For the Brine:

For the Aromatics:

Cooking This Great Turkey:

1. Combine all of the brine ingredients, except the ice water in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from the heat, cool to room temperature then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

2. Late the night before the turkey is to be cooked, combine the brine mixture and the ice water in a 5 gallon bucket. Place the thawed or fresh turkey breast side down in the brine, cover and refrigerate or set in a very cool place for about 6 hours. Turn the over once half way through the brining.

3. A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onions, cinnamon stick and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

4. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

5. Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a wide, low pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Add the steeped aromatics to the cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck back the wings and coat the turkey liberally with canola oil.

6. Roast on the lowest level rack of the oven at 500 degrees for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from the oven and cover the breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast and return to the oven reducing the temperature to 350 degrees. Set the thermometer alarm to 161 degrees.

8. A 14 to 16 pound turkey should require a total of 2 1/2 to 3 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered for at least 15 minutes before carving.