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1
Mix up turkey brine: 3 qt water, 1 qt apple cider, 1 tablespoon peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1/4cup Kosher salt, Bring to boil, cool completely, pour over turkey in a bag, refrigerate 2 days, drain before cooking turkey.
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2
Mash garlic cloves and salt to a paste. Mix in butter & chopped herbs.
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3
Pat the turkey dry and loosen the skin on the breast and legs
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4
Put 2/3 of the herb/butter mix under the loosened skin and massage it to get it distributed as evenly as possible. Reserve rest of butter for gravy.
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5
Preheat oven to 450. Put turkey on a rack in roasting pan.
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6
Put 1/4 of an onion, plus some sprigs of parsley, sage, oregano, and rosemary, tied together, into the turkey cavity.
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7
Tie legs and tuck wings. Sprinkle outside of turkey with salt and pepper.
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8
Tent the turkey with foil. Put 2 cups water in pan
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9
Roast for 2 hours, turning pan after hour and adding another cup of water.
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10
Roast until thermometer in thigh reads 175
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11
Drain juices out of inside of turkey and set aside, tented with foil. Rest for 1/2 hour before slicing
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12
Mix 5 T. flour with remaining butter and brown in heavy skillet. Make gravy with roasting pan juices and butter/flour mix
