The Greatest Roast Turkey Recipe of All Time (The GOAT)

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is lower in saturated fat.

whole turkey

🥗Healthier: organic turkey

💰Cheaper: chicken

Organic turkey is often more flavorful.

chicken broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water with seasoning

Vegetable broth is lower in calories.

fresh herbs

🥗Healthier: dried herbs

💰Cheaper: mixed Italian herbs

Dried herbs are more accessible.

Thaw the turkey in the fridge for 3-4 days or in a sink filled with cold water for about 8 hours, supervising it closely.

Lay the turkey out on a sheet tray and remove the neck, liver, giblets, and heart from the cavity, keeping the neck for gravy.

Cut the skin between the flat and the drumstick of the wings to separate them, then twist and cut to remove the wings.

Prepare a wet brine by adding 4,000 g of water, 400 g of kosher salt, 100 g of sugar, 4-5 bay leaves, and 3-4 heads of garlic (cut in half) into a large pot.

Add a clam shell of poultry blend herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme) to the pot and bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.

After boiling, pour the brine over 4,000 g of ice to cool it down rapidly to around 40°F.

Use a brine injector to suck up the cold brine and inject it into the turkey breast (5-6 injections per breast) and legs (2-3 injections per leg).

Perforate the turkey breast 40-50 times and the legs 20-30 times with the injector tip to create channels for the brine to penetrate.

Dunk the turkey breast-side down into the brine, ensuring the legs are submerged, and cover it before placing it in the fridge to brine for 3 days.

For a same-day shortcut, a different method will be shown later in the video.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens