Thanksgiving is supposed to be a holiday devoted to gratitude with just a touch of triptophane-aided overindulgence, but it's also become synonymous with not-so-great debates. Not just the ones that take place around the table, but the ones that occur before, like what's the best way to prepare a turkey? Some say that is a dry-brined one, while others advocate for . Alton Brown is firmly in Team Wet Brine's camp, but he eschews pickle byproducts for a sweet and salty brine flavored with candied ginger.
Brown's brine is also made with brown sugar, black pepper, and allspice, as well as a generous amount of salt (without which, it wouldn't be a brine but simply a wet soak). He then roasts the brined bird with additional aromatics including cinnamon, onion, rosemary, sage, and an apple. With all of these flavors working together, the ginger adds a slight kick, but nothing too overwhelming.
One who always cooks their turkey using Brown's recipe says they don't want their turkey to taste either sweet or gingery. When the candied ginger combines with the other ingredients, however, it creates a brine they describe as "amazing." What can you substitute for candied ginger? What if you don't have candied ginger on hand when it comes time to brine your turkey — does it mean you'll have to make a last-minute grocery run? Not necessarily.
While there isn't a great substitute for candied ginger eaten straight — nor is there an easy way to replace it in baked goods such as candied ging.