Uh-Oh: You Overcooked The Thanksgiving Turkey. Here's How To Fix It

It's that time of year again—when your oven is running 24/7, there's a line of side dishes jostling for their turn, and that big, beautiful turkey is taking its sweet time, hogging all the room. With so much going on, it's easy to lose track and do the unthinkable—overcook the turkey.

But don't worry—dried-out turkey can happen to the most experienced Thanksgiving cook. It's not even necessarily your fault—turkeys are so darn huge that they take FOREVER to roast. By the time the dark meat reaches that crucial 180˚F, you may have overcooked the breast meat. That's why we have that magical elixir called gravy. Whether you prefer old-fashioned gravy, make-ahead gravy, or this special quick turkey gravy, any homemade turkey gravy recipe is here to the rescue.

How To Fix Overcooked Turkey With Gravy

Gravy isn't just for serving at the table. You can also use it to "rehydrate" the turkey before you serve it. Ina Garten has a genius method for plating sliced turkey on top of a layer of gravy—it's a great make-ahead tip, but it also happens to be a smart solution for overcooked turkey.

Before you carve the bird, ladle a ¼-inch of hot gravy onto a serving platter, then arrange the carved turkey on top of the gravy and drizzle evenly with extra gravy. (You may have to thin the gravy a little bit with chicken or turkey stock to make it the right consistency for drizzling.) Serve the carved plated turkey on the table with extra—you guessed it—gravy.

Homemade Is Best

Speaking of gravy, this is not the time to use the jarred stuff. Take an extra 10 to 15 minutes and make it from scratch. It's easier than you think. You want gravy that is so silky smooth, so luscious, and so savory that no one will even notice that the turkey is bone-dry.

And just in case you're still nervous about making gravy from scratch, don't worry—we're here to help. We've got all the gravy tips you need—especially how to thicken gravy. Trust us, you can do it!

How To Fix Overcooked Turkey With Stock

In addition to gravy, you can also save dry turkey with a little chicken (or even better, turkey) stock or broth. Place your carved meat in a shallow baking dish and cover it with stock. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in low oven, somewhere around 250 degrees, for 5-10 minutes. The dryness won't be entirely gone after this short broth bath, but the turkey will definitely be more moist than before.

How To Fix Overcooked Turkey With Butter

Melted unsalted butter will also do the trick, but don't overdo it—a little bit goes a long way. Unlike gravy.