Is there a turkey baster design that doesn't shoot hot liquid all over the kitchen?

[Dee*Jay]

I think the title says it all...

Any ideas will be much appreciated!

Please forgive me if it takes a little while for me to reply to this thread as I'll be washing turkey juice off of all the walls and cabinets.

 

[Karl_K]

rofl!!!!! sorry but rofl!!!!

 

[Lookinagain]

I sure hope so. I got one for Christmas (yes, I asked for one) but haven't tried it yet. I had no idea shooting hot liquid all over the kitchen would be an issue!

 

[telephone89]

I’m team banish the baster! It sogs out the skin and opening the oven to frequently baste means inconsistent temperature and cooking.
But if you really like the extra moisture what about using a spray bottle with some delicious concoction a la bbq postmaster style?

 

[pearlsngems]

I gave up basting! Now I loosen the skin of the turkey breast and put pieces of unsalted butter under it, between the skin and the meat.
As the turkey roasts, the butter melts, moistening the breast.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Let me clarify a few things... the baster is actually used (in this household) NOT to baste the turkey. Oh no -- not here! The baster is used to suck up the juice from the bottom of the pan sitting on the counter and put it in the OTHER pan where it is then made up into gravy, and exists in between those two pans as a cannon of bubbling hot meat juice. The sucking up part is not the problem; the part where the pressure on the bulb is released as the "tube" is going from vertical to horizontal is the problem. In that moment the stuff that previously went IN to the tube then shoots OUT. If you don't know what I'm talking about (a) good for you!, (b) don't try to MAKE this happen to understand what I'm talking about, just TRUST me that it does, and (c) you are missing out on an essential holiday ritual. We'll call it The Hot As Hell Liquid Baptism Of The Kitchen.

I have googled every damn thing I can think of and there is apparently no tool invented to address this issue. Perhaps what I should be googling is where to order next year's Christmas dinner from because that is apparently the only solution to this problem.

 

[LilAlex]

I have googled every damn thing I can think of and there is apparently no tool invented to address this issue.

Tilt the pan and use a long metal spoon? I think that's what we have done -- we are not big gravy people but my inlaws sure are!

 

[kenny]

LOL and FOF, falling on floor
Grrrrrrl, you gotta post a video!

 

[kenny]

... a cannon of bubbling hot meat juice. ...

Oh my!

 

[Matata]

@Dee*Jay, no one mountains a molehill funnier than you do.

 

[SparklieBug]

@Dee*Jay Maybe something like this?

OXO Gravy Separator on Bed, Bath and Beyond.

 

[SparklieBug]

@Dee*Jay, no one mountains a molehill funnier than you do.

+1 ^

 

[Dee*Jay]

Is this really the only place on the planet where this happens... ?!??!?

HOW do you make gravy? Really -- I'm not kidding! Like HOW do you get the juice into the pan with the flour... ? Big long spoon like Alex suggested? The pan is ginormous though, and usually still inhabited by The Bird, so tilting it wouldn't be a baptism of hot meat juice (easy Kenny!), it would be an ERUPTION. Perhaps even a tsunami. I can already see in my mind's eye the whole frickin' think sliding right off the counter... Drenched walls and cabinets and appliances -- oh my!

Sparklie, I would LOVE to use something like that! But I think it's kind of a Step Two tool and I am CLEARLY stuck on Step One.

 

[telephone89]

Lol! I can only speak for myself but I let the bird cool a bit and move it to a carving board. Then I will either make the gravy in the bottom of the roasting pan or just pour the liquid into the gravy pan. The gravy/fat separator posted is nice because you would just pour it in and it has the sieve on top for any chunks. But you’d still need to pour the drippings into it.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

I think moving the bird first to be carved AND THEN tilting the pan to scoop the juice will alleviate your issue. That's how we do it and it's easy peasy.

Good luck & may the force be with you!

 

[SparklieBug]

LOL! I let the turkey cool a bit, then remove it from the roasting pan to a platter or carving board, and cover it loosely with foil. Then pour the pan drippings and juice into a small pot for gravy. I don't have one of the separators but a friend swears by hers.

 

[MamaBee]

I know exactly what you’re talking about! It’s horrible. When you suck the juice out of the pan..immediately put your finger over the hole of the baster and bring it to where you want it to go..

 

[Garnetgirl]

I buy canned gravy, already prepared

But I am not really a gravy person, and neither is hubby.

 

[Matata]

@Dee*Jay, please tell us you'll retire your turkey baster and try the method advocated by Telephone89 and others. You know you can get pregnant with turkey baster, right? Best to just put it in drawer or in a shadow box on the wall.

 

[kenny]

I faintly remember parents making gravy in the bottom of the turkey pan.
First they'd remove the bird.
Then angle the pan to skim off some, not all, fat.
Then put some thickenerinto a 1 pt pyrex bowl, flour, arrowroot, or cornstarch.
Slowly pour in a little drippings and stir into a thick paste.
Gradually stir in some more drippings, then more flour till all the drippings are added and the right amount of thickener is added.

The gradual steps of thinner and thinner paste prevent clumping of the thickening powder.
IOW, don't add power to the drippings, add drippings to the powder.

But get the bird out of the pan so you can lift the pan and do the final stirring in the pan.
Use a metal spatula (hamburger flipper) to stir so you can scrape and incorporate the flavorful burnt-on crusty gunk on the pan.

Season to taste, salt pepper etc.

 

[Lookinagain]

let the bird cool a bit and move it to a carving board. Then I will either make the gravy in the bottom of the roasting pan or just pour the liquid into the gravy pan.

That's what I do. I usually make it in the bottom of the roasting pan so I can get all the brown bits into the gravy.

 

[pearlsngems]

I don't make gravy!

 

[kenny]

I don't make gravy!

+1

Now that I'm in my "declining years" I eat more for health than pleasure.
I wish I had done this my entire life.

 

[ringo865]

Lol! But yah, the trick is to not tilt the full baster at all. If you cannot put your finger over the opening as @MamaBee said (good idea, haven’t done that!), basically have both pans next to each other. Squeeze the bulb end and Insert the empty baster opening into the juice and touch the bottom. Now, while gently moving the “tip” back and forth (to stir debris out of the way) while releasing the bulb slowly… very slowly…Once the bulb has nearly —but not fully— released, lift the entire baster straight up out of the juice (don’t tilt it… keep “tip“ down) and slowly let the bulb release the rest of the way while quickly moving the tip over into the “gravy pan” where you can slowly squeeze it out. It will likely dribble a little, but being right next to the other pan will help a lot and it won’t baptize anyone.

The key is to not point that sucker in any direction other than tip down. Added perk, not tipping will keep all that oily juice out of the bulb for easier cleaning

 

[YadaYadaYada]

No baster here, I just use a giant metal spoon, worked fine this past Thanksgiving but we only had a turkey breast. Basting a huge turkey with a spoon would be quite the commitment

 

[rainydaze]

Oh man... you're presentation is hilarious! And I'd be moving. It just sounds easier.

I have used the separator with good result. I have also made the gravy right in the roasting pan, with good result (my current stovetop makes this difficult - it's induction. Works best with gas or electric where the large roasting pan can straddle the burners effectively to get fairly even heating throughout). And I have also placed a tight-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup, tilted the pan of drippings over it to pour them into the measuring cup while straining out the bits & pieces, and then pouring it from the measuring cup into the gravy-making pan.

 

[Karl_K]

the easiest answer.....

 

[Karl_K]

btw thats my answer.
My wifeys is a secret Canadian art that is passed down generation to generation but not taught to those south of the border.
She says i got it you can go and the gravy soon appears all done.

 

[missy]

And this is why I don't cook.

 

[Dee*Jay]

OK... so my two big take-aways here are: 1. Dee is and idiot, and 2. go to Stormy's house for all future meals involving turkey!

I guess the right answer is to remove the bird and either pour the stuff out of the pan or use something like a big spoon or measuring cup or ??? to get the liquid into the other pan to make gravy. Or even make the gravy in the bottom of the SAME pan. Whew. So many options! I may have to have a glass of wine to process all these choices!

And sorry if you people really do think I'm a moron, but I confess this thing has been going on for year upon year. The shooting of hot meat juice across the kitchen has become a much dreaded -- but accepted as INEVITABLE -- part of the process.

Seriously though, if anyone comes across a baster that doesn't act as a lethal weapon upon tilting please TELL ME because I will buy it INSTANTLY!!!