Roast
Turkey
Recipe
courtesy Alton Brown
Prep Time: 15
min
Inactive Prep Time: 7 hr 0 min
Cook Time: 2 hr 30 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 10 to
12 servings
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
Click here to
see how it's done.
2 to 3 days
before roasting:
Begin thawing
the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees
F.
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 F. 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 F for 30 minutes. Insert
a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce
the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm
(if available) to 161 degrees F. 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.
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