Alton Brown's Clever Turkey Brining Method Involves A Bucket

Whenever Thanksgiving approaches, everyone is searching for sage advice on how to prepare their bird. Whether it is a question of how often to baste or what you can really do with turkey giblets, folks want to make sure the centerpiece of their feast is cooked to perfection. One of the most common mistakes people make when cooking a Thanksgiving turkey is overlooking flavorful brining. Finding a vessel large enough to house the bird and brine together can be a head-scratcher for some. But Alton Brown, host of several culinary programs like "Good Eats" and "Iron Chef America," has a clever solution.

He has seemingly all the kitchen tools at his disposal when in the studio, but Brown doesn't need anything fancy for brining a turkey. Once it is free of the gizzards and giblets in the body cavity, he brines his fowl in an ordinary bucket. His prized protein sits in the solution for six to eight hours before hitting the oven.

A clean, five-gallon food-grade bucket gives you enough room for the bird to submerge into a gallon of brine and an equal amount of heavily iced water. Because the salt acts as a natural deterrent for bacteria and the ice keeps the meat cold, you don't have to worry about anything harmful happening to it as it soaks. If you want to emulate Brown's method completely, you will also want to include additional seasonings to the brine for an out-of-this-world turkey on the big day.

Alton Brown showcases his recipe on YouTube for those visual learners out there, but while Thanksgiving is exactly a time most take a minimalist approach, there isn't much to this straightforward mixture. A few pantry staples are all you need to take Thanksgiving's main event to the next level.

Before getting out your handy bucket, start with a stockpot. Put in a gallon of traditional vegetable stock and a whole cup of kosher salt as you turn on the heat. A half cup of brown sugar goes in next, followed by a tablespoon of whole black peppercorns. Incorporate a half tablespoon each of allspice and candied ginger and wait for the mix to come to a boil.

Once the blend is bubbling, shut off the stove and let the brine cool to room temperature before transferring to the fridge. When it is time to prepare the turkey, add the brine and ice water to the bucket and put the poultry in breast side down. Flip the fowl once during the six to eight-hour soak. When it is time to roast it, pat it dry inside and out before including any additional seasoning or stuffing. After all is said and done, you will cut into a juicy, flavorful bird after everyone says what they are thankful for this year (you can say you are thankful for Alton Brown's expert advice on brining a turkey).