Chef Gregg's Roasted Turkey and Gravy

As most of you know, my husband is also a chef and our life is food!  Gregg works with our children's school garden and teaches the kids to know where food comes from and what to do with it.  Today him and other parents and kids are bundling herbs for this recipe to be sold after school.  The money that is made goes back into the garden!   Gregg aka Chef Gregg makes the "mostest bestest evah" Brined Roasted Turkey and Gravy made from all the roasting liquids and vegetables... Plan on purchasing your turkey this weekend so that way there is enough time for you to brine the turkey and dry the turkey before roasting.  Feel free to add any other seasonings, this is a very simple approach.  Happy Thanksgiving Week! Chef Gregg’s Turkey and Gravy Prepare 2 days before cooking the turkey For the turkey brine: Fresh or thawed 14-16 pound young turkey, rinse, remove the package, and contents in the inside the bird if any. Frozen turkeys take 2-3 days to thaw in refrigeration 1 1/2 pounds kosher salt ½ pound light brown sugar 2 cinnamon sticks ½ teaspoon peppercorns, two or three bay leaf 4 star anise 2 orange halved and squeezed 2 lemons halved and squeezed 2 sprigs of rosemary A couple branches of thyme 6 leaves sage 2 pounds ice 1 gallon of water 1 gallon of ice water Equipment needed: Heavy bottom stock/soup pot 5 gallon bucket, these are sold at home depot, wash, rinse and dry Sheet pan or roasting pan blender In a large heavy bottom stock pot, add all ingredients, except the turkey.   Heat until salt and sugar and dissolved, pull of off heat and add the ice water to help cool the brine mixture. Once the brine mixture is cooled fully submerge the turkey in a 5 gallon bucket and place in a refrigerator of if you live where it is less than 40 degrees it can be left covered in a garage.   Let the magic happen for at least 24 hours. Take out of the brine, pat dry and place on a sheet tray or the roasting pan for another 24 hours uncovered in 40 degree refrigeration. For the turkey: 2 onions peeled- chopped 3 carrots peeled-chopped 6 ribs of celery chopped 10 cloves garlic whole 6 sage leaves Herbs such as 10 twigs of thyme 2 twigs of rosemary ¼ cup of olive oil or melted butter 1 tablespoon kosher salt In a roasting pan or sheet pan place cut up the vegetables in the bottom of the roasting pan. You want a good amount directly under the turkey so they protect the bird from burning on the bottom. Drizzle with the olive oil or use butter or both.  Sprinkle with the kosher salt.  Cook the turkey for 2 1/2 to 3 hours@350 degrees. Finish at 500 degrees crisping the skin and getting desired crispiness, basically if you want a nice color and crispy skin heat the oven and keep an eye on the bird until it is golden brown. The Internal temperature should reach 160 degrees. For the Gravy: Lift turkey onto a cutting board and cover with tin foil and allow the turkey to rest for 15-20 minutes.  This will give you time to make the gravy.  Take the vegetables and drippings from the pan and blend them together until smooth, you may have to remove herb stems before blending. You should not need to thicken with  corn starch or flour, the roasted vegetables will act as the thickening agent.