Roast Turkey with Sage Butter

10 pound turkey
1 gallon water
1 cup salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup water
salt and pepper

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, then add the salt. Boil for a few more minutes to completely dissolve the salt, then remove from the heat and cool completely.
2. Cover turkey completely with the salt-water solution and refrigerate overnight. Make additional brine if necessary.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Remove turkey from the brine and rinse completely, inside and out, until no trace of salt is left on the meat or skin.
5. Combine butter, sage and garlic and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
6. Gently massage the butter under the skin of the turkey breast, then rub the skin with the remaining butter.
7. Fill the turkey cavity with Turkey Stuffing and place on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.
8. Pour about a cup of water into the roasting pan, being careful that the water level does not touch the meat. Roast in the oven until the skin starts to crisp up brown, about 30 minutes.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven and decrease the temperature to 325 degrees. Cover the turkey breast well with tinfoil and return to the oven.
10. Roast turkey until a meat thermometer can be inserted into the breast and read 165 degrees, about 20 minutes per pound. Allow meat at least 20 minutes to rest before carving.
11. To make gravy, simply add a roux (equal parts butter and flour cooked together) or slurry (cornstarch and water solution) to the pan drippings and cook until thickened.

Makes 24 servings