Best Way Brined Turkey

Submitted by Lezlie Zollinger


Ingredients:
1 (12-lb.) turkey
For the brine:
1 c. sugar
2 c. kosher salt
2 1/2 gallons cold water
2 bay leaves, torn
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, smashed (look for these in Whole Foods, Andronico's, Bell Markets, or Cala Foods)
Roasting:
2 T. softened butter, plus more for basting
1 1/2 t. freshly ground pepper
1 c. chicken stock (add more as needed)

Directions:
1. Clean the turkey by removing the giblet bag, any extra internal fat, and any pin feathers. Rinse well under cold tap water.
2. Combine the sugar, salt, and 3-4 quarts of the cold water in a large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved, then add the bay leaves, thyme, garlic, allspice, and juniper berries. Double-bag two heavy-duty, unscented trash bags (not made of recycled materials), and put them in an ice chest big enough to hold the turkey. Place turkey in bags, pour in the brine, then the remaining 1 1/2 gallons of water--the bird should be completely submerged. Press out all air and tightly close each bag separately. Keep turkey cold with bags of ice, which will also help keep it submerged in the brine. Keep for 12-24 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 400* F. Remove turkey from brine, rinse and dry well. Spread 2 T. butter over the skin and sprinkle pepper over the skin and in the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under, loosely truss the legs, and place the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Cover the breast tightly with foil and place in the oven.
4. Every 30 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees to ensure even roasting. Roast for 1 hour, remove foil and baste the turkey with 1/2 c. stock. Return to oven and roast, basting with pan drippings and more stock (if desired) every 20 minutes. Start checking the internal temperature after about 1 hour of roasting time. If the legs begin to get too brown, cover them loosely with foil. Roast until the internal thigh temperature is 165* F. (Thermometer should not touch thigh bone.) Total roasting time should be about 2 to 2 3/4 hours. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

Note: You can brine and roast a larger bird--the brine soak will take about the same amount of time, the roast will take longer. Lezlie says her 22-pound bird took 4 1/2 hours to cook.