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Roasted Turkey
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Roasted Turkey

Course Main
Cuisine American
Prep Time 12 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 15 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Author Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original recipe by Alton Brown on Food Network

Equipment

  • Roasting Pan with Rack
  • Meat Thermometer

Ingredients

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 lb 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

Instructions

  • 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; stir to mix well.
  • Remove the giblets from the turkey cavity and rinse it 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.
  • 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 pan.
  • Slather the entire 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.
  • Add the steeped aromatics to the turkey cavity along with the sage leaves and the rosemary sprigs.
  • Tie the legs together with twine.
  • Roast the turkey by placing it in the HOT oven for 30 minutes.
  • REDUCE the heat to 350 degrees and place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, then 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!