Best 7 Upside Down Turkey Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Preparing an upside-down turkey is an uncommon but delicious way to enjoy this classic dish. This cooking method involves placing the turkey breast-side down on a bed of aromatic vegetables, resulting in succulent and flavorful meat. While it may sound unconventional, cooking a turkey upside-down has several advantages. The breast, which is typically the driest part of the turkey, remains moist and tender due to the direct contact with the flavorful vegetables. Additionally, the juices from the vegetables infuse the turkey with an enhanced taste and aroma, elevating it from an ordinary meal to a memorable culinary experience.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

UPSIDE DOWN TURKEY



Upside Down Turkey image

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.

Provided by BLOND2

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Whole Turkey Recipes

Time 3h30m

Yield 18

Number Of Ingredients 3

13 pounds whole turkey
½ cup butter
1 cup water

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Rinse turkey and remove giblets. Place turkey upside (breast) down in a roasting pan. Insert 1/4 cup butter inside the turkey. Place remaining butter in several pieces around the turkey. Pour water into the pan.
  • Cook covered in the preheated oven 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the internal temperature of the thigh has reached 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 536.2 calories, Cholesterol 207.1 mg, Fat 28.1 g, Protein 66.4 g, SaturatedFat 9.9 g, Sodium 197.2 mg

FAST UPSIDE-DOWN TURKEY



Fast Upside-Down Turkey image

Here I've tested out not one, but two new things - cooking a turkey at a very high heat, as well as cooking it upside-down, which I've heard for decades is the way to go if you want moist, juicy meat. Whether you're looking to cook your turkey in half the time, or just want to see some raised eyebrows when you bring it to the table, I really do hope you give this a try soon!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Turkey     Whole Turkey Recipes

Time 14h45m

Yield 20

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (16 pound) whole turkey, thawed
4 tablespoons kosher salt
1 loaf French bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 sprigs fresh sage, or to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, or to taste
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or to taste

Steps:

  • Place turkey in a large pan, bowl, or tub. Remove the neck and innards and save to make a gravy, if desired. Season the inside of the turkey with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, and then the outside with the rest, until the entire surface of the bird has a thin coating of salt crystals. Transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, and let brine for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Set a large foil roasting pan over a sheet pan.
  • Cut the bread loaf lengthwise into two halves. Butter generously and place buttered-side up into the prepared roasting pan, pushing bread halves together so they are touching.
  • Remove turkey from the fridge and stuff sage, rosemary, and thyme into the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and place breast-side down on top of the bread, making sure turkey is as steady and straight-up as possible. Tuck wing tips up and over the drumette.
  • Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours. Let turkey rest for at least 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
  • In the meantime, cut bread into cubes and transfer onto a serving plate; keep warm as needed. Spoon juices onto the turkey, place it on top of the bread, and carve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 633.3 calories, Carbohydrate 13.5 g, Cholesterol 220.7 mg, Fat 28.2 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 76.4 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Sodium 1478.1 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

UPSIDE-DOWN TURKEY



Upside-Down Turkey image

For super-flavorful gravy, scatter cut oranges, onion, and garlic, along with a few rosemary and sage sprigs, in the bottom of the pan before you begin roasting the turkey. This recipe for upside-down turkey is a fun way to prepare your Thanksgiving meal.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Turkey Recipes

Time 4h45m

Number Of Ingredients 6

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole turkey (14 pounds), patted dry
1 loaf ciabatta (1 pound)
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Halved fresh figs; red, black, and green grapes; and sage and thyme sprigs, for serving

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Rub mixture all over turkey, including inside body cavity. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least overnight and up to 24 hours, to allow seasoning to penetrate meat.
  • Remove plastic from turkey; rinse inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a rack in lower third. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Trim bread to length of turkey breast (about 9 inches), then slice horizontally. Butter cut sides of bread. On a V-shaped wire rack set in a roasting pan, place slices side-by-side lengthwise, buttered-sides up. Place turkey breast-side down, so it rests on bread (not directly on rack). Roast 45 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and, using a kitchen towel to hold neck side and a wooden spoon inside cavity for leverage, carefully flip turkey breast-side up. Pour broth into pan, then rotate pan and return to oven. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Continue roasting, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, about 2 hours more.
  • Transfer turkey to a serving platter. Remove rack from pan; discard bread. Set pan with drippings aside to make your preferred gravy recipe (keeping in mind that drippings will be salty). Let turkey stand 30 minutes. Serve, garnished with figs, grapes, sage, and thyme.

BOURBON DRUNKEN UPSIDE-DOWN TURKEY



Bourbon Drunken Upside-Down Turkey image

A GREAT Thanksgiving Day recipe for COOKING & MARINADING A TURKEY UPSIDE-DOWN, it has pleanty of flavor...and is SUPER MOIST!!!!...YES MOIST....this is good for those people who aren't a fan of Turkey because it's either "BLAND" or "TOO DRY"......IF YOU HAVE A FLAVOR INJECTOR OR SYRINGE THIS COMES OUT EVEN BETTER!!!!......**24-36 HOUR MARINADE TIME SUGGESTED!!!!**

Provided by ShoeDiva

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time P1DT17h

Yield 1 Turkey, 6-12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

10 -25 lbs whole turkey (Fresh Turkey, Shady Brook Farms)
cheesecloth
5/8 ounce herbes de provence
1 1/2 liters Maker's Mark Bourbon Whisky or 1 1/2 liters Bourbon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
3/4 cup melted lightly-salted butter
1 bunch fresh parsley
2 whole garlic cloves
1 bunch fresh marjoram
10 -15 fresh rosemary sprigs
10 -15 fresh thyme sprigs
20 fresh sage leaves
2 navel oranges or 2 blood oranges
1 large white onion
1/2 cup unmelted salted butter
saran plastic wrap or plastic wrap

Steps:

  • MARINADE PREP.
  • In a bowl put Cheese Cloth (you will need about 3-5 packages -- depending on the size of your Turkey) and 3-4 cups of MAKERS MARK, let Cheese Cloth soak up Bourbon.
  • Clean inside cavity of Turkey -- then Salt & Pepper inside cavity, and add 1 tablespoon of Herbs De Provence, sprinkle inside cavity.
  • Carefully seperate the skin from the Turkey Breast -- take 1 Tablespoon of Herbs De Provence and put under skin of the breast -- be sure to massage the herbs under the skin so they can spread evenly under the skin -- if your having a hard time moving the herbs around -- just take a tablespoon of Makers Mark and put it under the skin it should help the herbs spread.
  • Take 2 of the BOURBON SOAKED CHEESE CLOTH and stuff the inside of the Turkey -- don't pack it -- just lightly put it in place.
  • *NOTE: If you DON'T HAVE A FLAVOR INJECTOR -- SKIP THIS STEP* -- With a flavor injector, inject the following spots with a full syringe of BOURBON -- FLIP TURKEY UPSIDE DOWN (DO NOT INJECT TURKEY BREAST SIDE UP!) -- INJECT BOURBON IN BOTH LEGS -- and UNDERNEATH THE BREAST (try to get the needle where the bone of the breast is) -- and INJECT BOTH WINGS.
  • Wrap outside of Turkey with the remaining BOURBON SOAKED CHEESE CLOTH -- then WRAP the TURKEY & CHEESE CLOTH IN SARAN/PLASTIC WRAP and put in REFIDGERATOR AND MARINADE UPSIDEDOWN -- FLIPPING AND ROTATING THE TURKEY EVERY 6-8 hours -- NOTE: If you would like to inject the same spots every other time you rotate it will enhance the flavors more, but it may require an extra bottle of bourbon.
  • 24-36 HOURS MARINADE TIME.
  • COOKING PREP.
  • Remove plastic wrap & cheese cloth -- also the cheese cloth inside the cavity -- take ALL the cheese cloth and RESOAK IN BOURBON.
  • Melt 1/2 cup butter -- INJECT MELTED BUTTER IN SAME EXACT AREAS WHERE THE BOURBON WAS INJECTED -- *hint* -- TURKEY NEEDS TO BE UPSIDEDOWN.
  • Rub Olive Oil all over Turkey -- SALT & PEPPER THE ENITRE OUTSIDE TURKEY, AND THEN LIGHTLY SPRINKLE HERBS DE PROVENCE ALL OVER TURKEY AS WELL.
  • Gather Garlic Cloves, Onion, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Oranges, Parsley and Sage -- Cut the Garlic Cloves & Onion in half, leaving the skin on -- drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cut Oranges into fouths.
  • WRAP EVERYTHING (Garlic Cloves, Onion, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Oranges, Parsley and Sage) IN THE BOURBON SOAKED CHEESE CLOTH AND STUFF INTO TURKEY.
  • Add entire stick of butter to bottom of roasting pan.
  • OKAY NOW COOK THE TURKEY UPSIDEDOWN -- TRUST ME I'VE MADE THE MISTAKE OF COOKING THE TURKEY BREAST SIDE UP AND ITS ALWAYS DRY.-- TENT THE ENTIRE TURKEY IN THE OVEN WITH ALUMINUM FOIL UP UNTIL THE FINAL 2 1/2 HOURS OF COOKING -- 2 1/2 hours before its done take the tent off and FLIP the TURKEY BREAST SIDE UP (the best way to do this is having 2 people maybe more depending on the size and 2 of the same size pans and place one on top of the other and flip) -- NOTE: TO GET A CRISP GOLDEN BREAST TURN UP THE OVEN AN EXTRA 125 DEGREES FOR 25-35 MINUTES.
  • KEEP BASTING IN NATURAL JUICES EVERY 30 MINUTES -- BASTE, BASTE, BASTE -- BASTING IS KEY!
  • This will be so flavorfull and juicy, your dinner guests will BE AMAZED.

UPSIDE DOWN TURKEY



Upside Down Turkey image

I have been roasting my holiday turkeys upside down for 35 years. They are always moist. It's a little work flipping them for the last hour but worth every minute.

Provided by jean D.

Categories     Poultry

Time 4h20m

Yield 1 Turkey, 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 3

16 lbs turkey
onion powder (and or or any other seasonings you prefer) or lemon pepper (and or or any other seasonings you prefer)
1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine

Steps:

  • Wash turkey with clear water and pat dry. Mix seasonings together and rub all over the turkey.
  • Invert turkey onto a rack in a roasting pan. Tuck wings under and cover with aluminum foil. Pour a small amount of wine over turkey. Place in 325 oven.
  • Bake for 3 hours. Baste turkey every 30 minutes with wine. Use turkey baster to baste with juices in the pan. Remove from oven after 3 hours.With oven mitt covered hands flip the turkey and place back on the rack. Continue baking for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 2037.5, Fat 97.1, SaturatedFat 27.4, Cholesterol 823.2, Sodium 793.1, Carbohydrate 3.2, Sugar 1.2, Protein 247.3

UPSIDE DOWN TURKEY



Upside Down Turkey image

This recipe for turkey came from a mistake. My son invited us for Thansgiving. When he took the turkey out of the oven, he said "Mom-this turkey doesn't have any meat on it." He had roasted it upside down in the pan. It was the most moist flavorful turkey I had ever eaten! I do it this way quite often now.

Provided by Margaret Benson

Categories     Turkey

Time 4h30m

Number Of Ingredients 4

1 large turkey- 13 lbs
1 c butter melted
1/4 tsp thyme, dried
1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Steps:

  • 1. We used 13 lb turkey, but you can use larger one, just adjust time cooked. Set oven for 350 degrees.
  • 2. Mix the spices together in butter. Rub the butter mixture over turkey, back & front. Place it in large roasting pan. Roast with top off for 30 min. Put top on turkey, roast for remaining time according to turkey directions.
  • 3. When roast period is up- check that turkey is at 170 degrees with meat thermometer. Remove from pan, cover with foil & let set for ar least ten minutes. Then Enjoy! You will still have drippings for gravy. If not, add chicken broth to pan, scrape drippings in pan then proceed for gravy. DO NOT STUFF TURKEY!

HEATHER'S UPSIDE-DOWN TURKEY



Heather's Upside-Down Turkey image

Say good-bye to dried out turkey breast! This is a traditional roasted turkey recipe with one twist - it's cooked upside down.

Provided by HeathersCookin

Categories     Poultry

Time 5h30m

Yield 8-15 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

24 lbs turkey
1 onion, quartered
1 oranges or 1 lemon, quartered
1 celery rib, cut into several pieces
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 -4 cups water or 2 -4 cups broth

Steps:

  • Fill room-temperature bird with aromatics, including onion, orange, celery, apple, cinnamon stick, handful of cranberries, bay leaves.
  • Place bird UPSIDE-DOWN on rack in a roasting pan, rub with olive oil and favorite seasonings, including sage, rosemary, kosher salt, pepper. Add several cups of water or broth to the roasting pan; add more if needed as the bird cooks.
  • Pre-heat oven and roast turkey at 400 for 30 minutes, 350 for several hours, and 275 for the last hour or two. Allow about 13-14 minutes per pound of turkey. White meat should be 165 and dark meat should be 175 degrees F.
  • Rest the meat for 30 minutes, carve, and enjoy!

Tips:

  • Choose the right turkey: For an upside-down turkey, it's best to choose a turkey that is at least 12 pounds. This will ensure that there is enough meat to feed your guests.
  • Prepare the turkey: Before cooking, make sure to remove the giblets and neck from the turkey. You can also rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water.
  • Season the turkey: To add flavor to your upside-down turkey, season it with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs and spices. You can also rub the turkey with butter or olive oil to help it brown.
  • Cook the turkey upside down: Place the turkey breast-side down in a roasting pan. This will allow the juices to flow down and baste the breast meat, resulting in a moist and flavorful turkey.
  • Baste the turkey regularly: While the turkey is cooking, baste it with the pan juices every 30 minutes or so. This will help to keep the turkey moist and prevent it from drying out.
  • Roast the turkey until it is cooked through: The cooking time for an upside-down turkey will vary depending on the size of the turkey. However, a general rule of thumb is to cook the turkey for 30 minutes per pound at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the turkey rest before carving: Once the turkey is cooked through, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to redistribute throughout the turkey, resulting in a more flavorful and tender bird.

Conclusion:

Upside-down turkey is a unique and flavorful way to cook a turkey. By roasting the turkey upside down, you can ensure that the juices flow down and baste the breast meat, resulting in a moist and delicious bird. Follow these tips to cook the perfect upside-down turkey for your next holiday gathering.

Related Topics