Our Readers' Stories of How They Solved Thanksgiving Catastrophes

In honor of Thanksgiving, we polled our followers and fans to find out how they rolled with the poultry punches. Take notes, folks. If they can do it, so can you!
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thermometer in turkey leg

Simmer, Simmer, Turkey Dinner

The turkey was underdone, so I simmered slices in broth. The meat came out piping hot and perfectly cooked. —Jo-Hannah Reynolds, Penn Yan, New York

Bring On The Bubbly

I had never cooked a turkey until I got married. Suddenly faced with a 32-pounder and a new family, I upped the ante on beer-can chicken and poured a bottle of Champagne into the cavity of the turkey. It came out perfectly, and the gravy was divine. —Faithe Longo, Morrisville, Pennsylvania

Flip The Bird

We accidentally cooked the turkey breast-down, then turned it over when we realized what we’d done. That was 20 years ago, before it was a thing. Now we do it every year to keep the breast meat really moist. —Jackie Reed, San Antonio

Who Saw That Coming?

When I was growing up, our oven was on the small side. My mom bought a 30-pound turkey that wouldn’t fit, so my dad chainsawed it in half. Problem solved! —Mary Yates, Buffalo, New York