Turkey in pastrami brine

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of salt
• 0.5 cups tightly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and cooled
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds, toasted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed, + 12-14 whole cloves (optional)
• 4 bay leaves
• 5 cm fresh ginger root, cut into 1 cm thick circles.
• Butterfly-cut turkey weighing 6.5-7.5 kg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh sprigs of parsley

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the salt, sugar, coriander, mustard seeds, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaf, and ginger and cover with 4 cups (1 L) of water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let 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.
2. Submerge the turkey in the liquid, adding more ice water if necessary. Weight the bird with a plate to keep it submerged, and refrigerate for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 190°C. Position the rack on the middle shelf of the oven.
4. Drain, rinse, and pat dry the turkey with paper towels. Place it on a large cutting board lined with paper towels and let it rest on the counter until it reaches room temperature, about 1 hour.
5. Pat the skin dry again with paper towels and season the turkey inside and out with black pepper. Line the bottom of a large roasting pan with whole garlic cloves, if using. Lay the turkey flat on top of the garlic. If your roasting pan is a bit small, tuck the wings behind the back and let the drumsticks rest on the lip of the pan. Place a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil on the bottom of the oven to catch any drippings.
6. Roast the turkey until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 150°F (68°C), 1.5 to 2 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle the turkey with roasted garlic and parsley sprigs, if using.