1. If using frozen turkey take out of freezer early enough to thaw in fridge. Approximately 1 day per 4 pounds.

Day Before Roasting Prepare Brine:

1. Place brine into 1 qt of water. Bring to boil and boil vigorously for 15 – 20 minutes. The liquid should be a rich brown color. Remove from heat. Place enough ice into pot to cool.
2. Remove turkey giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for gravy. Place turkey into a large enough plastic or glass container to hold turkey, brine, and ice. If needed place a plate on top of the turkey to keep it submerged. Cover and keep cool for 24 hours.
3. Take the turkey out of the brine and pat dry and drain any liquid that is in the cavities. Let it warm up for an hour prior to roasting it. Set it on a baking sheet. Take the butter out of the fridge to let it soften up.
4. Add the butter to a bowl, along with the other herb butter ingredients. Mash together with a fork.
5. Preheat oven to 450˚F and move a rack to the bottom third of the oven.

To prep the turkey:

1. Pat it dry with paper towel. Stuff the cavity with the lemon, herbs, and garlic. Rub the turkey all over with the herb butter. Tuck the wings under the turkey and tie the legs together with kitchen twine (optional, but it makes for a neater appearance).
2. Place the turkey on the rack of the roasting pan (breast side up). Take a large sheet of aluminum foil and form it to the shape of the breast and legs. Remove and set aside to use later if turkey gets too brown.
3. Place the roasting pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350˚F.
4. Roast the turkey for about 3 hours (for a 14-pound turkey). Begin testing for doneness 30 minutes before total roasting time is reached to avoid surprises. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165˚F. There is no basting in this recipe. Important: the skin will brown before the turkey is done (up to an hour or so before). At this point, loosely cover the turkey with foil for the remainder of cooking time so the breast meat doesn’t burn. When the turkey rests, the temperature will continue to rise, and the thigh meat should end up in the 170s, which will be perfectly tender.
5. Once the turkey is cooked and out of the oven, carefully tilt the roasting rack so the juices inside the turkey spill out to the bottom of the pan (these can be made into gravy!). Lift the rack (with the turkey on it) and transfer the turkey to a large cutting board or plate.
6. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes prior to carving. Adjust 5 minutes per 5 pounds of turkey. This is important! The juices need time to redistribute or else you’ll end up with a dry turkey. Use the drippings to make gravy while the turkey rests.