Photo above by Brian Benefield

[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]

I recently chatted briefly with my neighbor, renowned chef, and food science expert, Alton Brown, while he was walking his dog, Hamlet.  When he strolled by, I was pruning the hydrangeas, and his dog had to have his morning constitution in my front yard.  I didn’t recognize him at first because of having grown a thick, bushy beard, and I was watching to ensure he did his doggo owner duty and pick up the doody.  He did, of course, and I was lucky enough to say hi and pet Hamlet, who looks like a cute beagle, doxon mixed breed.  And as they walked away, Alton looked over his shoulder and said, “We’ll try not to s#!+ in your yard again,” and I said, “No worries, Mr. Brown, anytime.”  I chuckled as they disappeared from sight.  

I have been watching him for many years on Food Network and enjoy his perspective on the science of cooking and how he breaks it down for amateur cooks like myself in his quirky and funny methodology.  He has always touted a wet brining method for his Thanksgiving turkey, and I have adopted a version of this process, which always makes for a juicy, tender, most flavorful bird.  This process takes several days but is well worth the time and effort.  Even if you can’t afford a pasture-raised, natural, free-range turkey, which I’m sure had many turkey friends, this technique is foolproof and will make both the white and dark meat moist and delicious.  

I buy either a fresh or frozen bird, and Alton’s recipe actually uses frozen and lets it thaw for 2-3 days in the fridge before starting the brining action.  I don’t use precisely the same ingredients as Mr. Brown, but I find that less is more sometimes.  This will vary depending on the size of turkey you buy, and I tend to go on the smaller side, around 12-14lbs. And it will be easier to fit in a 4-5 gallon vessel that will also fit in your fridge.  I use a simple brine mixture of veggie broth, sugar (or brown sugar), salt, black peppercorns, and allspice berries.  Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove to let sugar and salt dissolve, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Immerse your thawed yard bird into the brine bath for 10 to 24 hours, and in my experience, the longer time, the better the result.  

Rinse and dry the turkey.  We differ vastly in the cooking part because he roasts his in the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes and then reduces the heat to 350 until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees internally.  It will continue cooking with residual heat once removed from the oven. Whereas I will smoke my turkey on the Big Green Egg using indirect heat at 325 for several hours until cooked because I so enjoy the smoky flavor the Egg imparts to the meat.  Cook to temperature and never rely on time, as that will most times result in an overcooked bird.  

We just bought tickets to Alton’s live stage show next February at the Cobb Energy Centre, and I couldn’t be more excited!  I am a bit embarrassed to exclaim that this will be my first show of his, and I have heard it’s a wild mix of cooking, music, irreverent and witty banter that fans of his know and love.  If you have never tried this technique of preparing your upcoming Thanksgiving turkey, I highly recommend giving it a whirl and look up Alton’s recipe if you want to be a true food nerd and follow his procedure to the letter.  I prefer to take his advice, be creative, and go with the flow, like a leaf on a stream.  After all, cooking is about creativity to me and hopefully to you as well.  Thank you, Mr. Brown for many years of culinary inspiration. 

Brian Benefield is an Atlanta native born in Dekalb County, who has lived in Cobb since 2003. He has worked in Hospitality, Marketing, Real Estate, and most recently Food Tourism. Married to Cecilie Benefield for 12 blissful years. They have a dog, Miss Pickles. Hobbies are mountain biking, running, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. Member of Les Marmitions cooking club since 2016, where we cook 5-course meals with local Atlanta chefs.