Should I Put Water in the Roasting Pan for Turkey?
“You can imagine all the turkey cooking methods we’ve tested over our 39 years at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line,” says Nicole Johnson, the director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. “Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey.” While it likely won’t hurt—unless you don’t cook the turkey to a safe temp—there are five main reasons Johnson advises against cooking turkey with water in the pan: When roasting a turkey without water, it will produce its flavorful juices. After cooking, you can extend the turkey’s juices with broth or wine, then add it to your gravy for extra flavor. “The quantity of juices is influenced by whether the turkey is basted or unbasted. Pre-basted turkeys will have enhanced tenderness and juiciness and will contribute to flavorful drippings,” Johnson says.
So What Should I Do Instead of Cooking Turkey with Water in the Pan?
Johnson and her Butterball pros have found the most foolproof method (which our Test Kitchen also abides by) to be the flat rack roast, meaning roasting on a flat rack in a roasting pan, so the turkey is lifted off the bottom of the pan. “The purpose of the flat rack is to allow heat circulation and expose more of the pan surface to heat. Ideally, a flat rack or a v-rack with a stable base should be used,” Johnson says. “No rack? No problem. Crush a long length of foil into a ‘rope’ and form a ring which we like to refer to as our ‘coil of foil.’ You can also substitute out a rack by using whole raw vegetables like carrots and celery on the bottom of your roasting pan.” The open pan, flat rack method is much more likely to produce an excellent golden-brown turkey, a rich roasted flavor, with tender and juicy results than if you add water to the turkey roasting pan. Here are a few more turkey tips from the Talk-Line pros to ace this water-free strategy:
Opt for a shallow open roasting pan, no more than 2½ -3 inches deep. Spray the turkey rack with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the turkey from sticking to the bottom of the hot pan and eliminate the need to add water to the turkey roasting pan. Thaw your turkey in advance, keeping in mind that it takes 24 hours for every 4 pounds of turkey meat to thaw in your refrigerator. (But if you’re in a crunch, we’ve got some turkey-thawing hacks for that.) Place a piece of foil (about the size of a notebook sheet of paper) over the breast about two-thirds through the roast time to prevent over-browning.
So skip the H2O and stop cooking turkey with water in a pan if you want a succulent, gorgeous, and delicious turkey this Thanksgiving.
