Thyme and Sage Brined Roasted Turkey

Ingredients

• BRINE
• 4qt Organic vegetable broth
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 small hand full fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 large sprigs fresh sage
• 1T. whole black peppercorns
• 1 gallon ICE cold water
• 1 14 lb. natural or organic turkey( neck,gizzards removed)
• TURKEY RUB
• 1T.Olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Few sprigs of thyme and sage for turkey cavity

Instructions

1. To Brine:
2. Combine first 7 ingredients to large pot, bring to a boil and simmer 15min.
3. Let cool to room temp., open brining bag (kitchen trash bag works well) add turkey, cooled brining liquid, and ice water.
4. Make sure turkey is submerged in the brine breast side down.
5. Make sure turkey stays submerged in the brining liquid so weight down as necessary, refrigerate 12-18 hours.
6. Set oven at 450.
7. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well with cold water.
8. Thoroughly dry turkey with a clean dry kitchen towel or paper towels,Discard the brine.
9. Rub the turkey all over with olive oil and sea salt, Place additional sprigs of thyme and sage into the cavity of the bird.
10. Place in a roasting pan, breast side up, on lowest oven rack.
11. Make sure to tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wings in.
12. Roast the turkey for 30min uncovered, rotating the pan 1/2 way through.
13. Remove from oven add 2 cups hot water to the roasting pan and cover with 2 layers aluminum foil.
14. Drop oven temperature to 375’.
15. Bake until internal temp read 165ʼ, approximately 2.5 hours for a 14 pound turkey.
16. remove foil for last 20min of cooking to allow turkey to brown.
17. Once done remove from oven and loosely recover with aluminum foil, allow turkey to rest at least 20min before carving.