Make-Ahead: Allow the turkey to soak overnight. Roast the turkey just before serving.

Brined turkey first made a splash a few years ago in the pages of Cook's Illustrated magazine, who, in turn, derived their recipe from a Portuguese version in Jean Anderson's The Food of Portugal (with a few tips from Kosher butchers along the way). The brining idea is a good one, as the bird soaks up moisture and seasoning (I include herbs for added flavor), but the logistics can be daunting.

This method only works with fresh turkeys--self-basting, frozen, or Kosher turkeys have already been salted.

You'll need a container big enough to hold your turkey. A 6-gallon stockpot will hold a 14- to 18 pound bird. If you don't have a big enough pot, use a new, large, inexpensive plastic wastebasket, washed well before using.

To estimate the amount of brine, place the turkey in the container, and measure in cold water to cover the bird completely. The proportions in the recipe are for 2 gallons water, but the amount of brine can be adjusted as needed. For each 2 quarts water, use 1/2 cup Kosher or 1/4 cup plain (noniodized) salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons each rosemary, thyme, and sage, 3/4 teaspoon each marjoram, celery seed, and peppercorns. (Kosher salt is less salty than table salt. Plain salt will not cloud the brine like iodized salt.)

The turkey must be chilled during brining. As few of use have refrigerator space to hold a large, heavy stockpot, especially during the holidays, you may have to opt for outdoors or an unheated room, if the weather is cold enough (below 40° F). Or get up very early in the day, substitute a tray of ice cubes for 2 cups of the water, and soak the turkey at cool room temperature for 2 to 4 hours before roasting.

Don't run the risk of the risk of stuffing the turkey, as the salty juices could ruin it. Instead, loosely fill the cavities with seasoning vegetables and bake the stuffing on the side.

One 14- to 18-pound turkey
2 cups Kosher or 1 cup plain (noniodized) table salt 2 tablespoons dried rosemary 2 tablespoons dried thyme 2 tablespoons dried sage 1 tablespoon dried marjoram 1 tablespoon celery seed 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium carrot, chopped 1 medium celery, chopped 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper About 1 1/2 quarts Homemade Turkey Stock (see page 000) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1. The night before roasting, rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Reserve the turkey neck and giblets (not the liver) to use the stock.

2. In a very large stockpot, mix 2 gallons cold water with the salt, rosemary, thyme, sage, marjoram, celery seed, and peppercorns, stirring until the salt dissolves. Place the turkey in the pot. Cover and place in a cold spot (lower than 40° F) or refrigerator and let stand overnight.

3. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325° F. In a small bowl, mix the onion, carrot, and celery.

4. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat the skin and body cavities dry with paper towels. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with the onion mixture. Using a wooden skewer, pin the turkey's neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with the remaining onion mixture. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.

5. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the butter. Sprinkle with the pepper. Pour 2 cups of turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.

6. Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan, until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching a bone) reads 180° F degrees, about 4 hours. (Estimated Roasting Times, below.) Whenever the drippings evaporate, add broth or water to moisten them (about 1 1/2 cups at a time). Remove the foil during the last hour to allow the skin to brown.

7. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for about 30 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour the pan drippings into a large glass bowl or gravy separator. Let stand for 5 minutes. Skim or pour off the clear yellow fat that rises to the surface. Add enough turkey stock to the drippings to measure 8 cups total liquid.

8. Place the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Measure 3/4 cup fat (add melted butter if necessary) into the pan. Add the flour and whisk to make a paste. Whisk in the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add more stock. If it is too thin, just simmer longer to reduce and thicken. Season with salt and pepper.

Add an extra 30 minutes to the roasting time to allow for variations in roasting conditions. It's better to have a bird done ahead of time than to keep everyone waiting and hungry for the bird to finish roasting.