Fix Your Overcooked Thanksgiving Turkey With One Pantry Staple

It can be quite a challenge to get the cooking time on a whole turkey just right. Between their large size and the lack of uniformity in their bones, they are just tricky to cook evenly — with the breasts often being done long before the legs. The white meat is also just prone to being rather dry. All this makes the holiday birds way too easy to overcook. Fortunately, there is a simple way to save your Thanksgiving poultry and all it takes is a little bit of broth. 

The best part about this trick is that you do not need a specific type of broth. If you only have vegetable or chicken broth in your pantry, that will work just fine. In fact, quite a few chefs recommend using this type of broth for added flavor. The main point here is to rehydrate the meat, and if you can throw in some extra flavor, that's a win.

It might not seem logical, but the key to restoring your Thanksgiving turkey's moistness with broth actually involves more heat. "Once you've determined that the bird is overcooked, the trick is to put it back in the oven," Ranch 45 chef, Aron Schwartz, told Livestrong. Schwartz recommends using a baking bag to rehydrate a whole turkey using a combination of its pan drippings and butter, but this tactic can also work with broth since you're probably saving those drippings for the perfect turkey gravy. 

Don't have a baking bag? Foil will work just fine as a cover. If you're not set on carving the turkey at the table then the best way to moisten dry turkey is to slice the overcooked pieces off and bathe them in broth before placing them back in the oven for a short period. Alternatively, this can also be done on the stovetop. Either way, the dried-out meat will absorb the warm broth, and voilà, you've got deliciously moist turkey!

It might be tempting to serve the turkey with the gravy already on it as a way to make up for any dryness from overcooking. This can certainly work well in most cases, but there are caveats. Unbelievable as it may sound, there could be members of your dining party who actually don't like gravy and would prefer their turkey a little on the dry side — or smothered in cranberry sauce. 

There are also people with special diets to consider. Diners on low-sodium diets might need to limit their gravy intake. For example, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, those with celiac disease should avoid consuming flour, which can be found in traditional gravy recipes. Before relying on gravy to cover up that overcooked Thanksgiving Day bird, it's a good idea to give chicken broth a try. That way everyone can enjoy a moist plate of turkey, whether they want to slather it in gravy or not. After all, why douse your turkey in gravy when you can let your guests have options instead?