Whole Turkey, Brined (Thanksgiving)

•  1x 14-16 lb turkey

Brine

• 1 cup coarse sea salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 16 cups vegetable stock
• 1 TBSP peppercorns
• 1.5 tsp allspice berries
• 1.5 tsp candied ginger
• 16 cups heavily iced water

Aromatics

• 1 apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil

1) 2-3 days before roasting, start thawing the turkey.

2) Boil the brine ingredients (do not add the iced water yet) to dissolve solids, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate it for later.

3) The night before, combine the brine, water and ice in a 5 gallon bucket (if it can fit in a fridge) or a cooler that can stay at a food safe temperature overnight. Place the turkey breast side down, turning once halfway through the brine (8-16 hours total recommended).

4) Preheat the oven to 500°F.

5) Remove the turkey from the brine and place on a roasting rack. Discard the brine.

6) Pat turkey dry with paper towels.

7) Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick and 1 cup of water. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.

8) Carefully (it's hot!) add the aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage.

9) Coat the turkey with canola oil.

10) USE A THERMOMETER TO REACH A FOOD SAFE TEMPERATURE. Add the thermometer to the thickest part of the breast.

11) On the lowest level of your oven, roast the turkey at 500°F for 30 minutes. Without opening the oven, decrease the temperature to 350°F. It should take an additional 1.5-2 hours for the breast to register 161°F.

12) When the breast reads 161°F, remove from oven. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Recipe stolen and adjusted from here.