Ingredients
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1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
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2 cups kosher salt
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½ cup butter, melted, divided
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2 large onions, chopped, divided
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4 carrots, coarsely chopped, divided
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4 stalks celery, chopped, divided
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2 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
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1 bay leaf
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1 cup dry white wine
Directions
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Rub turkey inside and out with kosher salt; place in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate to allow turkey to soak in brine solution for 12 hours, or overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey; discard the brine mixture.
![an overhead shot of a raw turkey on a baking sheet]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Brush turkey with 1/2 of the melted butter.
![an overhead shot of melted butter brushed onto a turkey on a baking sheet]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Place breast-side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff turkey cavity with 1/2 the onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and bay leaf. Scatter remaining vegetables and thyme in the bottom of the roasting pan; pour white wine over vegetables.
![an overhead shot of a turkey on a roasting pan with vegetables underneath]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Roast turkey in the preheated oven, uncovered, until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Carefully turn turkey breast-side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with remaining butter. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
![an overhead shot of a turkey, browned and cooked, on a roasting pan with vegetables underneath]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
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Allow turkey to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
![close up on a whole golden-brown turkey on a platter]()
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
Editor's Notes:
The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary.
Always brine foods in a food-grade, nonreactive container such as a stainless steel or enameled stockpot, a brining bag, or a food-grade plastic bucket.
