116 Reviews of Good Eats Roast Turkey

From: MEAN CHEF

On Aug 12, 2002

Although I use a different brine, there is no question that I will not ever roast a turkey without brining. Those who haven't tried it owe it to yourself to give it a shot. You will not be able to go back.

From: Sharlene~W

On Apr 2, 2002

Cooked up my last turkey this way--used everything exactly per recipe except didn't have allspice berries. The meat was tender and moist and not the slightest bit salty. A(lton showed the science behind why the salt isn't absorbed into the meat, but I don't remember the specifics.) I'm a brining convert!

From: Sidney

On Nov 27, 2004

"More work, but more better! Juicy meat, crispy skin, and complex, subtle flavors. Also BEAUTIFUL coming out of the oven! My boyfriend thought I had someone over because I couldn't quit ooh-ing and aaah-ing! I'd never do it differently... — posted Apr 2, 2003, 2 members found this helpful" Updated 11/27/04 - This is a lot of work and SO worth it! I cooked the turkey for the first time for my family and my BF's (the latter family is used to dining at very nice holiday buffets). I brined for 24 hours, and let sit in an empty pot to air dry for another 12 (saves a few paper towel rolls). I depended on a probe, and when it read 161 at the breast and 175 at the thigh, I removed it from the oven. My 17 pound bird only roasted for 2 hours to reach these temps. My mom raved, and my BF's stoic father said mid-feast, "This is the best turkey I have ever had." BF summed it up very well: "Moistest white meat in the world, but a little flavorless in comparison to the dark meat, which is has great flavor (from the aromatics)." Next year, I may rub a salt-garlic-rosemary paste under the breast skin. PLEASE TRY THIS RECIPE. You won’t be sorry.

From: Bergy

On Oct 11, 2005

By far the best turkey I have ever roasted. I followed the recipe exactly. I brined the bird overnight. My 16 lb bird was fully cooked ready to serve in 2hrs 15 minutes. Caution when the bird is at 500 some smoke may occur. When I took it out of the oven I tented the bird in foil and let it rest for an hour - It was still hot when I carved it.. The breast meat was so tender & moist and the bird was golden. Thanks Gay for posting this excellent recipe - I'll never cook my turkey any other way

From: lotusflwr

On Aug 2, 2007

After 2 years, this is now a tradition at my house. My husband was skeptical (his childhood Thanksgiving turkey memories range from undercooked to exploding birds) but now he looks forward to our turkey around the holidays. He is truly a fan of this recipe. He starts anticipating the bird during the trek to Home Depot to pick up a 5 gallon bucket. He also volunteers to get up around 3 am to flip the bird (no, not like that!) He also is in charge of outfitting the turkey with its foil armor, and in charge of setting the thermometer. The two of us really have a blast sharing turkey prep/cooking duty — it's an enjoyable holiday tradition! My family never really had a problem with dry turkeys but even so, my mom and sister rave over this recipe too. It's a lot of work, but once or twice a year is totally worth it! I leave out the candied ginger (couldn't find it the first year I made it). I also don't use an apple or cinnamon for the aromatics — just seemed weird to me and turned out great anyway. Give it a try, you will be amazed how perfectly your turkey will turn out! It makes great sandwiches and soup — assuming you even have any left!

From: AWinPA

On Nov 28, 2006

We will never open the oven door, baste or stuff another turkey. Two years in a row we have made this for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit. We used a 20 lb. turkey, and it still worked fine with these amounts. I used powdered allspice, as I couldn't find the whole berries. I didn't know how to get the stuffing cooked, as there was no room in the oven, so I used a crockpot and added broth to keep it moist. This is our new tradition!

From: Scarlett516

On Nov 15, 2007

I made this before for Thanksgiving. My father wasn't too happy because the turkey is his thing. I had to put the aromatics in the neck since he wanted stuffing in the cavity and he thought the temperature on the recipe was wrong, so we cooked it his usual way (low heat cover until the end and then remove foil) and it still turned out more tender and juicy than usual. Everyone raved and I think my dad will listen to me this year and I'll try to cook it more to the recipe. My father was a bit nervous about the aromatics, but they really only give a hint of flavor and aren't overwhelming.

From: Kapihopela

On Oct 15, 2008

I will NEVER cook a turkey any other way. The only thing I did different from the recipe was rub fresh herbs and butter under the skin just before cooking. My husband says both my mom and his were jealous that my first turkey ever turned out so much better than the ones they'd been making for the last 20 years.

From: Geema

On Dec 29, 2003

I chose this brine for my turkey because it looked both delicious and uncomplicated with basic ingredients. I actually marinated the bird for a total of 12 hours, 6 on each side in a large roasting pan lined with a clean white garbage bag without any chemicals. I enjoyed the use of the aromatics which gave a distinct sweet smell to the meat. The white meal sliced up well, without being dry or shredded. It was a perfectly delicious turkey without a lot of fuss or expensive ingredients. I highly recommend this recipe and thank you for posting it!

From: Dirty Bird

On Nov 14, 2008

Definitely worth the extra effort! I brined mine in one of those orange home depot "paint" buckets that you can buy for like $5 with a lid. Then, stored overnight in a large ice chest filled with ice. Worked great. Thanks for the great recipe.