Roasted Brined Turkey II
This brined turkey gets its moist, seasoned meat from a few hours in salt water, followed by a long uncovered rest in the refrigerator. That rest dries the skin so it roasts to a deep brown. The bird is also turned several times in the oven, starting breast down, so the juices run through the breast meat, which is the part of a turkey most likely to dry out.
Instructions
Stir the salt into the cold water in a large stockpot or clean bucket until it dissolves. Rinse the turkey well, remove the giblets, neck and tailpiece and set them aside for gravy, then submerge the bird in the brine. Keep it in the refrigerator or another spot colder than 40°F / 4.4°C for 4 to 6 hours.
Lift the turkey out and rinse the skin and both cavities under cool running water for several minutes, until no trace of salt remains. Pat it dry inside and out with paper towels.
Set the turkey on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight. This dries the skin so it browns well.
Move the oven rack to its lowest position and heat the oven to 400°F (204.4°C). Toss one-third of the onion, carrot, celery and thyme with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and put it in the body cavity. Bring the legs together and truss them simply.
Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme in a shallow roasting pan and pour in 1 cup of water. Set a V-rack in the pan. Brush the breast with half of the remaining butter, place the turkey breast side down on the rack, and brush the back with the rest.
Roast for 45 minutes. Close the oven door, baste the turkey with the pan juices, and using a wad of paper towel in each hand, turn it onto one leg and thigh side. If the pan has dried out completely, add another ½ cup of water.
Roast for 15 minutes, then take the turkey out, baste it, and turn it onto the other leg and thigh side. Roast for another 15 minutes.
Remove the turkey a final time, baste it, and turn it breast side up. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer reads about 165°F (73.9°C) in the breast and 170 to 175°F (76.7 to 79.4°C) in the thigh.
Let the turkey rest until you are ready to carve, then serve it with the gravy made from the reserved giblets.
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