7 SURPRISING SCIENCE-BACKED TURKEY TIPS

Use a little chemistry to make this year’s bird the best ever.

- ANNA HEZEL

Dry Out the Bird…

For crispy skin, let your turkey sit in the fridge, uncovered, for a day or two before roasting to reduce moisture. Water is a heat sink, says food scientist Arielle Johnson, PhD, author of Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor. Meaning, it absorbs heat and drives down the temperature of whatever is near it. “And the chemical reactions that cause browning need higher temperatures.” So if the turkey’s skin is wet at all, the water will inhibit browning. You can also salt your bird before you put it in the fridge. Through osmosis, the NaCl draws some moisture from the skin and spreads it through the meat, ultimately making it juicier.

…or Soak It in Buttermilk

Though well aware of the perils of a wet turkey, Nik Sharma, a molecular biologist and the author of