Best 5 Alton Brown Honey Brined Smoked Turkey Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Preparing an unforgettable smoked turkey dinner for your loved ones or for a special occasion requires a recipe that delivers on both flavor and tenderness. In this article, we will take you through the steps of creating the perfect Alton Brown Honey Brined Smoked Turkey. This brining technique, coupled with the smoky flavor from the smoker, yields a moist and flavorful turkey that will be the highlight of your meal. We'll cover everything from selecting the right turkey to creating the brine and prepping the smoker. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with this exceptional recipe for Alton Brown Honey Brined Smoked Turkey.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

ALTON BROWN'S BRINED TURKEY



Alton Brown's Brined Turkey image

A salt water brine changes the cellular structure of the turkey and allows it to both hold in the moisture, as well as pull the seasonings deep into the meat. It's actually a very simple process that will yield beautiful and delicious results. My mom told me how good Alton's recipe was and that she was going to repeat it again this year. I decided to try it myself. It's, hands-down, the best roasted turkey we've ever had. The brine and aromatics create an amazing symphony of flavors that starts with the aroma of making the brine and follows right through to the rich, full gravy. I've also used this recipe on a whole fresh chicken by halving the recipe and adjusting the cooking times.

Provided by Tinkerbell

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time P2DT3h

Yield 12-14 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (14 -16 lb) whole turkey, frozen
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
1 gallon water, heavily iced
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
canola oil

Steps:

  • 2 to 3 days before roasting:.
  • Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
  • Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
  • The night before you'd like to eat:.
  • Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
  • Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
  • Place the bird on rack of roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
  • Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and cover the breast with a foil triangle. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 666.1, Fat 31.1, SaturatedFat 8.8, Cholesterol 263.4, Sodium 9696, Carbohydrate 12, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 10.7, Protein 79.3

ALTON BROWN HONEY BRINED SMOKED TURKEY



Alton Brown Honey Brined Smoked Turkey image

Categories     turkey     Thanksgiving     Dinner     Grill/Barbecue

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 quarts Hot Water
1 pound Kosher Salt
2 quarts Vegetable Broth
1 pound Honey
7 pounds Ice
20 pounds Turkey
4 tablespoons Vegetable Oil to rub turkey

Steps:

  • Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.
  • Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.
  • Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.
  • Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.

HONEY BRINED SMOKED TURKEY



Honey Brined Smoked Turkey image

Take your Thanksgiving turkey to the next level this year with Alton Brown's recipe for Honey Brined Smoked Turkey from Food Network.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     main-dish

Time 13h

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Steps:

  • Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid.. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.
  • Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.
  • Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.
  • Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.

HONEY BRINED SMOKED TURKEY



Honey Brined Smoked Turkey image

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004 See this recipe on air Tuesday Nov. 13 at 12:00 AM ET/PT. Show: Food Network Specials Episode: All Star Thanksgiving

Provided by Punkinfaery

Categories     Whole Turkey

Time 4h15m

Yield 10-12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 gallon hot water
1 lb kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 lb honey
1 (7 lb) bag ice
1 (15 -20 lb) whole turkey, with giblets removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for rubbing

Steps:

  • Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up, and cover with cooler lid. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.
  • Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.
  • Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.
  • After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.
  • Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.
  • Recipe Summary.
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Inactive Prep Time: 13 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 958.9, Fat 42.7, SaturatedFat 11.6, Cholesterol 338.6, Sodium 17943, Carbohydrate 37.4, Fiber 0.1, Sugar 37.3, Protein 101.8

ALTON BROWN TURKEY BRINE AND GOOD EATS ROAST TURKEY



Alton Brown Turkey Brine and Good Eats Roast Turkey image

Alton Brown's turkey brine recipe from Good Eats will give you a flavorful Thanksgiving turkey with juicy white and dark meat.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     Thanksgiving     Turkey     Poultry     Christmas     Fall     Christmas Eve     Winter

Yield At least 10-12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

For Turkey Brine
One 14-16-pound frozen natural, young turkey
1 gallon vegetable broth (homemade or canned)
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons allspice berries
1½ tablespoons candied ginger, chopped
1 gallon H2O, iced
For Roasting
1 red apple, quartered
½ onion, quartered
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup H20
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil

Steps:

  • Two to three days before roasting, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38° F, tops.
  • To make the turkey brine: Combine the broth, salt, sugar, peppercorns, allspice, and finger in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine.
  • The eve before roasting, combine the brine and the iced water in a cooler. Place the thawed turkey (guts, neck, and whatnot removed) breast side down in the brine. Seal up the cooler and use it as an ottoman. Target bring time: 12 hours; flip the bird once about halfway through.
  • On roasting day: Heat the oven to 500°F. Remove the bird from the brine and rinse inside and out. Discard brine.
  • Place the bird on a roasting rack and place inside a roasting pan. Pat the bird dry (inside and out) with paper towels.
  • Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon, and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add to the turkey's cavity, along with the rosemary and sage. Truss, if you like.
  • Lightly coat the bird with canola oil. Roast the bird on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
  • Roast until the thermometer registers 155°F, about 2½ hours.
  • Remove from the oven, cover closely with aluminum foil, and let rest for a least 15 minutes before carving.

Tips:

  • Brining the Turkey: Alton Brown's honey-brined smoked turkey recipe calls for a 12-hour brining process, which helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful. Make sure to use a large enough container to accommodate the turkey and the brining solution.
  • Choosing the Right Wood Chips: The type of wood chips you use will impact the flavor of the smoked turkey. For a classic smoky flavor, choose hickory or oak chips. For a more fruity flavor, try apple or cherry chips.
  • Maintaining the Smoker Temperature: It's crucial to maintain a consistent smoker temperature between 225°F and 250°F throughout the smoking process. This will ensure that the turkey cooks evenly and safely.
  • Checking the Internal Temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey. The turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.
  • Resting the Turkey: Once the turkey is cooked, let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful turkey.

Conclusion:

Alton Brown's honey-brined smoked turkey is a delicious and impressive dish that is perfect for special occasions. The combination of the honey brine and the smoky flavor from the wood chips creates a truly unique and unforgettable turkey. By following the tips and instructions provided in this recipe, you can easily achieve a perfectly cooked and flavorful smoked turkey that will be the star of your next meal.

Related Topics