How to Roast the Thanksgiving Turkey

There is nothing like the smells of Thanksgiving day to bring a family together. The breads, the side dishes and of course the Thanksgiving turkey. But if you're hosting your first dinner it can be a lot of pressure, so follow a few tips to roast your Thanksgiving Day turkey perfectly.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 frozen turkey (14 to 16 lbs.)
• 1 cup salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon negetable stock
• 1 tbs. black peppercorns
• 1 gallon iced water
• Stock pot
• 5 gallon bucket
• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cups water
• 6 basil leaves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 3 cups canola oil (give or take)
• Roasting rack
• Roasting pan

1. Make the brine. In a large stockpot, combine the salt, light brown sugar, vegetable stock and black peppercorns. Bring this to a boil and stir until salt and light brown sugar are dissolved, and then remove from flame and let cool. Once cool, place in fridge until it is thoroughly cold.

2. Thaw the turkey. This can be done by placing the bird in a sink (in its packaging) surrounded by cool water. Please note this will take at least 3 to 4 hours. This process should be started the night before Thanksgiving. You may also place the Thanksgiving turkey in the fridge to thaw, but this make take a day due to the colder temperature in the average fridge.

3. Place the thawed turkey in bucket. Add the brine, your ice cold water, and your turkey (breast side down) in the 5 gallon bucket. Cover this and place in the basement, fridge or even outside if the temperature is above freezing but below 50 degrees, and let the bird sit for 4 to 6 hours. Halfway through this process, flip the bird.

4. Preheat oven, 10 minutes before putting the bird in, to 500 degrees.

5. Microwave your herbs and spices. In microwave safe dish place your apple, onion, cinnamon sticks, water, basil leaves and rosemary. Microwave for 5 minutes.

6. Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse the bird both inside and out and discard the rest of the brine.

7. Place the bird on a roasting rack that will sit inside the roasting pan. Pat your turkey down with paper towels until dry.

8. Add the herbs and spices. These are the aromatics, the flavors of which will be absorbed by your bird while it cooks. Place these inside your turkey.

9. Coat the turkey generously with canola oil. Don't be bashful as this will help crisp the skin and protect the moisture inside of the bird.

10. Begin the roast. Place your bird in the oven, and keep the turkey at 500 degrees for the first 30 minutes of cooking.

11. Remove the bird from the oven. Now cover your bird with aluminum foil. This will keep the skin from burning. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

12. Continue cooking. Place the bird back into the oven for another 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the thermometer (included in almost every bird) pops up. Remove the bird from the oven and let cool.

Resources

• Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

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[sunidae]

on 12/17/2007 thank you Alton Brown ... as I know this is your recipe and thought I'd give you credit for this amazing recipe

[sunidae]

on 12/17/2007 Hmmm- this recipe is actually Alton Brown's from the food network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_8389,00.html
At least give him credit where it is due!