuffing. The secret ingredient is butter -- it enhances the bird's natural flavor. When the turkey is done, the juices may be used to prepare a gravy by adding cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time until the liquid begins to thicken. This recipe is based on a 13 pound bird. Adjust as necessary.”

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Reviewed: Apr. 10, 2012

I did it on 350 with no additional water other than what leaked out of the turkey after washing it. I rubbed it with olive oil first, then mixed all the spices with a stick of butter and threw a bay leaf inside. I also chopped up a small onion, 3 carrots, and minced one clove of garlic and threw those all over around the turkey just for flavoring. Cooked it upside down for 2.5 hrs and right side up for 1.5 hrs (after I turned the temp down to 300.) It was perfect. The best turkey ever! Spices I used: Onion powder garlic powder celery salt seasoning salt black pepper savory Italian seasoning bay leaf

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Autumn

Reviewed: Feb. 10, 2012

Turning over a hot turkey isn't the easiet job so be sure you don't get much bigger. I did 1/4c olive oil/butter blend inside & only olive oil on the outside. Used 1c water, 1c apple juice in the pan. Also 2T Kosher salt, 1T freshly ground black pepper, 1T poultry seasoning, 1/2T sage. Yummy coating & it didn't need covering.

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Reviewer:

BOOKMARKER

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Dec. 12, 2011

I have roasted many turkeys over the years the usual way of breast side up, but after seeing the recipe for roasting breast side down I thought why not give it a try. Fantastic! The turkey was soooo moist and tender. I basted the bird every half hour. I flipped it breast side up for the last hour. I had to let it roast for about an extra half hour or so to get the breast skin brown. The only disappointment was that usually we have a house full of family, but this year it was just my husband and me and I had no one to show it off too.

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dmsred

Reviewed: Dec. 2, 2010

The method works great, however this recipe itself doesn't produce a flavorful enough bird for me personally. I miss the usual herb rub when using this recipe, so now I just go ahead and do an herb rub too. I flip it for the last half hour, spritz with PAM spray, and reapply a sprinkling of herbs so it gets pretty. The only problem I run into is that it's quite hard to flip the bird at the end -- some birds, it's impossible for me due to how hot the grease is, just too dangerous for large turkeys. That's not a fault with this recipe at all, just a caution to those of you who also plan to flip the bird to get a pretty bird - you will need help and you will need good strong utensils. Thanks for the recipe! (P.S. I had a 13.25 lb frozen turkey, which had been thawing in the fridge; the neck was still frozen and the inside of my turkey was icy when I removed the neck. It took slightly less than 3.5 hours to get completely done.)

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Reviewer:

JARRIE

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Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Richmond, Virginia, USA

Reviewed: Nov. 28, 2010

The method of cooking upside down, does keep the turkey moist. I used 1 cup of apple cider instead of water, and that added a nice flavor to the turkey. As far as the cooking time, I had a 13.25lb fresh turkey and after 4 hours the turkey was still not cooked. I don't know how long it would have taken, because I was out of time. I cut the turkey up and put it on the grill. Will try again, but leave more time for cooking.

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Reviewer:

Sheri

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Nov. 24, 2010

I had to work untitl 430 one Thanksgiving, and I left my friends in charge of cooking the turkey that year, I came home to find four men standing around the turkey wondering what they had done wrong. I could tell right away that they had cooked it upside down. To everyones suprise it was the best turkey we had ever eaten!!! I now only cook the bird upside down and in a cooking bag. The bag really speeds up the cooking proccess. You can have 25 pounds cooked in a bout four hours. The turkey does not look as pretty sitting in the middle of the table so I usually carve it and put the slices on a big platter and just leave my guests guessing how I get it so moist.

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Reviewer:

eleigh84

Reviewed: Nov. 1, 2010

I cover my turkey generously with mayonaise so there is no basting and you cannot taste the mayo. It locks in the moisture and makes for a delicious dark gravy. Postcard picture turkey. I don't like the idea of the water, so I will give this a try without it. I will also be stuffing mine with bread stuffing. Some say this is not safe, but I never heard of anyone in my family in 65 years get sick or die from it.:)

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4 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

ljsousa

Cooking Level: Expert

Reviewed: Nov. 29, 2009

YUM!!! Best turkey ever. I cooked mine in an oven bag and added pepper and garlic powder. My husband also got a little crazy with the flavor injector. It was SOO moist. Never again will I cook my turkey the other way.

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aswingle102081

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Salem, Oregon, USA

Living In: San Antonio, Texas, USA

Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2009

Whats funny is I mistakenly put the bird in upside down. Best thing I ever did to a turkey. The meat was so moist I am a fan. I basically smear the much butter in and around the entire turkey. Be sure to separate the skin from the meat and place butter in there as well. Salt and pepper to taste. Place uncovered in oven, wait for 40 minutes then cover lightly with tin foil, then every 25 minutes soak up juices with a basters and spread over turkey generously.

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Reviewer:

Bradley Warren

Cooking Level: Beginning

Living In: Anchorage, Alaska, USA

Reviewed: Nov. 26, 2009

I forgot this was an upside down recipe when it was time to cook. My 13.5 lb bird was still frozen(yes, frozen). I used a very large cake pan and put the bird on a "rack" of carrots and celery, sprinkled with salt and pepper and put butter, salt, pepper, onion and sage in the cavity. I did also put the pats of butter under the skin. I covered with foil and put in the oven for 3 1/2hours, took off the foil, kicked the temp up to 375 and put it in for an additional 35 minutes. I boiled the neck and giblets with some garlic powder, sage, salt and pepper then used that liquid to baste every hour. FANTASTIC! My first whole turkey ever and I will do this every time. Next time I might remember to do it upside down.

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