alton brown

Alton Brown's pancakes are so reliably good that they're my go to pancakes again and again.

Alton Brown’s Pancakes

all-purpose flour

tsp baking soda

tsp baking powder

1/6 T kosher salt

sugar

egg (room temperature)

T unsalted butter

buttermilk

fruit, chocolate chips, or other toppings

Combine all ingredients. Use within 3 months.

Pancake Mix

Whisk the egg and butter in a bowl, then whisk in the buttermilk.

Add to the pancake mix. Whisk until just combined. Don't worry about the lumps.

Ladle onto the griddle and sprinkle on toppings. Press in the toppings gently. When bubbles begin to set around the edges and the bottom is golden, flip. Cook until set.

Pancake Assembly

©iStockPhoto/MentalArt What better recipe to start out with from this week's Good Eats: The Early Years than Alton's roast turkey. He explains every detail, from the brine—a mix of vegetable broth, brown sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger—to...

Alton Brown's Roast Turkey Recipe

For the brine:

turkey

vegetable broth, homemade

salt

brown sugar, light or dark

black peppercorns

allspice berries

candied ginger, chopped

water, iced

For roasting:

red apple,

onion, quartered

cinnamon

water

rosemary

sage

Canola oil

Two to three days before roasting, thaw the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38°F tops.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot 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 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 is as an ottoman. 

Target brine time: 12 hours; flip the bird once about halfway through. 

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 2 1/2 hours. 

Remove from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before carving. 

This roasted turkey recipe stays moist, thanks to a genius, simple brine.

Alton Brown's Turkey Brine and Roasting Recipe

18-lb. frozen turkey

herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, and sage)

carrots,

celery stalks,

onion,

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

unsalted butter

lb. kosher salt

lb. ice (which is a gallon of water)

(128 oz.) vegetable broth

chicken broth

Cornstarch

This roasted turkey recipe stays moist, thanks to a genius, simple brine. A large cooler is necessary for the brining, but you'll also use it to thaw your turkey if it's frozen.

Bon Appétit

Place wrapped turkey in a 5-gallon cooler with a drain spout. Place cooler in a bathtub and cover turkey with cold water. Drain and replace water every 2–3 hours, keeping water temperature below 40°, until turkey has thawed, 8–10 hours.

Clean cooler with soap and water, then pour in hot tap water, salt, and sugar. Stir thoroughly to dissolve salt and sugar. Then stir in ice and vegetable broth.

Unwrap thawed turkey and remove any parts (such as neck, organs, etc.) that may be inside cavity. These may be saved for gravy.

Place turkey in brine breast side up. If turkey floats, fill a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag with water and place it on top of turkey. Set cooler, lid closed, in a cool place, turning turkey over once if possible, 8–12 hours. Check brining liquid periodically with probe thermometer; if temperature is above 40°, add a few freezer packs that have been enclosed in resealable plastic bags.

Remove turkey from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Do not stuff turkey.

Remove all oven racks except for one. Set this rack in the next-to-the-lowest position. Preheat oven to 500°.

Loosely pack turkey with a combination of herbs, carrots, celery, and onion. Keep packing loose.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a V-shaped rack set inside a large roasting pan. Cut a piece of foil big enough to cover the turkey's breast. Mold piece to breast. Remove foil, then grease with spray.

Rub butter between your hands until liberally greased (you may use disposable gloves if desired). Rub butter into turkey. You may need to re-butter your hands a couple times in order to get a nice, even coating.

Place turkey in oven, neck end first and breast up. Roast turkey until nicely browned, 30–40 minutes. Apply foil to breast of turkey. Insert thermometer probe directly through foil into deepest part of breast.

Reduce oven temperature to 350° and return turkey to oven, foil securely in place. Do not open oven to baste turkey. Roast until probe registers 161° for breast and 181° for thigh, 2–2½ hours.

Cover turkey with foil and let rest 30 minutes. Save pan drippings for gravy.

Mix pan drippings with water, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Heat in a small saucepan over medium until thickened.

A great way to add flavor and keep your pork chops juicy.

Alton Brown Pork Chop Brine

oz Pork Chops (Bone in (12 ounces Each))

Kosher Salt (a bit less if you want)

Brown Sugar

Tbsp Whole Peppercorns

Tbsp Mustard Powder

Apple Cider Vinegar

lb Ice (to cool Brine)

To make the brine I mixed the salt, brown sugar, ground mustard, and pepper into a decent sized plastic bowl. I then microwaved 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and poured it over the dry ingredients and gave them a nice mix to dissolve everything. Then I tossed in the ice cubes so I wouldn’t be cooking my pork chops in boiling brine. Finally the pork chops went into the brine and the whole thing went into the fridge for 2 hours (no more than 2 hours or you’ll have a salty mess).

Then toss in the ice cubes so I wouldn’t be cooking my pork chops in boiling brine. Finally the pork chops went into the brine and the whole thing went into the fridge for 2 hours (no more than 2 hours or you’ll have a salty mess).

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Alton Brown’s Pancakes

Alton Brown's Roast Turkey Recipe

Alton Brown's Turkey Brine and Roas...

Alton Brown Pork Chop Brine

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