Thanksgiving turkey - with recipe
12 pound fresh turkey
5 gallon plastic bucket
1.5 gallons water (or enough to cover the turkey)
1.5 cups kosher salt (1/2 cup per 2 quarts water) or 3/4 cup table salt (1/4 cup per 2 quarts water)
3/4 cup sugar (1/4 cup per 2 quarts water)
Large cooler
Big bag of ice
Put water in bucket.
Dissolve salt and sugar in water to make a brine. (I used a stick blender.)
Put turkey in brine. You might have to put a heavy pot lid over the turkey to keep it submerged. Cover bucket.
Put bucket in cooler. Fill cooler with ice to keep bucket cool. Leave overnight.
Next morning, take turkey from water. Put on roasting grate in a large cake pan, to catch draining water. Put in fridge for several hours to dry. (I left it overnight.)
Preheat oven to 325. Put turkey on grate in oven, breast-side up. No stuffing -- I do it separately.
Bake for 15 minutes per pound. This turkey took about 3.5 hours. I only pulled it once after about 2 hours to brush butter over the skin. No other basting necessary.