Roasted Turkey

I wanted to try a new, easy roasted turkey recipe this year, so I made Alton Brown’s roast turkey recipe, which sounded interesting and delicious. Since it was a busy week, I made the brine the night before and let the turkey soak for 12 hours before roasting. The herbs & aromatics were steeped in the microwave and then added to the bird’s cavity, which I thought was a clever idea. The skin was crisp and golden, and the meat was tender, juicy, and extra flavorful. We all thought this simple roast turkey recipe was delicious, and it paired nicely with some loaded stuffing (dressing), scalloped potatoes with leeks and thyme, green beans, mushrooms, and crispy shallots, deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls.

Roasted Turkey

Brine:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon of vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1½ tsp allspice berries
• 1½ tsp candied ginger, chopped
• 1 gallon of ice-cold water

Turkey:

• 13 lbs. turkey
• Vegetable oil
• Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of water
• 1 red apple, sliced into wedges
• ½ yellow onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 sage leaves
• 1 large sprig of rosemary

How to Make a Roasted Turkey:

Thaw the turkey completely in the refrigerator for a few days before roasting.

Make the brine by combining the turkey stock, salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Stir well and set aside to cool completely. Refrigerate the brine until you need to use it.

12 hours before roasting, add 1 gallon of ice-cold water to the brine, and stir to mix well.

Remove the giblets from the turkey cavity and rinse with cold water.

Place the turkey, breast side down, in the brine. Use a plate to keep the turkey submerged if needed. Cover the brine container with a lid and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Line a roasting pan with a roasting rack.

Prepare the turkey by removing it from the brine and rinsing it well, inside and out. Pat very dry with paper towels, then place it on a roasting rack in a roasting tray. Slather the turkey with vegetable oil, then season with freshly cracked black pepper.

Steep the aromatics by placing the water, apple, onion, and cinnamon stick in a microwave-proof bowl and cooking on high for five minutes.

Put the steeped aromatics inside the turkey cavity, along with the sage leaves and rosemary sprigs.

Tie the legs together with twine.

Roast the turkey in the HOT oven for 30 minutes.

REDUCE the heat to 350 degrees. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, set an alarm for 161 degrees, and roast for about 2½-3 hours.

Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. Enjoy!