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1. Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large nonreactive pot that will hold your turkey and fit in your refrigerator . Stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. Turn off the heat. Stir in carrots, onions, leeks, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander, crushed red pepper, fennel seeds, star anise and thyme. Add the remaining 2 gallons water. Place the turkey in the brine and weight it with a plate, if necessary, so it stays below the surface. Refrigerate for 72 hours.
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2.Preheat oven to 425u00b0F. Remove the turkey from the brine, brush off any briny bits and let stand at room temperature for 30 min (discard the brine). Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan.
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3. Roast the turkey until the skin starts to brown, about 40 minutes. Use rosemary sprig to baste the turkey with butter or oil. Reduce oven temperature to 350u00b0 and continue roasting the turkey, basting with more oil about every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165u00b0F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more, depending on the size of the turkey. If the skin begins to darken too much, cover it loosely with foil.
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Carefully transfer the turkey to a large, clean cutting board; let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving.
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TIPS & NOTES
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Supplies: Pot, bucket or clean cooler large enough to hold the turkey (but small enough to fit in your refrigerator), kitchen string.
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Kitchen Tip: In a large stock pot, bring 1 gallon of water to a boil, add the flavorings (Step 1), then transfer the brine to a clean large bucket or medium cooler (small enough to fit in your refrigerator). Add the remaining 2 gallons water and the turkey.
