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One 10 to 12-pound turkey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons Emeril’s Turkey Rub
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths
1 large orange, cut into 8ths
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1 ½ to 2 cups chicken or turkey stock, for basting

1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 oranges, quartered
2 lemons, quartered
6 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary

1. Remove the neck, giblets and liver from the cavity of the turkey and reserve for making a turkey gravy, as desired.
2. Rinse the turkey inside and out under cold running water.
3. To make the brining solution, dissolve the salt and sugar in 2 gallons of cold water in a non-reactive container (such as a clean bucket or large stock pot, or a clean, heavy-duty, plastic garbage bag.) Add the oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary. (Note: if you have a big turkey and need more brine than this, use ½ cup salt and ½ cup brown sugar for every gallon of water.)
4. Soak the turkey in the brine, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
6. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels, inside and out.
7. Place breast side down in a large, heavy roasting pan, and rub on all sides with the butter. Season inside and out with the Turkey rub, and lightly with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with the onion, orange, celery, carrot, bay leaves, and thyme.
8. Loosely tie the drumsticks together with kitchen string.
9. Roast the turkey, uncovered, breast side down for 1 hour.
10. Remove from the oven, turn and baste with ½ cup stock.
11. Continue roasting with the breast side up until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165° F when inserted into the largest section of thigh (avoiding the bone), about 2 ¾ - 3 hours total cooking time. Baste the turkey once every half-hour with ½ - ¾ cup chicken or turkey stock.
12. Remove from the oven and place on a platter.
13. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, or while making the gravy.
14. Pour the pan juices into a clear 6 cup measurer, and skim the fat off the top.
15. Reserve 4 tablespoons of the fat to make the pan gravy.
16. You should also have about 4 cups of chicken /turkey stock in the pan.