Instructions

1. 2-4 days before roasting, thaw your turkey. Turkeys will be frozen when picked up from Oliver's. It takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey to thaw. A 10-pound turkey will take 2 days to thaw, a 15-pound turkey will take 3 days,  a 20-pound turkey will take 4 days to thaw in the fridge. NOTE: Do no leave the turkey to thaw on the counter. The only acceptable ways to thaw a turkey are in the refigerator, or sitting under cold running water in the sink.

2. While the turkey is thawing make your brine. Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candided ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids, bring to a boil. Remove brine from heat, cool to room temperature and refigerate.

3. The night before you'd like to eat: Combine the brine and ice water in a 5-gallon bucket (or clean ice chest). Place the thawed turkey (with neck, and innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down bird to ensure it is fulyl submerged. Cover and refrigerate, or set in a cold area for 8-16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

4. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water, discard the brine.

5. Place the bird on a roasting rack and pat dry with paper towels.

6. 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 butter.

7. Roast the turke on the lowest level of the oven at 500 degress F for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Remove turkey from the oven when the temperature at the thickest part of the breast reads 160F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should roast for 2-2.5 hours. Let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before carving.