Alton Brown: This humble by fold, a fine American Aluminum is actually the answer to one of turkey’s greatest question. Namely, how do you thoroughly cooked dark meat which we like it about 180-degrees without over cooking the white meat which we like to pull it about 161? Now, you could cut up the bird before you cook it but come on you want to deliver in American Icon that the table not up jigsaw puzzle. You could butterfly your bird like we did the chicken in our classic episode of a bird in the pan, but you need a surgeons bone saw to get through this one.
Nope, the answer is the turkey triangle and the secret is to form fit it before you actually need it. Just rub a little canola oil on the inside so that it doesn’t stick and just mold it to the breast kind a like breast plate in a bad wrap, like that. The point of doing this ahead of time is so that when we really need it later, you wouldn’t have to squeeze it onto a 500-degree bird there. Now, the last step before you go into the oven is a quick canola rub down. A little bit of oil is going to promote drowning by raising the—Aant Verna. What are you doing?
Aant Verna: I was just slowering your oven dear, you had it set too high.
Alton Brown: No, no Aant Verna. I started my turkeys in a repent hot 500-degree oven because you need dry intense heat to brown the skin.
Aant Verna: No, no, dear low and slow is the only way to go.
Alton Brown: No, actually low and slow is no way to go. Low and slow that the fat layer just melts and rolls off without browning the skin, longer cooking time means dryer meat. No, you go 500-degrees for 30 minutes then you slap on the turkey triangle, drop the heat at 350 and cook until the probe thermometer say 161. Then you rest it, you carve it, you eat it and take a nap.
Aant Verna: I never like you too much anyway.
Alton Brown: A lot of my childhood questions just got answered. Roasting time is finally here. We have our 500-degree oven and I like to put my turkeys in legs first. Since the dark meat can take a little bit more heat, it doesn’t dries as easily. Now, I’m more concern with time right now than temperature. So, I’m going to use the timer function at this bad boy, set for 30 minutes. Now, so far all of our times in equations have been based on no stuffing so just stay away from the stuffing side. Besides, we got something a lot and a lot better on the way. Now, wash those turkey hands.
Half an hour up already, time for the turkey triangle, oh yeah we’ve got a lot of great color already. Definitely time to cover up the breast so that it won’t over cook, our pre-teller to turkey triangle goes on. Just took that corner up under the probe and back inch, she goes. Oven goes down to 350-degrees since the cook isn’t over until the fat thermometer sings. You want to keep this door close? No, no turkey tampering okay? Now, 14-pounder like our friend here is probably going to be cost 161-degree finish line in about another hour and half that will make it a total of two hours of cooking.
Granted, not every oven in the world is alike and here’s might take just a little bit longer but don’t worry just listen for the thermometer. You’re just in time. We’ve just cross the 161 magic line. Oh sorry! This smokes great, exactly what we want. Good color, lot of juice, great.
Now, the temperature inside the bird will continue increase for at least a few minutes, so don’t cut in to this and don’t pull out the pop up thermometer. You just want to let it rest. So, allow you’re reheating your bread putting. You’re finishing the cranberry sauce. Cover this with something you keep it cozy, you could use up and inverted stainless steel bowl or even a big 10 foil but I find it the lead for my cattle grill, words of all butchers.