Don't Crowd the Bird
"You want air to circulate in the oven, browning the skin and cooking the meat evenly."
Claire Stubbs, Cookbook Author and Wish Food Stylist
Stuff With Juicy Citrus
"I stuff my bird with a bunch of halved lemons, limes and/or oranges, and a handful of fresh herbs. Then I pop it in the oven and forget about it. The fruit makes the meat so juicy and tender, and subtly enhances the flavour."
Tory Healy, Wish Senior Editor
Just Bag It
"I do my turkey in a brown paper bag. It's a no-baste solution that delivers juicy meat every time."
Andrea Stewart, Wish Food Director-at-Large
Brush With Butter
"Pat it dry and brush with melted, salted butter. Pop it back in the fridge until butter hardens. Preheat oven to 425°F, cook 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325°F. The result – a beautiful, brown, crispy skin. P.S. Keep the lid off."
Donna Dooher, Cookbook Author, Restauranteur and Wish founding Food Editor
Opt For Oil
"Coat the bird in olive oil to help herbs and spices stick and get a beautiful, brown, crisp skin with great flavour. I put the bird in a very hot (450°F) preheated oven to start and then reduce the temperature right away to 350°F."
David Grenier, Wish Recipe Developer and Food Stylist
Brine That Bird
Brine is a strong solution of salt and water, with herbs, spices and sometimes sugar, that imparts flavour and tenderizes meat. "For the juiciest meat, I brine my turkey in a mixture of coriander seeds, bay leaves, juniper berries, black peppercorns, fennel and mustard seeds, sliced onions, fresh thyme, garlic, salt and a bottle of Riesling. I cook it tented with foil and remove for final roasting and browning."
Paula Bowman, Wish and Gardening Life Recipe Developer
Make a Stock
"For a flavourful gravy, I always make a stock ahead of time from roasted carrots, onions, celery, garlic and chicken bones. Added to the pan juices, this makes a nice, dark stock with deep flavour."
Paula Bowman
