Turkey in a juniper brine and herbed butter in the oven

Ingredients:

Turkey and brine

• 2 tbsp. coarse salt
• 1.5 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons juniper berries
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 5 bay leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 turkey, 15-16 lbs (6.5-7.5 kg), butterflyed (not kosher or marinated)

Herbed butter for porchetta

• 220 rubles of butter, room temperature
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• Lemons, fresh rosemary and bay leaves for serving

Preparation:

1. A day ahead of time, combine the salt, brown sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaf, and lemon zest with 4 cups (1 L) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the brine sit for 30 minutes. Pour the brine into a plastic container or saucepan large enough to hold the turkey, add 20 cups (5 L) of ice water, and stir. Submerge the turkey in the brine, adding more ice water if necessary. Weight the bird with a plate to keep it submerged, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
2. The next day, drain, rinse, and pat dry the turkey. Place it on a large cutting board lined with paper towels and let it rest at room temperature until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour.
3. Spiced butter:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine butter, garlic, rosemary, fennel, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper until smooth.
4. Position the oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 190°C.
5. Pat the turkey skin dry again and rub the herb oil evenly over the entire surface, working it under the breast skin. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan as flat as possible. If your roasting pan is a bit small, tuck the wings behind the back, resting the legs on the ledge of the roasting pan. Place a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven to catch the drippings.
6. Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F (74°C), 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Transfer the bird to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish the serving platter with lemons, rosemary, and bay leaf, if using.