Roast Turkey with Sage-Garlic Butter..

We are big believers in brining turkey before cooking. It helps the meat absorb moisture {and prevents the white meat from drying out before the dark meat is cooked} and makes the meat more flavorful overall.

Serves: 12 to 16
Time: 2 3/4 to 3 3/4 hours, plus overnight to brine.

1 cup kosher salt
1 turkey {12 to 18 lbs.}
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped sage leaves
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 quart reduced-sodium chicken broth, warmed

1. Make brine. Boil 1 quart water with salt in a pot big enough to hold turkey, stirring until salt is dissolved. Add 2 quarts cold water and let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, remove leg truss from turkey and discard. Remove neck, tail, and giblets and save for broth if you like. Pull off and discard lumps of fat. Rinse bird inside and out. Lower turkey into brine. If breast isn't submerged, make more brine, cool, and add. Chill, covered, at least 12 hours.
2. In a food processor, blend butter, 1/3 cup sage, and garlic until smooth.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lift turkey from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Set turkey on a V-shaped rack in a 12- by- 17-inch or larger roasting pan {big enough so turkey fits inside rim}.
4. Slide your fingers between skin and flesh of bird to make pockets of space on breast, back, and leg areas, turning bird as necessary. Still using your fingers, slide about 1 tablespoon sage-garlic butter at a time under skin in all the pockets. Place bird, breast side up, on rack.
5. Roast turkey, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until a thermometer inserted straight down through thickest part of breast to the bone registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours. Transfer turkey to a platter and tent with foil. Let rest in a warm place 15 to 30 minutes, then carve.
6. Meanwhile, make gravy: Scrape browned bits from bottom of pan and pour with drippings into a glass measuring cup. Skim fat off top; reserve 1/4 cup and discard the rest. Measure drippings; add hot water if needed to make 1 cup total.
7. In a large frying pan, heat reserved fat over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add drippings, whisking into a smooth paste. Whisk in broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, letting mixture come to a boil between additions. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon sage.

Make Ahead:
Sage-garlic butter, up to 4 days, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before using.

Per Serving: 288 calories, 45% {130 calories} from fat. 33 grams protien. 15 grams fat {6 grams saturated}. 4 grams carbohydrates {0.1 gram fiber}. 581 milligrams sodium. 104 milligrans cholesterol.