How Often Should You Baste a Turkey?

Every item on this page was chosen by a The Pioneer Woman editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Let’s have a turkey talk! After all, Thanksgiving is right around the corner so you might already be planning out your holiday feast. Once you decide how much turkey you need per person and when exactly you need to order a turkey, the next step includes finding a turkey recipe that’s right for you. Maybe youre in favor of roasting, frying, or even grilling a turkey, but no matter how you prepare it, you wont want to forget about basting the turkey. Thats right! Basting is an easy step to ensure your Thanksgiving main course comes out perfect every time.

A technique that involves periodically spooning, brushing, or pouring juices on a turkey while it cooks, basting is one of those age-old practices that causes some division. Some cooks believe it is absolutely crucial to a golden, juicy, flavorful bird. Others think its a waste of time. Similar to using a turkey brine, basting isnt absolutely necessary to make a good turkey, but it can make a better turkey! Just ask Ree Drummond whose a big believer in the power of basting. Ree coats her roasted Thanksgiving turkey in butter infused with orange peel, rosemary, salt, and pepper. As it melts and combines with the turkey drippings, it becomes liquid gold for basting the bird. The result is a juicy, seasoned turkey with golden brown skin.

Basting a turkey as it roasts may seem like an antiquated technique, but it’s still championed by many experienced cooks as the secret to the most flavorful and moist holiday centerpiece. So how often should you baste the bird for optimal results? Let’s take a closer look at when and how frequently to baste for your best turkey yet.

What is Basting?

Basting refers to spooning, brushing, or drizzling juices, oils, sauces, or other flavorful liquids over meat as it cooks This technique serves multiple purposes

Moistens the surface to prevent drying out
Encourages even browning
Imparts new flavors from the basting liquid
Allows seasoning to better penetrate the meat

Why Baste a Turkey?

Many old-school cooks insist that periodic basting is crucial for a juicy turkey with glistening, flavor-packed skin The benefits include

Prevents dryness – Basting replenishes surface moisture lost in the oven. This keeps the breast and other lean areas from drying out.
Aids browning – Basting helps the skin brown more evenly by redistributing juices and oils.
Enhances flavor – Basting liquids impart new flavors to the skin and outer layers Herbs, citrus, garlic, and more can provide tasty notes
Improves texture – Basting helps seasonings and spices better penetrate the skin for amplified flavor.
Makes killer drippings – The flavorful basting liquid mixed with natural turkey juices creates an amazing base for gravy.

However, basting is not essential and some contemporary cooks skip it with no detriment to the turkey. Use your judgement!

How Often to Baste a Turkey

There’s no set rule for basting frequency. Thirty to forty-five minutes is typical. Here are tips:

Don’t baste too frequently or cooking time will lengthen significantly as you open the oven. Every 30-45 minutes is sufficient.
Time basting to happen more often toward the end when skin browning accelerates.
Work quickly! Have your basting liquid ready to go. Open and shut the oven swiftly to retain heat.
Use a turkey baster, spoon, or brush to gently yet thoroughly coat the skin. Focus extra attention on the breast.
Resist overbasting. Too much liquid will make the skin soggy and slow browning.

Basting Tips and Tricks

Butter, olive oil, chicken stock, wine, and fruit juices make excellent basting liquids.
Infuse liquid with herbs, citrus zest, garlic, spices, or other flavorings.
Mix basting liquid with pan drippings for added turkey essence.
Don’t baste during initial “low and slow” cooking to allow skin drying. Baste later when browning.
Allow basting liquid to fully absorb between applications. Don’t let skin get soggy.
Apply basting liquid gently. Don’t tear or detach the delicate skin.
Use a brush, spoon, or bulb baster for best control when basting.
Avoid cross contamination when basting. Use a clean utensil and wash hands.

Basting vs Not Basting a Turkey

Basting is ultimately optional and not required for a delicious turkey. The pros and cons:

Basting Pros

Adds moisture for tender meat
Encourages more even browning
Provides new layers of flavor
Makes excellent drippings for gravy

Basting Cons

Can lengthen cooking time significantly
Risks uneven cooking if overdone
Extra handling can lead to errors

Not Basting Pros

Shortens cooking time
Prevents drying from frequent oven opening
Minimizes opportunities for user error

Not Basting Cons

Turkey may cook unevenly
Skin can dry out without added moisture
Flavor is limited to initial seasoning

So should you baste your turkey or not? There’s no right or wrong answer. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks and decide what suits your preferences, timeline, and cooking style this holiday season!

how often baste a turkey

How often should you baste a turkey?

Basting a turkey every 30 to 45 minutes is standard, especially if you wait until the last hour or so of cooking to begin basting. Remember that basting too often can greatly increase the turkeys cook time, so dont baste anymore often than every 30 minutes. When you do baste the bird, be sure to work quickly. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, making sure to close the oven immediately to trap the heat. Swiftly use a baster or spoon (more on that below) to drench the breast in the juices. Quickly return the turkey to the oven and continue cooking.

The turkey isnt done until it’s cooked to 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Got extra liquid in the bottom of the pan? Dont worry, that golden goodness is what makes for a delicious turkey gravy. Save any extra drippings and pour into a measuring cup. Skim off the fat on top and use it to add flavor to your favorite gravy recipe.

At what point do you start basting a turkey?

Some cooks like to bast their turkey at intervals throughout the entire cook time, while others choose to wait until the last few hours of roasting to begin basting the bird. Ree falls in the latter category of basting towards the end. She cooks her turkey covered for several hours, then smears on that aromatic butter. After half an hour in the oven, that luscious butter pools in the bottom of the roasting pan and mixes with the turkey drippings to provide a wonderful liquid to baste the turkey in. Since youre having to open the oven every time you do it, basting too often can slow down the cook time, so try waiting till the end. Youll still get golden brown skin and delicious flavor!

How often do you have to baste a turkey?

FAQ

Does basting a turkey make a difference?

A perfect Thanksgiving turkey has tender, juicy meat and crisp, golden skin. Basting, or pouring hot pan juices over the turkey, adds moisture to the skin, which prevents it from crisping up nicely. Basting doesn’t add any flavor to the meat either. The juices usually run right off the bird back into the roasting pan.

What is best to baste a turkey with?

Mix 100g softened butter with the grated zest of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp chopped thyme, 2 tbsp chopped parsley and 1 finely chopped garlic clove. Loosen the skin on the turkey breast with your fingers and push the butter under, covering the breast.

How often should I baste my Butterball turkey?

Butterball Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkeys do not need to be basted, brined or seasoned; they are ready to roast straight from the packaging and result in a tasty and tender Thanksgiving turkey.

Should I put butter or oil on my turkey?

Because turkey breast is especially lean, I like to rub softened fat beneath the skin just before roasting. It melts and gives the meat extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Duck fat is wonderful for this, and it fortifies the poultry flavors, but unsalted butter works well, too.