Broiling is a quick and healthy cooking method that uses direct heat to cook food. It’s perfect for lean meats like chicken, fish, and turkey. Broiling allows the fat to drip away as the meat cooks, keeping it moist while developing a crispy, caramelized exterior. But is broiling the right technique for cooking a whole turkey? Let’s take a closer look at how to broil a turkey and if it’s the best method.
What is broiling?
Broiling uses high heat to cook food quickly. A broiler is a special drawer or compartment in the oven that generates intense heat from above the food. Broilers are usually powered by gas or electricity and can reach very high temperatures, around 500-550°F. The intense overhead heat sears and crisps up the exterior of meats and other foods placed below the broiler.
Some key features of broiling include:
– Uses direct, overhead radiant heat to cook food
– Temperatures typically range from 400-550°F
– Cooks food very quickly and leaves a crispy, browned crust
– Allows fat to drip away as food cooks
– Works best for thinner cuts of meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables
Broiling rapidly cooks and browns the exterior surfaces while allowing the interior to stay moist. It’s ideal for finishing off dishes or cooking small, thin items. Thicker cuts of meat may end up undercooked in the center if broiled for too long. So broiling works best on foods that cook quickly, like burgers, chicken breasts, steaks, chops, fish fillets, shrimp, and vegetables.
Is broiling suitable for cooking a whole turkey?
Broiling uses intense overhead heat, so it’s not the ideal cooking method for a whole turkey. Here are some reasons why broiling a whole turkey has challenges:
– Turkey is a large, thick cut of meat. The thick, dense breast meat can end up undercooked if broiled. The interior takes longer to cook than a thin poultry breast or chops.
– The skin may burn or char before the inside is fully cooked. Broilers generate intense top heat that can overcook the exterior before the inner meat is safe to eat.
– Turkeys have both light and dark meat. The lean white breast meat cooks faster than the fattier, darker thigh and leg meat. This can lead to uneven cooking.
– Basting is difficult with broiling. Turkey benefits from frequent basting as it roasts to keep the meat moist. Broiling makes basting tricky.
– Smoke is a problem. Turkey skin and drippings can generate a lot of smoke under a broiler. This can set off smoke alarms and make the kitchen smoky.
So while broiling can be great for cooking chicken breasts, pork chops, or salmon fillets, it’s not the best match for cooking a full-size turkey. The intense overhead heat of broiling can lead to charring, undercooking, and uneven results when cooking a turkey whole.
Benefits of roasting vs. broiling turkey
Roasting is a much better technique for cooking whole turkeys. Here are some benefits of oven roasting compared to broiling:
– Roasting uses indirect heat that gently cooks the turkey. Ovens generate heat from all directions, slowly penetrating deep into the meat for even cooking.
– Roasting allows turning and basting. Basting the turkey with pan juices helps keep it incredibly moist as it cooks. Broiling makes basting challenging.
– Roasting won’t burn the skin before the meat cooks. Oven heat is gentler than an overhead broiler, avoiding charring issues.
– Roasting cooks light and dark meat evenly. The indirect heat and occasional basting leads to perfectly cooked breast and leg meat.
– Roasting contains the smoke and drippings. Turkey releases juices and fat when roasted, but the contained oven prevents smoke issues.
– Roasting lets you add aromatics. Surrounding turkey with vegetables, herbs, broth, and spice rubs infuses it with flavor.
So roasting allows turkey to cook low-and-slow to get beautifully browned, tender, and juicy meat throughout. The indirect heat avoids charring the skin or undercooking the thick cuts of meat. While broiling turkey has some challenges, roasting delivers perfect results every time.
How to roast a turkey
Here are some tips for roasting turkey successfully:
Choose the right turkey size
Pick a turkey size appropriate for the number of people you are serving. Estimate about 1 pound of turkey per person. Allow extra if you want ample leftovers. Small turkeys cook faster, while large birds over 20 pounds need extra time.
Thaw completely
Keep turkey frozen until 1-2 days before cooking. Thaw turkey in the fridge, allowing 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds. Cook from fully thawed, never partially frozen.
Dry the skin
Pat turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Air drying in the fridge overnight also helps crispy skin form.
Season generously
Coat the cavity and under the skin with salt, pepper, herbs, butter, and aromatic stuffing. This infuses flavor throughout.
Tie the legs together
Tucking the tips of drumsticks under band of skin on tail keeps them close to the body for even cooking.
Use a rack in a roasting pan
This allows air circulation all around for heat to penetrate from all sides. The rack keeps the turkey out of the drippings.
Baste frequently
Every 30 minutes, baste turkey with the pan juices, butter, broth, or other liquid to keep the meat moist.
Cook to 165°F internal temperature
Check temperature in the thickest part of the thigh and breast to ensure turkey is fully cooked.
Let rest before carving
Allowing turkey to rest for 30 minutes after roasting makes the juices redistribute for moister meat when sliced.
Following these tips will deliver a perfectly roasted turkey with golden crispy skin, tender and juicy meat, and amazing flavor.
How long to broil a turkey?
Broiling a whole turkey is not recommended. The intense overhead broiler heat will likely burn the skin and outer layer while leaving the inside undercooked. Plus basting is difficult under a broiler.
If you do try broiling turkey, watch it extremely carefully. Broil on low heat with turkey about 6 inches from the heating element. Turn frequently and tent with foil to avoid burning. Check temperature often, removing turkey once breast and thigh meat reach 165°F.
Expect broiling to take less time than roasting, but results may not be ideal. A 12-15 pound turkey may broil through in about 1 hour if care is taken not to burn the exterior. But for the best, most foolproof turkey, oven roasting is a far better choice than broiling.
Broiling turkey parts
Broiling can be great for cooking boneless turkey cutlets, turkey tenderloins, drumsticks, wings, thighs and other smaller turkey pieces. The high heat quickly crisps the skin and cooks the meat.
Marinate turkey parts first for extra flavor and juiciness. Popular marinades include lemon, garlic, herbs, buttermilk, yogurt, wine, soy sauce, mustard, and more.
Pat turkey parts very dry before broiling to help browning. Place on a broiler pan coated in oil to prevent sticking. Broil 4-5 inches from heat, turning once halfway through cooking.
Check thickness and remove smaller pieces once they reach 165°F internal temperature. Larger cuts like bone-in thighs or drumsticks may need up to 25 minutes under the broiler, checking frequently to avoid charring.
Well-marinated, broiled turkey parts make amazing appetizers, sandwiches, or entrées with slightly charred crispy skin and tender, juicy meat.
Best practices for broiling any meat
While broiling a whole turkey is not recommended, you can broil a variety of other meats successfully. Follow these tips:
– Choose thinner cuts, ideally 1 inch or less. Thick steaks, chops, and chicken breasts may not cook through before burning.
– Always pat meat very dry before broiling to encourage browning. Rub with oil to prevent sticking.
– Preheat broiler for 5 minutes on high before cooking. Place oven rack 4-6 inches from heat source.
– Flip meat halfway through cooking to expose all sides to the intense heat.
– Brush glazes or sauces only in the second half of cooking to avoid burning.
– Check temperature before removing meat from the broiler. Fish and poultry should reach 145°F. Red meats should reach at least 145°F for medium rare.
– Let meat rest 5 minutes before serving so juices redistribute after cooking.
When done right, broiling can deliver delicious, quick, nicely browned meat in minutes with very little added fat or calories.
Common questions about broiling turkey
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about broiling turkey:
Can I broil a turkey breast?
Boneless, skinless turkey breast cutlets about 1 inch thick can be successfully broiled. Pound them to an even thickness, brush with oil, and broil 4-5 minutes per side until 165°F. Bone-in turkey breast is very thick and likely to burn externally before fully cooking through.
Does broiled turkey taste as good as roasted?
Not usually. Roasting allows flavoring the bird inside and out, basting, and slow cooking for moist, tender meat. Broiled turkey often ends up unevenly cooked and prone to drying out.
Can I broil just part of the cooking time?
You could try starting turkey in the oven then moving to broiler briefly just to brown the skin, similar to using broil on a baked chicken dish. But constant monitoring would be needed to avoid burning. Roasting delivers superior flavor and texture.
What about grilling instead of broiling?
Grilling over indirect heat is an option for cooking whole turkey. This mimics roasting by surrounding the turkey in gentle heat. But frequent basting is still required, so roasting in the oven is usually easier. Grilling turkey parts works well.
Is broiled turkey healthy?
Lean turkey can fit into a healthy diet and broiling allows fat to drip away. But broiling may also cause charring or overcooking that can create harmful compounds. Moderation is key. Roasting retains more vitamins and antioxidants from vegetables in the cavity and pan.
Conclusion
Broiling uses very intense, direct heat from above the food, which is great for searing smaller, thinner cuts of meat. But this cooking method is not the best option when preparing a whole turkey. The dense, thick turkey can end up unevenly cooked, dried out, or burnt on top if simply broiled. Oven roasting is a much better technique for cooking turkey as it gently surrounds the bird in ambient heat for thorough, even cooking. Basting also keeps roasted turkey incredibly moist and flavorful. While you can successfully broil turkey parts, broiling a whole turkey is not recommended due to the likelihood of poor results. For your holiday centerpiece bird, stick to roasting in the oven for superior texture, taste, and juiciness to your turkey every time.