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

[@Kevin-zd5bi]

Brining is the process of watching your boy Brine Lagerstrom make a turkey while your own turkey chills in a salt solution.

[@RadianIndustries]

Great video. One note: Orange Home Depot buckets are NOT food grade. Leaktite, the manufacturer, indicates that they use an orange colorant that has not been tested as food-safe. They're also made from recycled plastics which may contain chemical contaminants. That being said, Home Depot does sell food safe 5 gal buckets. They're cheap. Look for the white buckets, they're labelled food-safe.

[@barbthompson2374]

A number of years ago, my chef brother showed me how to debone and roulade the meat around the stuffing. Trussed and roasted it. A-MA-ZING flavor and so moist. My brother is no longer with us, but I cherish this memory of cooking with him. Thanks for making me drool with your version. May give this a try.

[@randellino]

That fridge hack is insane, but makes so much sense if the drawer is cleaned.

[@Werdna12345]

And not cracked. Test in sink with plain water before 🤪

[@cadegibbs8174]

It’s absolutely insane that this content is free. Thank you Brian. Roasting 12 turkeys for this is insane commitment and I can’t wait to try this for thanksgiving this year.

[@richdiddens4059]

This is probably my favorite way to roast a turkey, but not my favorite way to cook one. No, I'm not talking about deep frying. I hate those. My favorite turkey is cooked on an old fashioned BBQ with a rotisserie. As a kid that was our traditional 4th of July dinner. Although brining would have made it even better.

[@awdimmick]

Bri, something I really appreciate about your channel is that you do different experiments to show *why* you ultimately recommend something. I feel like I’ve learned so much about the why behind cooking from your channel more than any other source.

[@jmoney6900]

Once out of the brine should sit on a cooling rack in the fridge for a few hours. This will help draw out the moisture in the skin allowing for a crisper end result.

[@headzsets4337]

I've had a lot of success with dry brining - but I make a seasoned salt with the poultry herbs and mix baking powder into that (a Kenji Lopez Alt. trick). The skin gets pricked all over, and the salt, herb, and baking powder mix gets rubbed both on and UNDER the skin for deeper penetration. The baking powder will react with the juices and oil to create an extremely crispy skin, and it also adds alkalinity to help tenderize the meat more (like the velveting process in Chinese cooking). This gets set in the fridge uncovered for at least 24 hours to let the turkey dry on the outside thoroughly and promote more browning. Before cooking, I make garlic herb butter and rub it on and under the skin to help self-baste the bird and give it the oil needed for the baking powder to react. I also spatchcock my turkey for even cooking. This method has worked great for me, but I want to try injecting just a bit of brine this year as well, at least in those places where the turkey is extra THICC. BTW - the idea of sacrificing and roasting the wings that no one eats for a better gravy is genius level. That I will also be implementing this year.

[@Zimm.G]

I've cooked turkeys many ways, but this is all new to me and we're going to try it. You haven't led us wrong on a recipe yet! Keep up the great work.

[@RockNRecipes]

I’ve been waiting eagerly for this video since the Q&A. Let’s goo!!

[@shawnstimson239]

Brian flipped us the bird…and I applaud him for it. 🤣

[@tonydeangelo7317]

You mentioned why you roast your bird breast side down. I’ve found that spatchcocking the bird keeps the breast and dark meat on the same level. When the breast hits 160, I pull it from the oven and let it rest. Carryover will bring the breast to 165 and the dark meat to 175. Cooks way faster than cooking while also.

[@robo_bravado]

Breast at 160 will carry over to way more than 165. Pull at 155 latest. But you're right about spatchcocking.

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

Spatchcocking is effective but a turkey tends to be really big for it. - My key things for roasting any bird are: Heavy bottom pan to give power to the bottom dark meat side. Heavy cast iron roaster like lodge ones or the Field no.16. - Brining the bird or even better, roasting at 250f (120c) with added salt till breast temp reaches 70c( 160f). 1% salt in weight. This will slowly brine the bird and gently render the fat. Reserve any rendered fat for future use, The fat will have rendered gently to the point where its perfect to store for a long time. - Add onions and apples, oven to 220c (425f), roast till bird has desired color and dark meat is tender. - Take bird out and add parboiled potatoes and some extra butter/ poultry fat if needed and roast at 475f 250c) till potatoes soak up all the juices and only fat remains. Tilt the iron pan to allow the fat to drip and take the potatoes, caramelised onions and caramelised apples out. Serve dark meat and veggies. White meat does benefit of gravy or even better. Turkey breast amd stock pie.

[@fraserlaidlaw7358]

160 is too hot for Turkey breast in my opinion. If you pull it at 150, it’ll probably carry over to 155 or so, depending on how hot your oven was. Poultry needs to rest for 2.7 minutes at 150°F to achieve a 7 log reduction in salmonella, the same reduction that happens immediately at 165°F. So as long as you rest your meat (which you definitely should regardless), it’s perfectly safe to cook Turkey to 150°F.

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

@@fraserlaidlaw7358 I live in Europe and I find it quite interesting how US people have this weird fear of pathogens. I always cook my birds way past those temps. Till the dark meat is tender and, just make sure, with brining and right oven temps the breast stays moist.

[@paulriley4420]

My tip is to cook it

[@robo_bravado]

Night before, spatchcock, salt both sides and do your best to get under skin. Leave uncovered in fridge. Day of poke holes in fat pockets. Spread herb butter generously. Pull from oven at breast 155. Unbelievably juicy, skin like bacon.

[@jonhill329]

spatchcock is really the best way to go.

[@castironchaos]

Frankily, you can use as many tricks and tips and shortcuts and hacks as you want to make your turkey. There's only ONE ironclad rule that must be followed: COOK BY TEMPERATURE, RATHER THAN BY TIME. Cooking your bird to the right temperature WILL give you a terrific turkey. Bri does it right, as usual, but you can certainly make your turkey the way you want! Just cook it to the right temperature and you WILL have a Thanksgiving rutkey to remember!

[@recipesrecreated9654]

Agreed! I don't brine. I baste with oranges and leave them in every hour. Makes the BEST gravy too! My son looked forward to it every year. I miss him so much. ❤

[@HavenBear]

@@recipesrecreated9654❤

[@karenfox1671]

Wow!! This is fantastic! I could roast a turkey every month, I love it that much. What a great commercial for Typhur. And, I'm so impressed with the turkey in the bottom draw of the fridge! You guys worked like dogs on this. Thank you😘

[@aaroncook8890]

Dude, this one has been a long time coming! Definitely a video that us going to pay dividends for years - maybe even decades - to come. Thank you!

[@harrisonshockley76]

You are one of my favorite KZbin Chefs. None of your recipes have failed me. But you lost me with the turkey brining in the fridge drawer, hahaha!

[@meatwhisperer]

Dude!! I don’t even like turkey but I want to eat this one all day long! My mouth is watering right now!!!

[@juliasue9539]

I’m Canadian so thanksgiving is over but I’m making this for Christmas. 🎄

[@JohnHausser]

Do not forget to put 🍁 syrup on it 😇

[@Dap740]

Sameeee

[@carrdoug99]

Great video. For your own curiosity, you should check out Not Another Cooking show's method where he breaks down the bird before brining/roasting. It's the simplest + the best results I've ever tried.

[@ChristopherWolfftickytong]

I always buy a bucket at Home Depot for the wet brine every year and keep it out in the beer fridge for a day. It's the best way to make turkey!

[@exchangestudent2]

Not a fan of turkey but in the past I spatchcock and dry brine in the frig for 1 day or longer. This year I bought a duck.

[@megmayo]

A large cooler is the answer to a lack of fridge space. First, I defrost my bird in the cooler. I had a bunch of frozen cooler packs and check them a couple times a day. When they start to soften, I start rotating them with frozen ones every 10 or 12 hours. That way the bird stays nice and cold. Then I line the same cooler with a large clean trash bag and add the turkey in the cold brine. The frozen cooler packs go back in and I continue to rotate them as necessary to keep the turkey and brine cold.

[@Bradimus1]

I dry brine, but I spatchcock. Ridiculously juicy.

[@lindaconroy7384]

Awesome as always! I have brined my turkeys for years, but never cooked them upside down. I will definitely try that this year!

[@krono5el]

we always flipped our turkey half way for best moisture and cook, but not the chickens for some reason. should also work for a roasted chicky too

[@Blueduck06]

I'm hosting Thanksgiving for my family this year and I absolutely cannot wait to make this turkey.

[@gamerjunction5335]

I tried a rotation method for the turkey years back. I cook it back side up for 15% of the expected time, then each Wing side up for 15% of the time, then finish the last half breast side up. If I need a bit more browning, a brief time under the broiler at the end. This cooks the bird evenly and is my go to for a turkey.

[@toxicwaltzn8175]

My dad’s work got him a Snake River Farms Kurobuta ham. (It’s like $200!) Any chance we can get a Christmas ham recipe by then?

[@christopheheinrich9426]

Hi Brian, have you ever tried browning the butter before adding the flour for the gravy? In my oppinion this adds a great additional nutty note, and can be used for all darker sauces. What are your thoughts.

[@sarkhori]

Best brining vessel? Large thermos cooler, like for a (big) picnic. Put a bed of ice in the bottom, then a large, clean, rinsed out unscented trash bag in the cooler, pour in your brine and add your bird, then tie off the bag with as little air in the bag as possible and fill in around and over the bird with more ice. Will stay cold just above freezing (34-38 degrees F) for three to four days in your pantry, 3-season room, basement, or garage as long as the exterior temp around it isn't above around 65 or 70 degrees F. We do it every year...

[@monicamuller9215]

I use a 5 gallon bucket 🪣 that I got from Lowe’s it’s only for brining. And I can put it in the dishwasher to clean it after use.

[@sarkhori]

@@monicamuller9215 5 gal too small for us… we like BIG birds

[@MichaelKerr-z3f]

I don’t know if a trash bag is food safe

[@sarkhori]

@@MichaelKerr-z3f as long as you buy unscented and non BPA landfill safe bags, and as long as you aren't adding boiling hot liquids, you should be ok. You could also buy 10 gallon good grade bags if you prefer.

[@vbryant2437]

I usually cook turkey breast (wet brined of course), but since I have quite a crowd this year, I’m going to cook a whole turkey and use your technique. Very excited to try this.

[@3rdPartyIntervener]

I do all of that, but then spatchcock the bird and onto the smoker it goes. Pecan FTW.

[@als1023]

We smoke the bird 1st, then bake.

[@chipcleveland990]

I've been watching for this since the q&a.. thank you for putting in the reps to develop these recipes 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@cullenandmyca]

Wow, thank you so much! Very excited to try this for Thanksgiving. You da bomb!!

[@rosssyster]

If you have a Firehouse Subs near you, they sell their old pickle buckets for a few bucks. Cheaper then a new one from Home Depot that probably isn't food grade, and the money you use to buy it from Firehouse goes back to a fund to help EMS workers.

[@NNegativeCreep]

“Logistically, that sucks.” This is exactly why you follow Brian lmao. No bs or forgetting to mention that part in the process, just straight up “no, this is going to be a headache for you.” I respect that lol

[@internalreality]

1:20 bro that crunchy sound

[@freddybeacher]

I love that you tested dozens of methods. I always wonder when I see one chef say dry brine and another wet. I have tried both many times but not with similar conditions or at similar times (im not making 4 birds on the same day to find out which is the best). I appreciate that you took the time to actually test many methods and give us the best that worked. I would be interested in seeing more of the results of the other methods and how you came to the result of the recipe you did. (Scientific method a la Alton Brown)

[@sebeckley]

Be sure to look in each end of the bird for giblets because sometimes they're in bags, one in each end.

[@sailorgirl2017]

I've been "wet" brining my turkey for 15 years and will never go back. Moist breast meat every single time. I will definitely give your brining recipe a go, Brian. That lower bin in the fridge is a brilliant idea!! I use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid...lol... Rustic, Canadian style. Thanks and all the best to you and Lauren this American Thanksgiving! Cheers from Canada.

[@alannolet3109]

Ok the outcome looked pretty next level. I've been doing a 24-hour brine bath and have been injecting the meat (maple is a great add-in as well) for years. First cooking it upside down had never occurred to me, but seeing the results here, it's definitely a must moving forward. Brrrrilliant, thanks, Bri.

[@apthayer]

Great video, as always. I gotta say, though. I started breaking my turkey down into pieces and dry brining them years ago. Gives me a carcass for stock, means I can dry brine (way easier), and means I can pull pieces as they come up to temp. It's seriously been so good. Try it out!

[@MRR_Shadowolf]

Outstanding! Going to follow this recipe this year!

[@jeffandphoebe]

Benefit of living in a cold climate: I brine the turkey in a five gallon gatorade jug and just put it outside. Most years it is cold enough.

[@4D1Characterror]

Best turkey I made was spatchcocked for even cooking and dry-brined. It was juicy and flavorful. Love the technique in this video too.

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

3:59 I’ve used a crisper drawer (in a standard fridge) to brine my turkey before. It’s just the right size, waterproof and goes in the coldest part of the fridge. Oh I see you figured that out already! Good! 7:08

[@Chaddingway]

I hate how genius of a move this is.

[@vincentanutama]

Best roast turkey recipe on the internet. Bravo Brian!

[@tk_kaine]

THANK YOU for the wet brine. Everyone swears by dry brining but it just never tastes as good as wet brining to me (for turkey). I thought i was the crazy one for every “best turkey ever” with dry brining.

[@DanWhiteT]

I dunno, some of us just don't like the texture of a wet brined meat. It has that sort of ham-type mealy spring. I haven't experienced that with a dry brine, and I haven't felt that it didn't get salty enough.

[@theritchie2173]

"Leg thigh". That being said, this process looks amazing.

[@Jasonsz510]

I have been bringing my turkeys since the first time I watched Alton Browns version. It’s VERY similar to this. He makes a tinfoil “shield” and uses that to cook it breast side up. This is a great video. I’ll try it this way next time!

[@nickdeckard1]

Yo, your stuffing recipe is out of this world. I used to make my family’s tradition recipe..and that’s no more 😬

[@fraserlaidlaw7358]

Just commenting to chime in on the dry vs wet brine discussion. I’m Canadian so we already had thanksgiving a month ago. For thanksgiving dinner, I quartered off a Turkey, brined the breasts and legs overnight, and then smoked them low and slow. I quartered it so that I’d have no need to stress about getting the legs and breasts cooked simultaneously, I could simply pull the breasts at 150F, and rest them in a warm cooler until dinner. As far as the execution goes, I’d say I did pretty much perfectly. It was tremendously moist and had plenty of smoke flavour. The issue is that it didn’t really taste like Turkey. It tasted like ham. Problem with wet brining is that 1. It dilutes the natural flavour of the meat by letting the Turkey’s juices intermingle with the brine 2. Nothing in the brine other than salt and water can actually penetrate the meat. Herbs and aromatics in a brine are wasted, and would be better used in a herb butter to brush over the meat as it cooks. Next thanksgiving, I’ll be opting to dry brine my bird. Bri makes a good point about salt not penetrating the skin, but I think it’s worth the trade off to just pull the skin off and cook the meat skinless. You can always make Turkey cracklins with the skin and put them atop the sliced meat.

[@spacehonky6315]

I hear you. Every time i brine pork or turkey, it ends up just tasting like the salty ham you describe, or a cheap hotdog. Blech.

[@Monipenny1000]

I am excited to make my turkey and gravy this way for our holiday feast this year. That looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

[@jmoney6900]

If making lots of stock 1 should invest in a instant pot. Find u get better broth when under pressure. I normally use the leftover bones to make stock for the next holiday. So in part I follow his method in roasting the neck and veg but I also throw all the left over bones and whatnot into the instant pot and cook under a low pressure. Than I strain and freeze.

[@gibbyg2001]

We do ours on a big Weber grill. Coals on the sides and pan in the middle. Always amazing!

[@rickrickvandermeulen]

I like how you explained the diff between "wet Bri" vs "dry Bri". Didn't know there was a cooking / prep method named after you :)

[@NathanSpiwak]

I'm so excited to try this recipe this year! Thanks Brian!

[@TandemTuba]

LOL I love the garage tip. My screened in back porch has played host to many a brined turkeys thanks to perfectly fridge temperatures November through December.

[@cttravels5244]

Thanks Brian. Love your work.

[@brischultz]

I've had amazing success dry brining my turkey using Alton Browns method.

[@benhaze1010]

Amazing Brian! I feel like we were privileged to see a PHD project presentation we can actually try to replicate at home!

[@padders1068]

Hey Bri! That looked amazingly tender, moist and delicious. I'm going to have to give it a go, maybe on a whole chicken, obviously scaling down the amount of brine etc. ❤ to you and Lorn!

[@Maltbrew]

7:14 "No fridge, no problem!" 😂 Then what the hell are these weird people doing on youtube watching a cooking man cook?!

[@chrisoneill325]

Probably better phrased as "no fridge space"... I have a fridge, but the vessel to hold a whole turkey & brine would not fit inside of it easily and the drawers inside my fridge are not large enough to hold all that either.

[@tonydeangelo7317]

That’s why I go with a max 14 pound bird. I do two for the crowd we have at Thanksgiving. One in the oven and one on the pellet grill

[@wanna_be_chef90]

Different strokes for different folks! I’ve been dry brining for the past 3 thanksgiving & I’ve found the key is you have to spatchcock it & leave it uncovered in the fridge for 48 hours! It always shoots the flavor into the bird and drys out the skin which makes is super crisp! This recipe does look amazing but though!

[@newmancl0]

Been doing Alton Brown's home depot bucket brine for about 8 years now. love it.

[@greg2kdotcom]

Here I am wondering why you're uploading a turkey recipe when we're still nowhere near Christmas. Then I realized Thanksgiving is just around the corner 😅

[@KeystoneCapper]

Always add a splash of apple cider vinegar to your gravy.

[@Numenor7]

Yo your perfectly golden brown thumbnail doesn't look like the final splotchy product 😂. Looks amazing. I'll be considering this recipe instead of the spatchcock or separately cooked turkey recipes I've also watched. Great work. Appreciate your experimentation.

[@angelt9862]

Oh, I’ve been waiting a long time for you to tackle this for us!

[@susanwartel2321]

Wondering if you tested this technique on a fresh turkey. One that has not already been injected with 9.5% solution of turkey broth, salt, sodium phosphate and sugar like the Jennie O brand in your video. I prefer the fresh birds I get from our local Amish farmers. Also did you pat dry the bird of excess brine before roasting to enhance browning?

[@brischultz]

What the heck. That is the cleanest most empty garage I have ever seen! I like the meaty textured that comes with a 3 day dry brine. Though your way seems fun. I think I'll give it a try.

[@y6bgt5]

Awesome technique...got the Typhur!!

[@GuvernorDave]

7:13 "no fridge, no problem! Leave it outside in the cold!" *cries in southern hemisphere*

[@cdesfusa]

Masterpiece! Can't wait for next weekend

[@SuperPeachGuy]

I can’t believe I never thought to use the fridge drawer, I took it out of my fridge when I moved in so I could have a place to dry brine turkey and just never had a reason to put it in. I’m going to try wet brining this year!!

[@lindapritz5882]

Whoa! Looks great! I’m a little bummed that the thermometer you recommended is $230. Are there any other options that will work instead for tracking the temperature?

[@John_Fisher]

There are cheaper options, but I really do think that a wireless probe thermometer (and a system that comes with 2-4 probes) is worth the investment if you're going to BBQ or bake an expensive meat more than once a year.

[@lindapritz5882]

@ It would most likely be a one time use for me and that’s why I asked the question. Thanks though.

[@John_Fisher]

@@lindapritz5882 No worries. I would just search for an instant read insertion probe thermometer (ThermoWorks and ThermoPro are some popular brands) and you can find some cheap options, and they are plenty useful for even just pan frying to make sure your meat is done so it doesn't have to be a one time use. You'll have to check your turkey and get in and out of the oven, but it's manageable.

[@bobcat409]

You did good on that. Thanks.

[@billmelaterplease]

10000000% doing it this way next week!!! Cheers!!

[@Tim182P]

Brian, I have had great success with spreading a modest amount of salt under the skin and letting that go for 10-12 hours. This loosens the skin helping to crisp it. Before roasting, I insert herb butter under the skin. Finally, I lightly dust the skin with seasoned salt and pepper. Think about this.

[@todd4671]

thanks for the tips, you make it look doable!

[@JEREMY-xq7sk]

Bri, that looks great. We brine our bird for 24 to 30 hours, dry it and rub the outside with butter and it browns evenly and tastes even better. Just a suggestion to you. And yeah, our turkey is every bit as juicy as yours.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

the upside down breast is hard to get perfectly brown because its coated in roasting juices and its steamed initially.

[@ISDTony]

Bro. Thank you for the hours and hours and hours of work to make this video. Unreal

[@haphazard1342]

I've done wet brine for turkey for years, it's absolutely the best way! Likewise I also cook my bird upside down. Unlike you, however, I always thoroughly baste my bird with butter throughout the cooking process. I have never experienced the splotchy skin you complain of, and suspect that this regular basting is the solution. Going to up my gravy game this year. I have the techniques to pull off a true post-roast dripping pan gravy (and my gravy is loved), but I'll be incorporating your roasting approach this time around. I always simmer the neck to make a broth for the gravy, this is just the logical next step. I think I will stick with my preferred thickening technique of using potato starch. The old family recipe calls for potato boiling water, but that doesn't usually have enough starch. I prefer potato starch over corn starch for thickening because it has a better texture. I also prefer it over flour, since it takes well to slurry style thickening which I find easier to tweak. And with the butter basting of the roast bird there is already enough fat (guess I could start with making a roux of that). Thanks for sharing, everyone deserves to cook a good thanksgiving turkey. Good results aren't hard they just require the right technique.

[@nubsack6142]

Hey bri, looks dope.

[@melissaweyrick5311]

Years ago my roommate put it in a ice chest cooler then into the garage. That was a delish bird.

[@HaleyFlood-fo1ll]

Hey Brian happy Thursday I’m new to your videos and love 💕 them so much they r the best ur an amazing cook 👨‍🍳 this roasted turkey 🦃 looks yummy and delicious 😋 definitely going to try this recipe on thanksgiving so excited the holidays are here love it this time of year have a great day and happy holidays to you as well

[@beccachurch]

Great!! Thanks for the tips!!

[@xDerekLFx]

Curious on your thoughts about the brining when the turkey was already soaked in a 9.5% solution of broth/salt etc as described on the label. I always feel like brining helps even meat "in a solution", but the usual advice everyone gives is to only brine meat that wasn't already treated in the processing plant.

[@BrianLagerstrom]

That salt solution does nothing in my experience other than help the bird retain water during freeze and thaw.

[@relentless3735]

Holy smokes Brian, looks 💯😋 delicious...

[@sheilam4964]

Thx for uploading this.

[@rakkazoid]

the first video i ever favourited on YT was how to cook a turkey. that was at least 10 years ago. this one may take its place.

[@JKYoungberg]

Dude, you are the BEST!

[@seanszarkowicz2910]

Thanks!

[@ChuckWestfield]

Why is dissolved kosher salt preferable over dissolved table salt?

[@JohnHausser]

Ethan Chlebowski

[@ConradFarley]

Absolute masterpiece of a turkey tutorial

[@hattree]

I use a huge cheap stock pot I bought just for the purpose of brining. It's easy to clean because it's stainless, and fits in my fridge.

[@jesse7070]

I think this was your best yet.

[@greenzone5146]

Spatchcock, then Dry brine under the skin and on the bottom the night before. Best turkey ever.