142.8…Good Eats Roast Turkey

You’re probably not thinking about making a turkey right now. But one day you will and when you do, you need to make this one.

November 2013 552

I use Alton Brown’s recipe, Good Eats Roast Turkey, every year for Thanksgiving and it is ALWAYS at hit. It makes the most moist turkey you’ve ever had in your life. Guaranteed. 

November 2013 554

Good Eats Roast Turkey (Serves 10-12)

Recipe from: Alton Brown, Food Network

Ingredients :
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey


For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon heavily iced water


For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil


Directions:
2 to 3 days before roasting:
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees.


Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.


Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.


Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees  for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Printable Recipe

November 2013 481

Breakfast this morning was scrambled egg beaters with my usual mix-ins.

December 2013 166

I took the kids to school, went to my nail appointment, then to Luna Grill for lunch.

December 2013 168

Greek salad with a chicken kabob. Crack Chicken! :)

How do you prepare your Thanksgiving turkey?

Comments

Popular Posts