Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe With A Twist

Mashed recipe developer Kate Shungu, the food blogger behind Gift of Hospitality, knows a really good thing when she sees it, but she's also not afraid to try to make a really good thing even better. That brings us to what Shungu has done here with Alton Brown's wet-brined "Good Eats" roast turkey recipe (via Food Network). "I knew this recipe had all of the right techniques" that would result in tender, juicy, and flavorful turkey with crispy skin, she explains to Mashed. However, Shungu also believes that, with a few twists, she can get the same results while also ending up with a savory, aromatic gravy to accompany the turkey. (Hello, multitasking efficiency!) Not to mention, it avoids some of the arduous and messy aspects of wet brining.

We'll explain each of Shungu's innovative twists in a bit more detail below. All you need to know for the moment is that you won't have to deal with wet-brining, and that if you live in a multi-resident setting such as an apartment or attached condo community, your neighbors will be thanking you. Keep reading to learn the how, the why, and everything else you'll need to master this Thanksgiving classic-to-be. 

For Shungu's twist on Alton Brown's recipe for "Good Eats Roast Turkey", you'll need a 14 to 16 pound frozen young turkey. For optimal results, you will want to steer clear of any turkey that has been pre-injected with seasonings or pre-brined in any way (such as Butterball). It's not that those can't be delicious, it's just that this recipe imbues its own aromatic flavor into the turkey — both from the inside and the outside, as Shungu explains to Mashed. 

For the outside-in flavor, Shungu employs a dry brine that calls for three tablespoons of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, and  ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice. For the inside-out flavor, you'll be using aromatics in the turkey's cavity. These will include 1 red apple, a sliced ½ onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 10 sage leaves, canola oil, and water. 

Finally, for the gravy (which practically makes itself by the way), you'll need 2 cups of low sodium chicken or turkey stock and a bit of all-purpose flour (cornstarch works for gluten-free cooking). Tools you will need include a roasting pan, a roasting rack to insert in the roasting pan, an oven-safe poultry thermometer, and a saucepan for the gravy.

When you're ready to cook the turkey, preheat your oven to 450 F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and wipe off the excess dry brine with wet paper towels. Place the aromatics — the sliced apple, onion, cinnamon stick, along with 1 cup of tap water in a microwave-safe dish, and microwave them for five minutes. Strain the apple, onion, and cinnamon stick from the hot water, and transfer them to the turkey's cavity. Add the rosemary and six sage leaves to the cavity, as well.

To make the sage gravy for Alton Brown's "Good Eats" roast turkey recipe with a twist, start by pouring the turkey drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan into a measuring cup. Pour ½ a cup of the drippings into a saucepan. Add 1 ½ cups of stock and the four remaining sage leaves.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ½ cup of stock and the flour, and shake to form an easy roux. Add the roux to the saucepan and cook for two minutes, whisking occasionally to break up any lumps. Remove the sage leaves if desired. Carve the turkey and serve it with the sage gravy.