Roasted Turkey

This is my favorite way to roast a turkey.  It's very flavorful and if not over-cooked it's very tender.

Recipe:

1 turkey (any size)

Brine:
1 C kosher salt
1/2 C sucanut
1 gallon chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbs black peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp allspice berries
1 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1-1 1/4 gallons heavily iced water

Aromatics:
1 apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 lemon, sliced (optional)
1 cinnamon stick
1 C water
4 sprigs romemary (or 1 tsp dry)
6 leaves sage (or 1 tsp dry)

Rub:
8 Tbs butter, softened
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 tsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tsp dry)
3 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dry)
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (or dry)
1/2 tsp black pepper
zest of one lemon

Thaw turkey two days before you bake. Combine the stock, salt, sucanut, peppercorns, allspice and ginger in a pot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and bring to boil. Remove from heat, cool and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you will bake the turkey combine the brine and iced water in a 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey, with giblets removed, breast side down in brine. It should be fully immersed, cover and set in cool area for 8-16 hours, turning once half-way through.

Remove bird from brine and rinse in cold water. Place turkey on a roasting rack inside a cookie sheet, breast side up and pat dry with paper towels. Put giblets in neck pocket and fold skin over and under to cover and keep them from falling out.

Combine the apple, onion, lemon, water and cinnamon stick in bowl and microwave for 5 minutes. Place aromatics, including the rosemary and sage in body of bird.

Run hand under breast skin to loosen as much as possible without tearing holes. Combine Rub and using hand, rub all over breast under the skin. Brush oil all over the bird.

Tuck wings in and under if they aren't cut off on ends. Make a tin-foil triangle to fit the breast and mold it to the breast. Remove, keeping it's shape.

Roast turkey on bottom rack at 500°F for 30 minutes. Place tin-foil triangle on breast and turn down to 350°F for another 1 1/2-2 hours until the thermometer registers 161°F. Remove from oven and cover with tinfoil or a large bowl for at least 15 minutes before carving.

For gravy:  Remove giblets and neck and place in pot with about 2 Tbs oil on medium heat until dark browned. Remove giblets and neck to plate. There should be some small pieces left in pot. Add 3 Tbs butter to melt. Add 1/3 C flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add all broth from turkey and the gravy packet that comes with turkey or other stock, plus about 2 C water. It's very versatile. Add pepper and you may need to add additional flour/water thickener depending on how you like it. Serve with potatoes.