Ultimate Turkey Rack

For perfectly roasted turkey, slower-cooking dark meat needs a head start, which is why we call for roasting poultry breast side down and flipping midway through. But flipping is a pain. The Ultimate Turkey Rack ($29.95), a metal stand that holds a handled spit, presents a viable alternative: Just slip the bird onto the spit, roast, and turn—no heavy lifting necessary. Its manufacturer claims it can handle any size bird, from 3-pound chickens to 30-pound turkeys. We used it to roast a 3½-pound chicken plus 14- and 24-pound turkeys. All of the birds fit and were easy to flip. However, once the turkeys were breast side up and ready to go back in the oven, we hit a snag: In this orientation, the birds protruded higher above the roasting pan and no longer fit in our smaller ovens. Luckily, we had larger ovens so the turkeys could finish roasting. In sum: The rack made flipping a snap. But before you buy, measure your oven: You need at least 15 inches between the ceiling (or top heating element) and the rack when set in the lowest position (where the roasting pan will sit).