Place the turkey in a large plastic bag or container that will submerge the whole turkey in the brine solution.

Making Brine And Soaking Turkey

1. Add salt to boiled water and stir until all of the salt is dissolved.
2. Stir in the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic cloves, rosemary, and thyme.
3. Add ice to cool down the solution and stir until the ice melts.
4. Add cold water to the solution to make 1 gallon of brine.
5. Pour brine over the turkey, ensuring the liquid covers the whole bird.
6. Close the bag or container and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 24 – 48 hours.
7. Remove the turkey from the brine, discard the brine, and rinse the turkey well.
8. Place in a strainer to drain and pat dry inside and out using paper towels.

Move the bird to a pan and place it in the refrigerator to allow for more drying before cooking; this causes the skin to brown well. 

Roasting Turkey

1. Preheat oven to 450°, reducing the temperature to 350° before you add the bird.
2. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and stuff it with a cut apple, onion, celery sticks, and carrots.
3. Tie the legs together to hold the stuffing and cover the turkey's skin with the softened butter.
4. Place the prepared turkey in the oven and roast for 13 minutes per pound.
5. Cover the cooked turkey loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 30 - 45 minutes before carving.