Why Does My Turkey Always End Up With a Burnt Bottom?

[its_me_susan]

When I roast my turkey all of the juice cooks off & I end up with a burnt bottom, always. If this normal?

 

[Gina M]

Hi Susan,

I just used my roaster for Thanksgiving (of course) - first time not just roasting chickens like before. We put ours in an oven bag and then up on the rack and had it on the bottom rack to fit in the oven and it turned out great (it was a 16 lb bird). Did you use the rack? Maybe it just needs to sit up higher? Just a thought.

Gina Miller

 

[chefkristin]

Ours game out wonderful! The meat fell right off the bone!

 

[its_me_susan]

Hi Susan,

I just used my roaster for Thanksgiving (of course) - first time not just roasting chickens like before. We put ours in an oven bag and then up on the rack and had it on the bottom rack to fit in the oven and it turned out great (it was a 16 lb bird). Did you use the rack? Maybe it just needs to sit up higher? Just a thought.

Gina Miller

Yup used the rack. The turkey was GREAT. It's the pan (no drippings, they seem to evaporate ~ could be my convection oven?)

 

[pamperedbecky]

I used my roasting pan too and didn't really have any drippings. I had nothing to baste the turkey with and I was excited to use my turkey baster! So what I did was melt some butter in some chicken stock and a little white wine and used that to baste the turkey. Then I got some good drippings and was able to make some good gravy. My family is a HUGE gravy family, so I also made a back up batch of the gravy mix kind and ended up combining it all and it was great! Yummy!

 

[its_me_susan]

I used my roasting pan too and didn't really have any drippings. I had nothing to baste the turkey with and I was excited to use my turkey baster! So what I did was melt some butter in some chicken stock and a little white wine and used that to baste the turkey. Then I got some good drippings and was able to make some good gravy. My family is a HUGE gravy family, so I also made a back up batch of the gravy mix kind and ended up combining it all and it was great! Yummy!

Becky did those liquids burn off by the time your turkey was cooked?

 

[Ginger428]

Becky did those liquids burn off by the time your turkey was cooked?

While the turkey is cooking, some liquids will burn off. If I see that happening, I add water or chicken stock & continue to baste. Also the stuff that is left when the bird is ready is what you use for the gravy...when you put it on the stove over low heat & more liquids it will become softer. You need that for flavor. After awhile you add the flour ( mixed with cold water ) and keep on simmering so the flour cooks. Lastly..you are going to put this mixture through a strainer & you are left with gravy!

HTH

 

[maggiemay]

mine was all cooked off too! I basted with maple syrup and added some bacon strips at the end.... my gravey was really dark but yummy - but.... yep most of it cooked off! I like the idea of putting some stock in the bottom - I'll try that at christmas.

What a great pan though!

 

[jaye]

I used my roasting pan too and didn't really have any drippings. I had nothing to baste the turkey with and I was excited to use my turkey baster! So what I did was melt some butter in some chicken stock and a little white wine and used that to baste the turkey. Then I got some good drippings and was able to make some good gravy. My family is a HUGE gravy family, so I also made a back up batch of the gravy mix kind and ended up combining it all and it was great! Yummy!

That is exactly what I did. I noticed that using the rack, a lot of the juices cooked off.

However, this T-Day I had an entirely different problem... I had a bird that did NOT want to die! It took over 6 hours to cook! It was ridiculous....

 

[lacychef]

That's funny Jaye!
My mom & I used my pan with rack.....she brushed the bird with butter, and had plenty of drippings to baste with. There wasn't a whole lot left at the end, but just enough to make gravy.
And man, doesn't that rack & pan clean EASY!!

 

[its_me_susan]

While the turkey is cooking, some liquids will burn off. If I see that happening, I add water or chicken stock & continue to baste. Also the stuff that is left when the bird is ready is what you use for the gravy...when you put it on the stove over low heat & more liquids it will become softer. You need that for flavor. After awhile you add the flour ( mixed with cold water ) and keep on simmering so the flour cooks. Lastly..you are going to put this mixture through a strainer & you are left with gravy!

HTH

Ginger, thank you for this! Ok the stuff left in the pan.... does it appear to be burnt???? Do you use it if it's black (and tarred) looking?

 

[pamperedbecky]

sorry, I must've missed responding to this thread yesterday! Once I basted with the little concoction I made, there was some left in the bottom of the pan after cooking the turkey....it wasn't all tarry and black. But, we did add some more chicken stock to loosen it up and cook it in there for a bit. Then we did the stuff with the flour and stuff. I did cook the giblets (just the livers, not the heart or neck) in chicken stock on a very low simmer for about 2 hours. Then I chopped it up into TINY pieces and added it to the gravy once we had that ready to go. And we used the chicken stock the livers were cooked in, so it had some good flavor. I know it sounds gross! I don't want to think about it too much, but it sure was good!

I do have to say that if you don't clean the rack relatively quickly, things stick to that like there's no tomorrow! I learned that the first time I used it, so this time I instructed my hubby to clean it pretty quickly.

 

[Paige Dixon]

That's funny Jaye!
My mom & I used my pan with rack.....she brushed the bird with butter, and had plenty of drippings to baste with. There wasn't a whole lot left at the end, but just enough to make gravy.
And man, doesn't that rack & pan clean EASY!!

Actually, I've always thought the rack DOESN'T clean very easily. I was wondering if people spray it?

 

[BethCooks4U]

I always sprinkle my turkey with poultry seasoning and several pats of butter - I use about 3/4 cube of butter for a 20 lb turkey. I never run out of drippings for basting and that gravy!

I do spray the rack and then soak it for about 4-5 minutes before cleaning it - never have any trouble getting it totally clean.

 

[cmdtrgd]

Beth - where have you been? Or have I just been missing all your posts?!?

 

[BethCooks4U]

Beth - where have you been? Or have I just been missing all your posts?!?

Thanksgiving is our Christmas - 4 of my children (all adult) live in WI and #5 and DH and I live in NC. They come for the week of Thanksgiving and we do both holidays then. I have been swamped preparing for all of that (including making several of the gifts for grandkids - I made magic pillows and other things) plus I had my best month this year in November so that has all kept me going.

Thanks for noticing!

 

[cmdtrgd]

What is a magic pillow?

 

[kristenskitchen]

About the clean-up thing, I was going to spray the rack, but I was worried that while it was cooking, it might not be good for the pan if some of that spray got on it. I read the product care instructions (I'm a nerd, but I like to be REALLY extra careful with my cookware) and it said to NOT use cooking spray on it.

 

[lacychef]

Beth - where have you been? Or have I just been missing all your posts?!?

I was wondering the same thing!