A Thanksgiving feast is incomplete without the turkey. To have a crazylicious turkey treat on the holiday feast, try Alton Brown’s Good Eats roast turkey. It is thawed and infused with the most decadent spices and herbs.
The roast turkey for Thanksgiving is kept in brine for about 8 to 16 hours. It is infused with the flavors of onion, rosemary, sage, ginger, and a variety of other spices. Pat the turkey dry before adding the aromatics into the cavity and coating it with canola oil.
To make Alton Brown’s Good Eats roast turkey recipe even more delightful, you can stuff it with vegetables and butter cubes to suit your taste preference. You can also adjust the ingredients and add cheese, garlic cloves, and bacon, depending on your taste preferences.
So, get ready to give a celebrity chef twist to a classic Thanksgiving mascot.
Expert Tips That I Recommend
- Make sure you fully thaw the turkey, as a partially frozen turkey will not cook properly.
- After brining, remove excess salt and pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. A well-dried skin is the secret to crispy skin.
- Before you roast the turkey, keep the brined one aside for 40 minutes; it promotes better flavor.
- Do not overfill the cavity, as it prevents it from cooking properly and leads to raw flavors.
- Avoid opening the oven frequently, as it affects the turkey’s temperature and cooking time.
Recipe Variation for Different Diets
- Keto Version: Swap brown sugar with monk fruit sweetener. Instead of candied ginger, use fresh ginger. Completely avoid using red apples and replace yellow onions with shallots. Instead of canola oil,l add avocado oil to the recipe.
- Gluten Free: Instead of candied ginger, add fresh ginger and use gluten-free brown sugar instead of regular brown sugar.
Nutritional Information
| Calories | 672 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| Protein | 93 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8 g |
| Trans Fat | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 309 mg |
| Sodium | 11194 mg |
| Potassium | 1018 mg |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Vitamin A | 930 IU |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Calcium | 84 mg |
| Iron | 4 mg |
Storing And Reheating This Recipe
Storing
- First, let the recipe cool down completely. Then store the carved turkey, gravy, and stuffing in different airtight containers so it will remain fresh for up to 4 days.
- You can also freeze the Turkey for three months in airtight freezer bags. Make sure you pack the gravy in a separate freezer bag for best results. It will remain fresh for up to 3 to 4 months.
Reheating
- Stovetop: Take a skillet and add Turkey slices with some broth. Cover it lightly with the lid, then reheat over medium to high heat for 5 to 8 minutes until properly heated.
- Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F. Then arrange Turkey slices in it and add a tablespoon of broth or gravy to prevent it from drying;, now cover it with the foil. Heat for 20 minutes until the temperature reaches 165°F.
What To Serve With This Recipe
The Perfect Alton Brown Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe can be devoured with cranberry sauce or turkey gravy. If you want to add something fresh and light to the Turkey, enjoy mixed green salad, or some juicy and crunchy walnut apple salad. Well, Parmesan roasted asparagus is my all-time favorite recipe to enjoy with it.
Printable Version
Alton Brown Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First, thaw the turkey well if frozen.
- Meanwhile, prepare the brine. Add vegetable broth, salt, sugar, pepper, corn, allspice, and ginger in a large stock pot. Then boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar and salt.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let it cool at room temperature. Then refrigerate until chilled.
- Then combine the chilled brine and the ice water in a 5-gallon cooler. Now place the turkey in the brine breast side down, fully immersed, then set in a cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird halfway through brining.
- Heat the Oven to 500°F, and adjust the Oven racks so the turkey fits on the lowest rack.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse the inside and out with cold water. Then discard the brine.
- Place the bird on the flat roasting rack on a half sheet pan and pat very dry with paper towels.
- Free-form an aluminum shield by holding the sheet of foil to form a triangle. Grease slightly with canola oil, then place over the Turkey breast so the point is toward the legs, then press the sides of the foil to form it around the breast and hold its shape.
- Now mix apple, onion, water, and cinnamon. Place in a microwave-safe dish, then heat it for five minutes on high heat, or until aromatic, to the Turkey cavity along with Rosemary and Sage.
- Roast on the lowest level of the oven for 30 minutes. After that, open the Oven and slide the rack out to access the Turkey. You can check the temperature by using a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. After it is prepared, keep it aside for some time.
- After 15 minutes, you can transfer it to a cutting board and carve it.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs About Perfect Alton Brown Good Eats Roast Turkey
Why is my turkey dry?
If your turkey turns out dry after cooking, that probably means it was overcooked. The best way to prevent overcooking is to check the internal temperature and let the turkey rest before carving to retain its juices.
How do I make Alton Brown’s roast turkey?
To make Alton Brown’s Good Eats Roast Turkey, simply follow the instructions. You’ll need a whole turkey, some butter, salt, and pepper. That’s it!
Why isn’t my Turkey skin crispy?
If the turkey skin isn’t crispy, it may not have been dried properly, or it was covered for too long during cooking. So next time, make sure it is uncovered and dried properly to enjoy a crispy turkey.
Is it better to roast a turkey covered or uncovered?
To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.
More Recipes That You Can Try
Alton Brown Thanksgiving Turkey Brine
Alton Brown’s Classic Brined and Roasted Turkey
Whataburger Mushroom Swiss Burger
Beef Stroganoff Without Mushrooms
Conclusion
The Perfect Alton Brown Good Eats Roast Turkey is an ideal combination of crispy skin and perfectly balanced tender, juicy meat. Every single bite is a symphony of fragrant herbs and seasoning. Well, you can add this exquisite preparation to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, as this classic dish will never fail to amaze your guests.
