How to minimize heat loss in gas oven when basting

Lori, these are excellent tips, and we agree with your no-basting policy. Though this article explains how to do it if you really *want* to, we agree it only adds to the roasting time and isn't necessary: https://food52.com/blog/28257-how-to-baste-a-turkey

I'll be honest with you, I never found basting worth the effort or hassle. And opening the oven repeatedly with gas or electric causes fluctuations in temperature that just add to the total roasting time. Instead of that, I roast my turkey upside down - breast side down instead of up as usual. That way the juices naturally flow downward to the breast and baste it from inside the bird. About 30 minutes before I expect the bird to be done- or when the internal temp is about 150F, I flip the bird over (yeah- flip the bird, ha ha). Seriously, flip the bird breast side up so the skin browns and crisps up some. I use a clean potholder and a very large spatula up the turkey derriere to do this, but you do you. One other tip, should you decide to do this- put a buttered bit of bread under the breast, between the skin and the rack so it doesn't stick to the rack. Using this method, you can skip the baste entirely. If you really want to add in flavor and fat, spread a coat of herb butter under the turkey skin before you put it on to roast. The added bonus of this method is that it evens out the roast more, so the breast is done at roughly the same time as the thighs because the thighs are more exposed to heat. I know- it sounds weird, but it works. And it would solve your heat loss problem. Not to mention, it frees you from the hassle of basting.