Roast Turkey

This recipe is from Alton Brown. I have used it two different times and had great success with this recipe. It has produced the best turkey ever for me. I hope if you try the recipe you will have the same success I have had.

1 14-16 pound frozen young turkey (thawed)

For the brine:
1C kosher salt (this is NOT table salt)
1/2 C light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1T black peppercorns
1/2T allspice berries
1/2T candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 C water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey, breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cook area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500F. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and safe. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other natural) oil.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert prove thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350F. Set thermometer alarm to 161F. A 14-16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.