We did the Alton Brown Honey Brine and then roasted per Mad Max, sans herbs and basting, because the drippings would have been too salty from the brine. It turned out great. Breast meat was very moist. The three extended family members in attendance said it was "the best turkey" they've ever had. Kind of hard to qualify that statement, because so many people grow up eating and still eat the "traditional" dried out turkey, but I can say without a doubt it is the juiciest bird I've ever cooked. And the brine was super simple. I'll definitely do it again.

I have always brined my birds and always will. I use a low salt brine and let them go for about 3-4 days.

I use:

1 gallon vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp allspice berries
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp candied ginger
4 8" twigs fresh rosemary
10-12 fresh sage leaves

I bring it all to a boil, then cool overnight. Add that and a bag of ice to a turkey to submerge. I add ice ass needed over the next several days. Then I remove from the brine and let rest about an hour before cooking.

The drippings are no salty and the bird has a great depth of flavor and is very juicy. I also put fresh rosemary twigs and sage leaves under the skin and into the bird cavity along with apple slices, onion quarters, celery and onion.

I use a cooler. The first batch of ice goes into the mixture. Additional ice is added in bags so as to not further dilute the mixture.

I used RRP's low-salt brine (below). Made the brine, cooled it to room temp overnight, turkey and brine in a brining bag, brining bag in a cooler, ice on top of the brining bag, cooler outside on the balcony for 2 1/2 days. Turned the turkey in the bag once or twice a day, added ice once.

I cooked it at 400 -- 16 pounds and it was done in two hours. Threw a few branches of rosemary in the cavity before the frost gets it... It came out beautifully and made great gravy, really flavorful and delicate. I think that's an advantage of the low-salt brines. The brine didn't dominate, more a nice savory spiciness.

Brine---

Reduced prep cook day---All I had to do was rinse and cook
Moister Turkey--throughout
Reduced cook times--one of the 18 pounders cooked in 4 hours at 325 with platesetter
Gives breast a nice sheen--kind of like when you use a mojo

Smokin’ Okie’s Holiday Turkey Brine:
1 gal. water
1 c. coarse kosher salt
¾ c. soy sauce
½ c. white sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. honey
½ c. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. black pepper
3 - 4 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. Allspice

I saw some posts from people saying that their brined birds tasted hammy. I am curious about this. If you had a hammy bird can you please post the brine recipe, the size of the bird, how long it was brined and what kind of bird (e.g., was it a "natural" bird or was it self bating, etc.)?

In my experience brining or spicing food items too soon or long produces a hammy effect. Example rubbing ribs the day before is a big no-no in my book.

No hammy taste here---Just simplicity and 2 perfect turkeys.

2-18 pounders-Carolina Farms Fresh Turkeys
4 gallons ice water
3-4 cups table salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sourwood honey
1-2 cups white sugar

Brined for 16 hours and cooked both on XL's at 325 using plate setter and one large chunk apple wood. Reached 170 in 4 hours and let rest in Cambro cooler for 70 minutes. Was seriously great turkey. All eaten!

Speaking of overcooking, here is one more brinig tidbit....brining gives you a bigger window for doneness, if you do over cook brined food a bit, it is still moist.