thanksgiving

Yes, You Probably Need a Turkey Baster

updated Oct 21, 2021
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Credit: Lauren Volo

Here’s the deal: You don’t have to baste your turkey. It’s not necessary if you’re brining the bird or cooking it upside down. But if you’re going with the easiest, most classic method, then you really should bust out the baster.

You’ve heard that basting will result in a juicier bird and it’s true. It will! It also does more than that: Basting with pan juices cools the surface of the turkey and slows down cooking, which ensures that the breast meat, legs, and thighs cook at the same rate. And if you baste with melted butter or oil in the last 45 minutes of cooking, the skin will crisp up and turn a beautiful golden-brown. Which, is what turkey goal is all about.

Don’t have a baster yet? Here are a few options:

1. Tovolo Dripless Baster

The bulb has a large capacity to suck up more juice than other basters and it has an internal valve mechanism to prevent drips, keeping your counters clean while you’re doing your thing. It’s also heat-resistant up to 600°F, dishwasher-safe, and comes with a cleaning brush.

2. OXO Good Grips Angled Turkey Baster

This turkey baster has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon and over 3,000 reviews. It also has a built-in stand, easy to read measurements, and an angled design that makes it easier to reach where you need it to — around a roasting pan, in a hot oven, etc.

3. Norpro Plastic Nylon Baster

This baster is just $5, which is a perfect price for a gadget you might be using just once or twice a year. It’s also an Amazon best-seller, with over 10,000 reviews, most of which are five stars. Happy customers call it “perfect” and that it “does exactly what it said it would,” which is all you can really ask.

Do you have a turkey baster you like? Tell us about it in the comments!