What is the secret to getting a nice brown skin when baking a turkey? Mine are always moist but the skin is barely brown. Maybe I'm basting it too much? Usually do so every 30 minutes.

High temp to start, then lower the temp and cook to 160. Don't cook at a steady temp entire time

As for basting, 30 minutes is not the worst thing, depending on other factors. What temp are you cooking at? Do you rub the inside and/or outside the skin with butter? How much liquid is in the roasting pan? Is the liquid hot (bubbling)?


If you have a convection oven it will brown much better in convection mode. Convection will also dry things out, maybe a quick blast at the end if trying everything else does not work out for you.

The skin needs to be as dry as possible, dry brine is the answer.

Your skin is too wet.

Separate the skin from the meat

Supposedly Michael Symon's cheesecloth turkey works very well. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-symon/mezcal-and-maple-roasted-turkey-in-cheesecloth-11957098.amp

I always pat the turkey dry with paper towels and put butter on it. Comes out brown every year.

I pat the turkey dry to start but am basting the entire turkey, including top skin, every 30 minutes.

I usually cook at 350 degrees. I also typically inject it with a mixture of butter, apple juice and grounded sage, rosemary and thyme before starting the baking process.

The usually baste it with the juices that collect in the cavity. Therefore, the basting mixture is typically warm to hot as it cooks.

I spatchcocked my turkey this year. Best skin I have ever had in a turkey. Recipe I followed (for 12-14lb bird) was to cook at 450 for 80 minutes. Butterfly it the day before and leave it in the fridge, UNCOVERED, to allow the skin to dry. Then rub it down with olive oil. It worked really well. Crisp, brown skin, moist meat.

Coat the Turkey (under the skin) with herb butter. I use a wood spoon to help lift the skin...careful not to puncture.
Then coat the entire Turkey with same herb butter.
Season or stuff as desired. The skin will be a golden brown to brown color. I usually tent at the halfway and then remove for the last 30 minutes.

Pat it dry. Then spritz with olive oil and salt.