Most roasting guides suggest basting a turkey about every 30–45 minutes, not more often, so the oven doesn’t lose too much heat and the bird still cooks evenly. For many home cooks, a simple, easy rule is to baste roughly once per hour during most of the roast, then every 30–40 minutes in the last hour if you want extra‑crispy, deeply browned skin.
Simple rule of thumb
- Standard-size turkey: baste every 45–60 minutes for most of the cooking time.
- Last hour of roasting: increase to every 30–40 minutes if you like a darker, crisper skin and slightly juicier breast meat.
- Try not to baste more often than every 30 minutes, because opening the oven too frequently cools it down and can noticeably lengthen the cooking time.
Extra quick tips
- Focus your basting on the breast, since it dries out fastest.
- Use pan drippings, melted butter, or a mix of fat and stock for best flavor and browning.
- Always rely on a thermometer more than basting schedule: the turkey is done when the thickest part of the breast and thigh reaches 165∘F165^\circ F165∘F (about 74∘C74^\circ C74∘C).
