Want Moist Turkey Breast? Chill Out!

You want your turkey breast to be as moist and succulent as the thighs? Put ice packs on the breasts before putting your bird in the oven. That's what kitchen science expert Harold McGee says.
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010/11/17/life/11117thanksgivingscience111610.txt

GGEEEZZZZZZ I had the Ice packs ready and then I saw it was a Turkey recipe......

Every Thanksgiving brings yet more ways to cook a turkey. Ya Think most folks would have it figured out by now.

we allways just cut the breast apart from the legs and roast them that way they are both done right. we did it in pro kitchens
it was a tough job when you would do 500 or 600 birds at a time .its easy at home when you do 1 or 2. i would love to see the chefs face
when some one said to use ice packs on the birds.

Maybe there's something wrong with my oven? For years, I just used a fresh (non-prebasted) turkey, stuffed it, tented it with heavy duty aluminum foil, preheated the oven to 450, put in the turkey, brought it down immediately to 350, and put it up to 450 again for the last 20 minutes or so. No basting. No brining. Moist, delicious turkey every time. I will admit to using a remote read meat thermometer in the last decade. Otherwise, I must be doing something wrong, because according to what everybody says, I should have dried out turkey with overdone legs and wings.
 
Bart

Michael Hoffman

Put ice packs on the breasts before putting your bird in the oven. 

I gave this method a try to no avail. My turkey was still dry. That said, applying the ice packs to my breasts really made my nipples hard.

Howard Baratz

Michael Hoffman

Put ice packs on the breasts before putting your bird in the oven. 

I gave this method a try to no avail. My turkey was still dry. That said, applying the ice packs to my breasts really made nipples hard.

 
How did your bird like the oven?

I will continue to make my turkey the same way I have for 30 years. I have never had one complaint.

We use an old-fashioned enameled oval lidded roasting pan that will hold up to about a 15lb turkey - the pan has  passed down in Gail's family. About 10 years ago we started brining the turkey overnight and we think that helps a lot. There's no rack with this type of pan, so we make a coarse mirepoix of celery, onions, and carrots for the turkey to sit on in the pan.   We stuff the turkey, generously salt and pepper it, slather it with butter and place it in a 450 oven for 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 and remove it from the oven at 160 on an instant read thermometer. Let it sit, covered,  on a cutting board for a half hour while making gravy from the drippings and doing other last minute chores. 
However, I think we might try the ice packs this year and see if it results in a moister breast meat. 
 
Cheers, John 

I use bartl's method (450 then down to 350) but when the breast starts to get brown cover it with cheesecloth soaked in a mixture of melted butter and vegetable oil. That always keeps the breast good and moist and pevents over-browning.

mbrookes: My grandmother always did that and I'd completely forgotten about it - thanks for the reminder.
 
Cheers, John 

I do the bird the traditional way. Our one point when dealing with the 'Modern Turkey' is to search out the lowest 'added juice percentage' we can find. (without paying the premium price for a fresh bird).
I really prefer the white meat to be a little-bit drier and flakier than the dark-meat.
Best Wishes to all for a successful dining experience on Thursday.

my wife injects the breast with butter and balsamic vinegar and then roasts it on a bed of fine cut mirepoix covered with foil at high heat
450 for 2-3 hours then uncovers for 30 min to brown the meat is infused with the aromatics and very juicy.
i like to roast them up side down so all the juices from the back and legs run down to the breast and the liquid keeps the breast cool . think boiling point temps. water and oil will stay at 212 untill all the water is gone then the oil temp will rise to flash point 600 or so.
also the legs get more heat being exposed to the dry oven heat and not the low moist heat in the pan.