This is the first time I have ever brined a turkey. I, as does anyone who’s tried it, highly recommend it.

Brine Ingredients:

30 cups of water

1.5 cups course sea salt

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

5 bay leaves

1 lemon, halved

Directions:

Boil 6 cups of water. Add all ingredients and stir until salt dissolves. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

In a large pot (just big enough to fit the whole turkey and have it submerged in water), place the turkey (make sure you remove the giblets!) and add remaining 24 cups of water. Pour in salt water and all spices. Be sure to cover the whole turkey. You may need to weigh down the turkey so it stays submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.

Turkey Ingredients:

8kg turkey

1/4 cup grass-fed organic butter

4 rosemary sprigs

4 thyme sprigs

2 small apples

Stuffing (my stuffing recipe is 100% not gluten free, not healthy and so delicious but you can stuff it however you want)

Directions:

Take the turkey out of the fridge a few hours before cooking. Rinse and pat dry. Preheat your oven to it’s maximum temperature (or full whack, as Jamie Oliver would say). Our was at 550°F.

Using your hands or a spoon, create a space between the turkey and the skin being sure not to tear the skin. Rub the butter all over the turkey underneath the skin. You can mix herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage into the butter if you want. I just kept it simple this time.

Stuff both the turkey cavities with your stuffing. Once you’ve filled the turkey place an apple in each opening using a rosemary sprig to secure the skin over the neck cavity.

Place turkey in a roasting pan. Place the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs between the legs and body of the turkey. Wrap the wing tips in foil so that they don’t burn. Cover entire bird/pan with foil.

As soon as you put the turkey in the oven turn the temperature down to 350°F. After about 1.5 – 2 hours you will need to start basting the turkey every half an hour. Using a turkey baster, cover the whole bird each time with the juices from the pan. After 4 hours remove the foil and continue to roast until the internal temperature reaches about 72°C.

Remove the turkey from the oven, re-cover with foil and tea towels and allow to rest for 30 minutes or so to lock in all the juices.

Slice and enjoy with a side of kale salad, mashed sweet potatoes and, of course, stuffing.