Enter the characters you see below Sorry, we just need to make sure you’re not a robot. Ensure turkey baster Christmas Day feast is a hit with our expert guide to turkey basting.

Learn how to baste a turkey, plus three easy shortcuts that will save time on the big day. Check out the foolproof turkey guide to answer all your cooking queries and plan the ultimate roast with our best ever turkey recipes. For more inspiration, see our turkey crown recipes and how to use leftover turkey. Discover even more ideas with our favourite Christmas dinner recipes, and answer all your festive queries with the help of our Christmas kitchen. What does it mean to baste a turkey? Basting means spooning, squirting or brushing the juices that are in the roasting tin back over the meat as it cooks, or laying something over it that will release fat as it cooks. Older recipes often advise basting a turkey regularly to keep the meat moist.

Actually, basting so much is not guaranteed to stop your turkey drying out, especially if you leave the meat in the oven too long. It’s important to follow pack instructions and calculate the right cooking time. Also, any flavour from butter, bacon rashers or herbs will remain on the skin rather than permeate the meat, which is fine if you have a flavourful stuffing, but water content in the bacon or butter means the skin won’t crisp up. Turkeys that have been basted too often usually end up with a slightly streaky-looking, soft skin. How do I ensure a juicy turkey with crisp skin?

You should dry-brine it, which essentially means salting it heavily and leaving the salt to do its work overnight. The salt will draw the moisture out of the turkey to then be reabsorbed, taking some salt flavour with it. It will also dry out the skin, which helps it crisp up in the oven. Secondly, you can cook the crown and legs separately so that each cut is properly cooked through in the way that most suits it. See more details in our turkey brining guide.

But, do take these off for the last part of the cooking in order to brown the skin. Pushing a flavoured butter under the skin before you roast the turkey is also a popular technique. Bear in mind, though, that butter contains water, so if you do want crispier skin, you must use clarified butter. 3 easy ways to baste a turkey1. Cool and put in a food processor with 140g softened butter and 1 tbsp maple syrup. Shape the butter into a log and chill. Push slices under the turkey skin before roasting.