Method

To make the brine

1. Place I litre of the water in a large sauce pot and bring to the boil.

2. Remove from the heat and add all the ingredients for the brine to the pot and stir until the salt and sugar have dissolved.

3. Pour the hot brine into a container large enough to hold the turkey and add the remaining 8 litres of cold water to cool the brine.

4. Place the turkey into the brine making sure the entire turkey is submerged.

5. Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Next day

1. Pre-heat oven to 230C.

2. Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine.

3. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry the skin of the turkey with a tea towel. Truss the turkey with butcher twine.

4. Rub the outside of the turkey with the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper

5. Place the turkey onto a roasting rack inside of a large roasting pan.

6. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast the turkey for 25 minutes.

7. Reduce oven temperature to 170C, remove the foil and continue roasting the turkey for an additional 1 ½ hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 73C.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven and rest at room temperature for 35 to 45 minutes lightly covered with foil before carving.