Roasty Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Place the turkey in the cooler upside down.

Dissolve the salt and honey in one gallon of cold water.

Pour over the turkey and add three more gallons of cold water. Turn the turkey a few times to thoroughly mix the salt and honey.

Place the cooler in a cold place for four hours for a smaller turkey and as much as six hours for a larger one, no more no less.

Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water.

Thoroughly dry it with paper towels or clean kitchen towels.

Cut the onions in half and along with the carrots and celery fashion a bed in the roasting pan for the turkey to rest on.

Place the turkey in a preheated 400 degree oven.

Roast one hour then, without opening the oven, turn the heat down to 300 degrees and continue roasting for two to three hours longer, depending on the size of the turkey.

After 2 ½ hours, open the oven and check the temperature every 15 minutes or so.

Continue roasting until the breast and thigh meat both reach 165 degrees.

Let the turkey rest, covered with foil, for 20 to 30 minutes before carving then serve immediately.