Keeping Poultry Moist

When roasting any bird, but especially the drier kind like turkey and pheasant, it is important to keep the meat as moist as possible. Placing softened butter under the skin can help, or you can cover the bird loosely with buttered paper or foil. To brown the skin, remove the paper or foil for the last 20-30 minutes of cooking time. You can also cover the breast with streaky bacon or with back fat, as the French do.

Another method to help keep a bird moist during roasting is to insert half an onion or a lemon wedge inside the cavity of the bird before roasting.