Best Alton Brown Turkey Brine And Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipes

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GOOD EATS ROAST TURKEY



Good Eats Roast Turkey image

This holiday season, serve Alton Brown's most-popular recipe: a brined and roasted turkey from Good Eats on Food Network.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     main-dish

Time 9h45m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey
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
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Steps:

  • Two to three 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.
  • The night before or early on the day 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.

ALTON BROWN'S BRINED TURKEY



Alton Brown's Brined Turkey image

A salt water brine changes the cellular structure of the turkey and allows it to both hold in the moisture, as well as pull the seasonings deep into the meat. It's actually a very simple process that will yield beautiful and delicious results. My mom told me how good Alton's recipe was and that she was going to repeat it again this year. I decided to try it myself. It's, hands-down, the best roasted turkey we've ever had. The brine and aromatics create an amazing symphony of flavors that starts with the aroma of making the brine and follows right through to the rich, full gravy. I've also used this recipe on a whole fresh chicken by halving the recipe and adjusting the cooking times.

Provided by Tinkerbell

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time P2DT3h

Yield 12-14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (14 -16 lb) whole turkey, frozen
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 water, heavily iced
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
canola oil

Steps:

  • 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.
  • 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 rack of roasting 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 cover the breast with a foil triangle. Then 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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 666.1, Fat 31.1, SaturatedFat 8.8, Cholesterol 263.4, Sodium 9696, Carbohydrate 12, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 10.7, Protein 79.3

MY FAVORITE TURKEY BRINE



My Favorite Turkey Brine image

I adapted this recipe from Alton Browns Good Eats Roast Turkey episode based on what I had on hand many years ago. Original recipe at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe.html

Provided by Shontaya

Categories     Poultry

Time P1DT15m

Yield 3-4 gallons, 30 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 1/2 cups kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 -2 gallon water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
4 -5 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs rosemary
10 sage leaves
1 bay leaf
1 gallon ice water

Steps:

  • Combine 1-2 gallons water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaves in large pot over medium heat.
  • Stir to dissolve salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Take the brine off the stove and cool down to room temperature.
  • Mix brine and ice water in a large stockpot or brining bag.
  • Place rinsed and thawed turkey breast side down in brine and cover or tie up brining bag.
  • Place inside of cooler and fill cooler with ice (can also be refrigerated) for 8-24 hours, turning the turkey once half way through.
  • Be sure to drain and rinse well once removed from the brining liquid.
  • Roast or smoke as you normally would.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 20.1, Sodium 5666.4, Carbohydrate 5.2, Fiber 0.1, Sugar 5

GOOD EATS ROAST TURKEY



Good Eats Roast Turkey image

from Alton Brown's show. Brining the bird is the key to moist meat. Made this again this year, only brined in just water instead of stock to save some dough. Again, the bird turned out perfect. Growing up, I hated white meat because it was always dry and grinding on your teeth ;-), now I love white meat. Cook time includes the brining time.

Provided by Gay Gilmore

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time 15h20m

Yield 16 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (16 lb) frozen young turkey
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berry
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon ice water
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
canola oil

Steps:

  • Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stock pot and bring to a boil.
  • Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
  • Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5 gallon bucket.
  • Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours.
  • Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
  • A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees.
  • Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
  • Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.
  • Discard brine.
  • Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage.
  • Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.
  • Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500F for 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350°F.
  • Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161°F.
  • A 14-16 pound bird should require a total of 2-2 1/2 hours of roasting.
  • Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

TRADITIONAL ROAST TURKEY



Traditional Roast Turkey image

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h15m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

One 14 to 16-pound frozen natural, young turkey
1 gallon vegetable broth, homemade or canned
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
1 gallon water, iced
Ice
Canola oil, for roasting

Steps:

  • Two to three days before roasting: Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
  • Combine the broth, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice and ginger in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate the brine.
  • The night before you'd like to eat: Truss the legs of the turkey with kitchen twine if desired. Combine the brine, water and ice in a 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey, with innards removed, breast-side down in the brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover and refrigerate or place everything in a cooler. Turn the bird once halfway through brining.
  • Day of roasting: Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
  • Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the bird with canola oil. Roast the bird on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
  • While the bird is cooking, fold and shape a double thickness of aluminum foil into a closely fitting breastplate.
  • After 30 minutes, decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and cook until the temperature reaches 155 degrees F. Use the breastplate at any point during cooking should the bird become too brown.
  • Rest the bird, covered lightly with aluminum foil, for 15 to 30 minutes. Carve and serve.

ALTON BROWN TURKEY BRINE AND GOOD EATS ROAST TURKEY



Alton Brown Turkey Brine and Good Eats Roast Turkey image

Alton Brown's turkey brine recipe from Good Eats will give you a flavorful Thanksgiving turkey with juicy white and dark meat.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     Thanksgiving     Turkey     Poultry     Christmas     Fall     Christmas Eve     Winter

Yield At least 10-12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

For Turkey Brine
One 14-16-pound frozen natural, young turkey
1 gallon vegetable broth (homemade or canned)
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons allspice berries
1½ tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
1 gallon H2O, iced
For Roasting
1 red apple, quartered
½ onion, quartered
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup H20
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil

Steps:

  • Two to three days before roasting, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38° F, tops.
  • To make the turkey brine: Combine the broth, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, and finger in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine.
  • The eve before roasting, combine the brine and the 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 it as an ottoman. Target bring time: 12 hours; flip the bird once about halfway through.
  • On roasting day: Heat the oven to 500°F. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out. Discard brine.
  • Place the bird on a roasting rack and place inside a roasting pan. Pat the bird dry (inside and out) with paper towels.
  • 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.
  • Lightly coat the bird with canola oil. Roast the bird on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
  • Roast until the thermometer registers 155°F, about 2½ hours.
  • Remove from the oven, cover closely with aluminum foil, and let rest for a least 15 minutes before carving.

Thanksgiving is a day of celebration and feasting. However, we all know that the star of the show is undoubtedly the turkey. Cooking a turkey might seem like a daunting task, but the Alton Brown turkey brine and Good Eats roast turkey recipes make it simple, easy and achievable.

Alton Brown Turkey Brine Recipe

Alton Brown is a famous American television personality, food show presenter, and author who shares his passion and expertise in cooking. His turkey brining recipe is popular among many families and has become a staple in many homes during the Thanksgiving holiday. Here is a breakdown of his brining recipe:
Ingredients:
  • 1 pound brown sugar
  • 1 pound kosher salt
  • 3-4 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon allspice berries
  • 1 tablespoon candied ginger, chopped
  • 1 gallon vegetable stock
  • 1 gallon iced water
Instructions:
  1. Combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, bay leaves, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large pot.
  2. Add vegetable stock and stir the ingredients over medium heat until the brown sugar and salt dissolve.
  3. Remove from heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
  4. Add iced water and stir the ingredients to combine.
  5. Place the turkey in a large brining bag or a container and pour the brine over it. Make sure that the turkey is completely submerged in the brine solution.
  6. Refrigerate the turkey for at least 8 hours, but not more than 24 hours.
  7. Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine solution. Rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
  8. Cook the turkey according to your preferred method.

Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe

Another recipe that has gained a lot of attention is the Good Eats roast turkey recipe by Alton Brown. This recipe is perfect for those who love a juicy and flavorful turkey with crispy skin. Here are the essential ingredients and instructions to prepare a Good Eats roast turkey.
Ingredients:
  • 14-pound turkey
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup unsalted melted butter
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
  2. Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the turkey and discard or save them for later use.
  3. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
  4. Season the turkey with kosher salt and black pepper both inside and outside.
  5. Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan with the breast side facing up.
  6. In a bowl, combine the melted butter and chicken stock, and mix them well.
  7. Brush the butter mixture generously over the turkey, including the legs and wings. Reserve some of the butter mixture for basting later.
  8. Place the turkey in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue cooking for an additional 2 hours and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the turkey.
  10. Baste the turkey with the remaining butter mixture every 30 minutes.
  11. Remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
  12. Serve and enjoy!

Conclusion

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and share a meal with family and friends. The Alton Brown turkey brine and Good Eats roast turkey recipes are two great options to prepare a flavorful and juicy turkey that everyone will love. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced cook, these recipes will make you feel confident and satisfied with the results. Try them for your next Thanksgiving feast, and you won't be disappointed!
When it comes to cooking a turkey, there are countless recipes to choose from. But two popular ones are Alton Brown's turkey brine and his Good Eats roast turkey recipe. Brown is a well-known food personality and his recipes are tried and tested. But it's not just about following the recipe. There are several tips that can make a big difference in how your turkey turns out. Here are some valuable tips when making Alton Brown's turkey brine and Good Eats roast turkey recipes. ## Alton Brown Turkey Brine Tips ### 1. Use the right ingredients The turkey brine recipe calls for kosher salt, brown sugar, vegetable stock, peppercorns, allspice berries, and ginger. Make sure to use kosher salt as it dissolves more evenly than table salt. Brown sugar adds sweetness and helps to create a beautiful golden color on the turkey skin. If you can't find vegetable stock, you can use chicken or turkey broth instead. For the peppercorns, allspice berries, and ginger, use whole instead of ground for more intense flavor. ### 2. Use the right container When making the brine, you need a container that's large enough to hold the turkey and the brine. A large stockpot or a food-grade bucket will do the job. Avoid using metal containers as they can react with the salt and other ingredients in the brine. ### 3. Brine for the right length of time The turkey should be brined for at least 8 hours, but no more than 24 hours. Brining for too long can result in an overly salty and mushy turkey. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged in the brine to ensure even brining. ### 4. Rinse the turkey After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water to remove any excess salt. Pat it dry with paper towels before roasting. ### 5. Use a thermometer The only way to know if the turkey is fully cooked is to check its internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part of the turkey's thigh. The temperature should read 165°F (75°C). ## Good Eats Roast Turkey Tips ### 1. Use the right equipment To cook the turkey, you'll need a roasting pan, a roasting rack, and a meat thermometer. The roasting rack elevates the turkey and allows the hot air to circulate all around it for even cooking. ### 2. Season the turkey Before roasting, season the turkey generously with salt and pepper. You can also add seasonings like thyme, rosemary, and sage to enhance the flavor. Rub some butter or oil all over the turkey to help the skin brown and become crispy. ### 3. Don't stuff the turkey It's best not to stuff the turkey as it can increase the cooking time and result in uneven cooking. If you must stuff it, make sure to stuff it loosely and only with cooked ingredients. Leave some space in the cavity for air to circulate. ### 4. Roast at the right temperature Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and roast the turkey until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C). The amount of time it takes to roast depends on the size of the turkey. A general rule of thumb is to cook the turkey for 13 minutes per pound. ### 5. Rest the turkey After the turkey is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for a juicier and more tender turkey. In conclusion, making Alton Brown's turkey brine and Good Eats roast turkey recipes requires attention to detail and some preparation. Using the right ingredients, the right equipment, and following the cooking instructions, can help you achieve a perfectly cooked turkey. Don't forget to season generously and use a meat thermometer, so you can be sure your turkey is cooked to perfection.

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