Calling all turkey roasters! If you’re responsible for this year’s Thanksgiving centerpiece, you already know the fear that haunts you Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night: a dry bird. We shudder at the thought!
There are countless tips online on how to prevent your turkey from drying out in the oven: wet brining, dry brining, buttering under the skin, basting, high oven temperature, low and slow cooking… It’s enough to make anyone spiral. But in the middle of all that turkey noise, there’s one lesser-known technique that culinary greats have quietly sworn by for decades…
Cheesecloth! Yes, the same stretchy white fabric you bought during your DIY almond-milk era is actually the secret to your juiciest turkey ever.
Everyone from the incomparable Martha Stewart to Iron Chef and cookbook author Alex Guarnaschelli recommends dousing a layer of cheesecloth in melted butter and draping it over your turkey before placing it in the oven.
Martha soaks her cheesecloth in butter and an entire bottle of wine for flavor. We see you, Martha.
Guarnaschelli calls the method a turkey moisture “insurance policy.”
And while this trick is trending on TikTok in 2025, it was first popularized by Julia Child’s The French Chef on PBS. This cheeseclothed turkey is from way back in 1971:
Start by preparing your whole turkey using your favorite recipe (we love this one). Once your turkey is in the roasting pan and your oven is preheating, it’s time to break out the butter and cheesecloth.
Melt about half a pound (two sticks) of butter for a medium turkey (10–17 pounds). You can season the butter for extra flavor, but it’s not necessary!
Then, soak a large sheet of cheesecloth and drape it directly over the turkey’s skin.
So, how does this prevent dry turkey meat?
You’ve probably heard “fat equals flavor.” Well, in this case, fat also equals moisture. Turkeys — especially the breast meat — are naturally lean, so the butter gives the bird a much-needed protective fat layer. The butter-soaked cheesecloth shields the turkey from direct oven heat while still allowing hot air to circulate.
As for why the cheesecloth doesn’t burn? The butter fat protects it from scorching, and the cloth holds that butter right where it needs to be: on the turkey, doing its moisture-locking magic.
Because cheesecloth is porous, the skin still browns beautifully underneath. Remove the cheesecloth once the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, and you’ll reveal a bird that’s juicy inside, crisp and golden outside, and absolutely ready for the Thanksgiving table.
Some home cooks swear by basting for a juicy turkey, but we think this method is far superior to basting (and means you don’t have to stay close to the stove for the hours the turkey is in the oven).
So, take our advice: Grab some cheesecloth and a few sticks of butter, and impress everyone this Thanksgiving.
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