Here's Why You Shouldn't Add Water to Your Turkey Roasting Pan (2024)

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Learn why you shouldn't add water to turkey roasting pans, plus better ways to score a moist roast turkey.

Karla Walsh

Karla Walsh began her career at FITNESS magazine in 2010. Since, she's worked at a wide variety of publications full-time, including BHG.com, Recipe.com and as a cross-brand social media specialist. From search engine optimization to features for print to video strategy, she has a diverse background in all things magazines. At the start of 2019, Karla chose to pursue full-time freelance writing and has contributed to more than 3 dozen brands.

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Updated on November 14, 2022

Fact checked by

Marcus Reeves

Fact checked byMarcus Reeves

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

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Should I Put Water in the Roasting Pan for Turkey?

"You can imagine all the turkey cooking methods we've tested over our 39 years at the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line," says Nicole Johnson, the director of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line located in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. "Often, consumers will inquire about adding water to the bottom of their roasting pans. We do not recommend adding water to the bottom of the pan. Cooking a turkey with steam is a moist heat-cook method and is acceptable, sure, but is not the preferred method for cooking your turkey."

While it likely won't hurt—unless you don't cook the turkey to a safe temp—there are five main reasons Johnson advises against cooking turkey with water in the pan:

This will create spotty browning and may look underdone—even when the meat is fully cooked.
The meat may separate from the bones, meaning you won't have those emblematic handheld drumsticks to devour.
The meat will be less flavorful by cooking via steam instead of roasting.
The drippings will be less flavorful and not as concentrated as roast turkey drippings. As a result, your turkey gravy may taste lackluster.
Adding water to the turkey roasting pan can lead to spattering or popping during the roasting process as the turkey fat begins to melt and drips into the water. This may cause a mess in your oven that you'll have to clean up later. (No, thank you!)

When roasting a turkey without water, it will produce its flavorful juices. After cooking, you can extend the turkey's juices with broth or wine, then add it to your gravy for extra flavor.

"The quantity of juices is influenced by whether the turkey is basted or unbasted. Pre-basted turkeys will have enhanced tenderness and juiciness and will contribute to flavorful drippings," Johnson says.

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So What Should I Do Instead of Cooking Turkey with Water in the Pan?

Johnson and her Butterball pros have found the most foolproof method (which our Test Kitchen also abides by) to be the flat rack roast, meaning roasting on a flat rack in a roasting pan, so the turkey is lifted off the bottom of the pan.

"The purpose of the flat rack is to allow heat circulation and expose more of the pan surface to heat. Ideally, a flat rack or a v-rack with a stable base should be used," Johnson says. "No rack? No problem. Crush a long length of foil into a 'rope' and form a ring which we like to refer to as our 'coil of foil.' You can also substitute out a rack by using whole raw vegetables like carrots and celery on the bottom of your roasting pan."

The open pan, flat rack method is much more likely to produce an excellent golden-brown turkey, a rich roasted flavor, with tender and juicy results than if you add water to the turkey roasting pan.

Here are a few more turkey tips from the Talk-Line pros to ace this water-free strategy:

Opt for a shallow open roasting pan, no more than 2½ -3 inches deep.
Spray the turkey rack with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the turkey from sticking to the bottom of the hot pan and eliminate the need to add water to the turkey roasting pan.
Thaw your turkey in advance, keeping in mind that it takes 24 hours for every 4 pounds of turkey meat to thaw in your refrigerator. (But if you're in a crunch, we've got some turkey-thawing hacks for that.)
Place a piece of foil (about the size of a notebook sheet of paper) over the breast about two-thirds through the roast time to prevent over-browning.

So skip the H2O and stop cooking turkey with water in a pan if you want a succulent, gorgeous, and delicious turkey this Thanksgiving.

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FAQs

Here's Why You Shouldn't Add Water to Your Turkey Roasting Pan? ›

Adding water to the turkey roasting pan can lead to spattering or popping during the roasting process as the turkey fat begins to melt and drips into the water. This may cause a mess in your oven that you'll have to clean up later.

Read The Full Story ›

Should you put water in the pan when roasting a turkey? ›

You can pour a little of water in the bottom of the roasting pan, but keep in mind the turkey will release drippings as well as it cooks. However, if you're making gravy, it's best to add about a cup of water to the roasting pan.

Get More Info ›

Do you put water under the pan in a roaster oven? ›

Despite a long standing rumor, there is absolutely no need to put water in between pans when cooking in a NESCO. The patented NESCO Circle of Heat® provides consistent, even cooking throughout. Water will actually slow down the cooking process, and make it more difficult to clean up.

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Should I put chicken broth in my turkey roasting pan? ›

Basting a turkey is to spoon, brush, or pour liquid over it throughout the cooking process to keep it moist. The liquid can be drippings from the pan, or chicken/turkey broth. If you don't have drippings to work with during the beginning of the roasting process, use some broth at first, the switch to pan drippings.

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Should I rub butter or oil on my turkey? ›

Because turkey breast is especially lean, I like to rub softened fat beneath the skin just before roasting. It melts and gives the meat extra flavor, richness, and moisture. Duck fat is wonderful for this, and it fortifies the poultry flavors, but unsalted butter works well, too.

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Should I put a stick of butter in my turkey? ›

Impart rich flavor and add moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey by adding a layer of butter under the skin before roasting. Learn how to do this simple (but genius) technique for a delicious Thanksgiving turkey. I'm Kelly Senyei with http://www.epicurious.com, and this is how to put butter under turkey skin.

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Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›

Roasting the bird slowly, at a lower temperature is the best way to achieve tender meat. You should still prep the bird with butter, salt, and pepper, as described above (or dry-brine it). To cook, set your oven to 325°F and roast for 3½ to 4 hours for a 12- to 14-pound bird.

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What do you put in the bottom of a turkey roasting pan? ›

Place chopped onions, celery, and carrots in the bottom of the roasting pan. Pick a few herbs off the stalks and add to the vegetables. Set aside. Pat dry the turkey with paper towels.

Should you bake a turkey covered or uncovered? ›

To achieve a perfectly golden, juicy turkey, let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered in the oven. We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out; then, during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the cover so the skin crisps in the hot oven.

Is it better to cook a turkey on a rack or on the bottom of the pan? ›

A roasting rack will make your turkey more delicious

The main reason is that a rack literally lifts the turkey off the bottom of the pan. This ensures that hot air circulates around the bird as it's roasting, producing a more even cook by allowing heat to reach every surface of the skin.

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What is the secret to a moist turkey? ›

Brine your turkey for the best juicy bird.

In recent years, brining has become more popular and can be done with either a wet or dry brine. A wet brine involves immersing the turkey in a salt-water solution for 12-24 hours. Dry-brining is where salt is rubbed over the turkey skin for 24-48 hours before cooking.

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Why not cook turkey in roasting pan? ›

The roasting pan ends up shielding the bottom part of the turkey from the heat of the oven. The lower parts (thighs and wings) will cook more slowly, meaning the breast might get quite overdone by the time the thighs are ready, and that bottom part of the bird won't brown.

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How do you elevate a turkey in a roasting pan? ›

All you have to do is mold a sheet of foil into two rings—one to support the top and bottom halves of the turkey—which will elevate the bird in the pan, allowing the juices from the turkey to drip down. If you're roasting a small turkey (say, under 10 pounds), you can get away with just a single ring.