Alton Brown's Roast Turkey
What better recipe to start out with from this week's Good Eats: The Early Years than Alton's roast turkey. He explains every detail, from the brine—a mix of vegetable broth, brown sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger—to the roasting.
Good Eats Roast Turkey
- serves 10 to 12-
Ingredients
For the brine:
1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
1 gallon vegetable broth, homemade or canned
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons candied ginger, chopped
1 gallon water, iced
For roasting:
1 red apple, quartered
1/2 onion, quartered
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Procedure
1. Two to three days before roasting, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38°F tops.
2. Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine.
3. The eve before roasting, combine the brine and iced water in a cooler. Place the thawed turkey (guts, neck, and whatnot removed) breast side down in the brine. Seal up the cooler and use is as an ottoman.
Target brine time: 12 hours; flip the bird once about halfway through.
4. Roasting day: Heat the oven to 500°F.
5. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out. Discard brine.
6. Place the bird on a roasting rack and place inside a roasting pan. Pat the bird dry (inside and out) with paper towels.
7. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add to the turkey's cavity, along with the rosemary and sage. Truss, if you like.
8. Lightly coat the bird with canola oil. Roast the bird on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
9. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
10. Roast until the thermometer registers 155°F, about 2 1/2 hours.
11. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
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27 Comments:
Its really tragic Alton doesnt believe in "STUFFING" the bird,....so yummy!
Lvn4life at 1:14PM on 11/23/09
This same recipe on the food network site has a different target temp. They list it as 161 degrees. Is this a typo or do you recommend 155 degrees? Just curious since this is the recipe I will be using. Thanks!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html
Mike T at 1:30PM on 11/23/09
I'm over the whole "stuffing" thing. This bird sounds awesome! Can't wait to try it.
Hobsy at 1:33PM on 11/23/09
I made this last weekend but used the Cranberry-Maple glaze from Paula Deen to finish it off... it was pretty fantastic, I'd highly recommend.
jdavis81 at 1:46PM on 11/23/09
My favorite story is about a Thanksgiving that I wasn't there to share. My grandmother cooked and cooked and served many a guest. Wasn't until the end of the dinner that someone realized they had eaten sides and no turkey. Didn't miss it.
aabinfl at 1:48PM on 11/23/09
@Mike T - you want the temp of the bird to be 165 when you serve it, so taking it out of the oven at 155 and letting it rest (covered in foil) for 30-45 minutes will bring the bird up to temp. Just make sure you take the temp from a couple places - like leg/thigh joint and a breast spot.
I really like Alton's recipe for brine - we'll see how it does in a smoker instead of an oven.
NCGourmet at 2:09PM on 11/23/09
I only have one problem with AB's brine, the ingredients wind up costing more than the turkey. Turkeys are on sale for $0.39#, candied ginger, allspice berries and a gallon of broth cost a hell of a lot more.
dmcavanagh at 2:22PM on 11/23/09
This is a great recipe! I used it last week and it turned out really well! =)
Ambitous at 2:25PM on 11/23/09
the one thing that strikes me as "off' about this recipe is microwaving the apple etc for 5 minutes... seems to me that it would be a nuclear-hot mushy mess after that long. I've made alton's turkey before several times for thanksgiving... shouldn't it be more like 2.5- 3 minutes?
mr guy at 3:11PM on 11/23/09
I've been using this recipe with a few modifications for the last 4 years and it makes a stunning bird. I make my own veg broth so it's much cheaper than dmcavanagh is referencing. Besides, don't we all make our own stocks here?
Bunnyman at 3:45PM on 11/23/09
I’ve been making my turkey this way for the past three years and it has always come out spectacular! I can’t always find vegetable stock so I have substituted chicken – no big deal. Also, because I find it difficult to locate small quantities of allspice berries and candied ginger, I just throw in some ground allspice and ginger. It seems fine to me.
As for the apple question – I do microwave it for the listed time and it has always come out okay, albeit it scorching hot! Lol
I hope those of you who have not tried this recipe give it a shot this year – it’s incredible.
As a side note, last year I let the bird rest for 1.5 – 2 hours and it was my best bird to date!
virgogrrl at 4:09PM on 11/23/09
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cider-Brined-and-Glazed-Turkey-233148
This is the most amazing turkey ever....trust me.
funkopolis at 4:55PM on 11/23/09
This is the recipe I use, with minor modifications to the brine depending on what I have on hand (I always at least keep the salt/sugar/liquid ratio the same and use the same cooking technique, I just might leave out or substitute some of the spices and aromatics). I'm sure there are plenty other ways to roast a turkey that give a fine result, but this works great so I'm sticking with it.
And I'm with Alton on STUFFING IS EVIL! I mean, the best part of stuffing/dressing is the crispy top, and cooking it in a pan in the oven results in much more crispy top than if it was inside a turkey.
Also, have you tried his savory corn bread pudding recipe from this same episode? It's sort of a cross between bread pudding and cornbread stuffing and it is TO DIE FOR. I've brought it to Thanksgiving potlucks and people will stalk me and ambush me wanting the recipe. It totally makes up for the lack of Evil Stuffing.
Neohippie at 5:21PM on 11/23/09
@dmcavanagh: I buy small amounts of allspice/candied ginger at Whole
Foods, which carries spices in bulk, and it usually doesn't cost more than $2 total. And I definitely don't make my own stock, just using a bit of whatever stock's on sale at Kroger. For me, the important part of the brine is the ratio of water::salt.
Look up other brine recipes that are just simple herbs/spices, water, and salt. You don't have to follow the recipe word-for-word, but don't let that deter you from trying AB's general approach to the turkey.
mmmyummay at 7:44PM on 11/23/09
I have been using this since 2001 and its spot on.
JerzeeTomato at 9:57PM on 11/23/09
I've been using this recipe for years as well. My caveat -- I put a couple of cans of low sodium chicken broth in the pan. That way when the bird is on high heat, if there's dripping oil, it doesn't cause a smoky mess. And yes, I know this from experience. ;-)
iahawk89 at 11:31PM on 11/23/09
@Mike T: We double-checked the recipe in the book and it definitely says 155 so maybe FN is taking the more cautious route?
EatingInWonderland at 12:27AM on 11/24/09
@iahawk89 - that is a fantastic tip! I set the smoke alarm off every year and I think the hubby is getting tired of telling ADT that everything is fine, it's only his wife cooking a turkey. lol
virgogrrl at 9:19AM on 11/24/09
Has anyone ever done this bird in a roaster rather than the oven? Wondering if it would still turn out as well?
arwenb at 11:10AM on 11/24/09
The recipe is different than how the transcript of "Romancing the Bird" describes it:
http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season1/Turkey/TurkeyTranscript.htm
The cooking of the turkey begins about two thirds of the way down. In it, he forms an aluminum triangle to cover the breast before putting the bird in the oven. He fits it to form so one doesn't get burned shaping on a hot breast, then removes it before putting the bird in the 500 degree oven. When he turns the temperature down to 350 degrees, he covers the breast with the triangle and inserts the digital probe.
In both the transcript and the Food Network site, he sets the probe for 161 degrees before pulling. I wonder if there are notes regarding changes to the recipe for the reprint in The Early Years cookbook?
Gator Pam at 1:18PM on 11/24/09
I have made this recipe before a few times and I love it! My turkey was so juicy and the leftovers were not dried out like they can be the next day! I would make this again anytime!
chefmeghan at 1:22PM on 11/24/09
I will be making this recipe for the fourth time this year. Every year it turns out so moist and delicious! I can't think of a better way to enjoy turkey!
tastyeatsathome at 1:53PM on 11/24/09
I've made this before. Many years ago. Now instead of brining the bird, I salt brine it (the Judy Rogers way) and then cook it the remaining way he says. I start it higher, then tent, lower and cook the rest of the way. I also do not baste, it is a waste and doesn't darken the skin anymore than basting it. Plus it lowers the temp of the oven and then it takes longer to come back to temp and took cook the way through. The turkey is always so juicy this way. Alton rocks!
RisaG at 4:28PM on 11/24/09
I have always wanted to make a Thanksgiving meal, but my mom and other female relatives all had their roles down and there was no room for change (read: no, Lauri, we have it covered). Finally, one year, we decided to skip the family affair and I would make Alton's brined turkey for my immediate family. After it was cooked and I was prepping the sides, my then-6yr old son came in and snuck a piece of the turkey...and promptly ran outside and threw up.
None of us ate turkey that year. I don't think we ate anything that year.
Larikatz at 7:38PM on 11/24/09
Crap now i have to got the grocery store again lol.
chardonnay at 3:36PM on 11/26/09
SKIP the brining step... it doesn't seem to make that much difference... I know it "retains the juices" better, but just avoiding overcooking works for me. And it's a lot less work! I've done it this way for 5 years now...Good Eats!
JerryTucker at 4:27PM on 11/26/09
BE CAREFUL FOLLOWING THE RECIPIE. I mean no disrespect to the writer, or mean to attack anyone's credibility but the final cooking temperatures are incorrect. As a Certified Food Handler who has had experience handling and cooking poultry I want to offer the following to make sure you and your guests stay safe! The FDA recomendations for the final cooking of temp of poultry MUST reach 165. This is too ensure that any traces of Salmonila, which are found in about 85% of poultry are killed. As a rule of thumb I generally cook bird or bird parts to 170, but not more to make sure that they don't dry out. If you are worried about the meat drying, a broiler pan filled half way with water can help maintain moisture as you safely cook your bird. Happy Thanksgiving!
Disslybits at 4:52PM on 11/26/09