Boil 1 qt. water and add salt, stirring until dissolved. Add 2 qts. of cold water and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare thawed turkey by removing neck, tail, and giblets and save for broth if you would like.

Lower turkey into a large pot/container (we use a food grade 5 gallon bucket). If whole turkey isn't submerged, make more brine, cool, and add. Place in refrigerator and cover at least 12 hours. *If you don't have enough space in the refrigerator, add ice to the brine and ice frequently to keep cool.

In a food processor, add butter, sage, thyme, and garlic until smooth. *You can also do this by hand and up to 4 days ahead of time - storing in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Lift turkey from brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Slide your fingers between skin and flesh of turkey to make pockets of space at the breast, back, and leg areas.

Using your fingers, slide about half of herb butter under skin in all the pockets. Rub remaining butter on the outer surface of the turkey.

Place turkey on a roasting rack, breast side up. Tie legs and bend wing tips under.

Roast turkey for one hour. Then baste every 30 minutes with pan drippings, until a meat thermometer inserted straight down through thickest part of breast and thigh registers 160°F.

Remove the pan from the oven and let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.