Roasted Turkey with Vegetables and Gravy (Brined)

This juicy turkey is brined with salt and brown sugar, then roasted until golden brown. This melt-in-your-mouth decadent roast turkey recipe is the perfect and the best turkey recipe to make during the holidays.

Brine:
1 (12-25 lb) turkey
2 lbs sea salt
2 cups brown sugar or pure honey

Vegetables:
4 large carrots
4 ribs celery
4 large onions

Gravy:
3 cups water, chicken broth or cider for the gravy
1 cup white wine
3 Tbsp. corn starch

Special Equipment:
insulated picnic cooler large enough to submerge the turkey in
lots of cold water
freezer packs
1 accurate meat thermometer to gauge exactly when the turkey is done

Place the turkey in the cooler upside down.  Dissolve the sea salt and sugar in one gallon of cold water. 

Pour over the turkey and add three more gallons of cold water.  Turn the turkey a few times to thoroughly mix the sea salt and sugar.  Place the cooler in a cold place for four hours for a smaller turkey and as much as six hours for a larger one, no more no less.  To help keep the brine and turkey cold toss in a few freezer packs.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.  Thoroughly dry it with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.  Remove any excess moisture and dry out the skin so that it will brown well.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Cut the onions in half and along with the carrots and celery.  Lay them to fashion a bed in the roasting pan for the turkey to rest on.

Place the turkey in the roasting pan and roast for one hour then, without opening the oven, turn the heat down to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2) and continue roasting for two to three hours longer, depending on the size of the turkey.  If you have a convection oven, only roast for 45 minutes first before turning down the oven heat, no other adjustments are needed.

After 2½ hours, open the oven and check the temperature every 15 minutes or so.  Continue roasting until the breast and thigh meat both reach 165°F.  Let the turkey rest covered with foil for 20-30 minutes before carving then serve immediately.

Pour off most of any accumulated fat carefully reserving any juices.  Add the liquid of your choice, the wine and the reserved juices then scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve all of the browned bits.  Dissolve the cornstarch in a splash of water and whisk it into the pan.