Instructions: * Turkey must be rinsed thoroughly, giblets, neck, and tail piece removed

Method
1.To brine the turkey: Dissolve salt in 2 gallons cold water in large stock pot or clean bucket. Add turkey and refrigerate or set in very cool (40 degrees or less) spot for 8 to 12 hours.

2.To prepare stuffing: Prepare selected stuffing, keeping dry and wet ingredients separate until ready to stuff the bird. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.To stuff and roast the turkey: Remove turkey from salt water and rinse both cavity and skin under cool water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Set heavy-duty V-rack, adjusted to widest setting, in pan.

4.Place half of mixed stuffing in buttered medium casserole dish, dot surface with butter, cover with buttered foil, and refrigerate until ready to use. Microwave remaining stuffing on full power, stirring two or three times, until very hot (120 to 130 degrees), 6 to 8 minutes (if you can handle stuffing with hands, it is not hot enough). Spoon 4 to 5 cups stuffing into turkey cavity until very loosely packed. Secure skin flap over cavity opening with turkey lacers or skewers.Loosely tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck wings behind back, brush entire breast side with half the melted butter, then place turkey breast side down on V-rack. Fill neck cavity with remaining 1 to 2 cups heated stuffing and secure skin flap over opening as above. Brush back with remaining butter.

5.Roast 1 hour, then reduce temperature to 250 degrees and roast 1 3/4 hours longer. Remove pan from oven (close oven door) and with wad of paper towel or turkey lifter in each hand, turn breast side up and baste (temperature of breast should be 145 to 150 degrees). Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees; continue roasting until breast registers 160 degrees, thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees and stuffing registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours longer.

6.For remaining stuffing: When turkey comes out of oven, add the 1/4 cup stock to dish of reserved stuffing, replace foil, and bake until hot throughout, about 20 minutes. Remove foil; continue to bake until stuffing forms golden brown crust, about 15 minutes longer.

7.Remove stuffing from turkey and carve. Serve, passing stuffing separately.

Note about brining:
The Holy Brine
Our previous turkey articles found that brining made a significant improvement in the overall flavor and texture of the meat. We were concerned that if we stuffed a brined bird, the stuffing might emerge over-salted. Much to our joy, however, we found that this was not the case.

In fact, the benefits of brining are many fold. First, brining provides a cushion for the breast meat, so even if it eliminates the need to season before and after roasting. Because the turkey sits overnight in a tub of salted water, brining also ensures that all parts of the turkey are at the same temperature. This is especially good insurance if youre roasting a previously frozen bird. Yet another benefit is that the turkey meat absorbs water during the brining process. Water is a heat conductor and therefore expedites cooking. We tested this theory and found that indeed, a brined bird cooks faster than an unbrined one by about thirty minutes. Lastly, brining may help inhibit growth of certain types of bacteria. So while it may seem like added work, dunking the bird in the brine is worth it for a whole host of reasons.

The recipe appears courtesy of Cooks Illustrated magazine.

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