Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey

Photo from: Bon Appetit

Recipe from: Food Network Magazine, November 2010

Ingredients:

1 14-16lb frozen turkey

canola oil, for coating

Brine:

1 gal vegetable stock

1 c kosher salt

1/2 c packed light brown sugar

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp allspice berries

1 1/2 tsp chopped candied ginger

1 gal heavily iced water

Aromatics:

1 red apple, quartered

1/2 onion, quartered

1 cinnamon stick

1  water

4 sprigs rosemary

6 leaves sage

Directions:

1. 2-3 days before roasting: Begin thawing turkey in fridge or cooler.

Combine veg stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries and candied ginger in large stockpot over med-hi heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to boil.

Remove brine from heat, cool to room temp and refrigerate.

2. The night before you serve: Combine brine, water and ice in 5-gal bucket.

Place thawed turkey (innards removed) breast-side down in brine.

If necessary, weight down bird so it is fully immerse.

Cover and refrigerate or set in cool area 8-16 hours, turning turkey once halfway through.

3. Preheat oven to 500 F. Remove bird from brine and rinse thoroughly, inside and out.

Discard brine. Place bird on roasting rack inside half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

4. Combine apple, onion and cinnamon stick and 1 c water in microwave safe dish. 

Microwave on high for 5 minutes. 

Add steeped aromatics to turkey's cavity along with  rosemary and sage.

Tuck wings under bird and coat skin liberally with canola oil.

5. Roast turkey on lowest level of oven at 500 for 30 minutes.

Insert probe thermometer into thickest part of breast and reduce oven temp to 350.

Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 F.

14-16 lb bird should require a total of 2 hrs to 2.5 hrs.

Let turkey rest, loosely covered with foil, 10-15 mins before carving.