Roast Turkey

Make the brine 24+ hours before cooking (the turkey is brined for 16 hours and the brine has to be chilled before that):

   * 1 cup kosher salt
   * 1/2 cup light brown sugar
   * 1 gallon vegetable stock
   * 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
   * 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries (optional)
   * 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger (optional)

   * Combine everything and bring to a boil, then put in the fridge.
   * I get the gallon of vegetable stock in quart packs. I put 3 in the fridge and make the brine with just 1. I let the brine cool and then I add the chilled stock to the brine. That way I'm not trying to put a gallon of hot mass into the fridge.

Brine the turkey

   * 1 gallon brine from above
   * 1 (14 to 16 pound) turkey
   * 1 gallon heavily iced water

   * Put everything into a 5 gallon bucket and chill overnight
   * The recipe says 8-16 hours so I usually do it before going to bed the night before
   * Since it is a brine I think technically it doesn't have to be refrigerated but I do it anyway

Roast the turkey

   * Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
   * Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
   * Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
   * With a sheet of foil, make a triangle that will fit over the breast. Form to shape and remove for now
   * Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. 
   * Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Put the foil back on. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.