Wet-brined roast turkey

Thaw the turkey in the lower drawer of the fridge seven days ahead, or in a sink of cold water in about eight hours.

Remove the giblets, the neck and the plastic piece from the cavity.

Cut through the wing joint at the end of the drummy to remove the outer two segments of each wing; keep them with the neck for the gravy.

Combine the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, halved garlic heads and sprigs of rosemary, thyme and sage in a big pot.

Bring the brine up to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

Kill the heat and let the herbs and garlic infuse 30 minutes more.

Pour the infused brine over the ice in a large container and stir until the ice melts.

With a food grade injector, pump each breast five to six times and each leg two to three times.

Stab each breast about 50 times to open channels for the brine.

Submerge the bird in the brine breast side down and refrigerate three days.

Where it stays below 45F, the bird can brine in a garage instead of the fridge.

Three and a half hours before serving, pump each breast three or four more times with brine.

Lay a triple layer of foil in a roasting pan fitted with a rack and spray it with pan spray.

Add about a cup of water to the pan to keep the drippings from burning, then set the turkey on the foil breast side down.

Insert a probe thermometer into the breast and into the leg thigh.

Wrap the whole thing in foil and roast breast side down for one hour at 425F.

Take off the foil and roast at 325F until the breast reaches 150F and the thighs about 165F, about 90 minutes.

Tent with foil and rest one hour.

Flip the bird breast side up using a towel and a pair of tongs.

Pour the drippings into the gravy base a little at a time, tasting as you go.

Brush the skin liberally with butter or a neutral oil.

Roast at 500F for about 15 to 20 minutes until deeply browned.