Three things make this the moistest turkey you have ever tried – the brine, the bacon strips, cooking the turkey breast side down for half the time and if you want that little extra, a sausage stuffing.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons kosher salt (2 teaspoons if using an injected turkey – see notes below)  • 3 Tablespoons sugar • 1/4 cup honey • Peel from 1 orange, cut into strips • 4 to 5 liters buttermilk  • 1 Tablespoon whole allspice • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns • 4 sprigs fresh thyme • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary  • 12 Sage leaves • 6 To 9 kg turkey (see recipe notes) • 12 strips of bacon • 1 large roasting bag

It is best if you have a trivet as this recipe has you cook the turkey for the first half of cooking time breast side down. Place bacon on the trivet tines so the turkey doesn’t stick. Use your favorite stuffing or visit my website for my sausage stuffing.
If your turkey is frozen, make sure it is fully thawed 24 hours before you will brine it.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make the brine, simply mix all the ingredients.
• Put thawed turkey in a large roasting bag, add the brine, seal the bag and place in your roasting pan (In case of roasting bag tears.)
• Refrigerate for 24 hours. Then open bag, throw out brine, place bacon strips on trivet tines, stuff turkey, put turkey breast side down on trivet. Tent with aluminum foil loosely. Roast at 325ºF. Half way through
cooking time, flip turkey over (try to keep bacon strips intact and drape them over the turkey breast) (or add some fresh strips of bacon). When cooking time is complete, remove from oven and tent with foil for 15-20 minutes.