Good Thanksgiving Turkey

1. 1

   The night before (about12-16 hours), dissolve the salt in the water to make a brine. Rinse the turkey inside and out, removing the giblets etc. Submerge the turkey in the brine, breast side down, and keep covered in a bowl or bucket or bag or cooler in the fridge or however you want, keeping it at 40-45 degrees maximum.

2. 2

   Two hours before oven time, remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse inside and out, pat dry and set it on the rack in the roasting pan, allowing it to get up to room temperature.

3. 3

   Thirty minutes before oven time, preheat to 425. Spread a generous amount of herb butter under the skin of the breast, taking care not to rip the skin. Generously spread the herb butter all over the outside of the turkey. Put some of the butter inside the main cavity as well as about 3-5 of the extra herb sprigs. Salt & pepper all over the outside & inside of the bird. Add the carrots, celery & onion to the pan.

4. 4

   Put the turkey on the bottom rack in the 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 and cook for 30 more minutes. Then open up the oven, add two cups of broth to the pan. Cover loosely with foil and insert a remote thermometer if you have one.

5. 5

   Don't check the turkey again for 2 more hours. When you do, have some more stock on hand to add to the pan. Brining makes less juice in the pan since it all stays in the meat.

6. 6

   Cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh, not touching the bone, is 170-175. If you need more browning, take the foil off and cook until the skin is darkened.

7. 7

   Let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.