• Defrost: If the turkey is frozen, let thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before dry brining.

  1 whole turkey

Dry brine:

• Mix the salt and all the spices in a small bowl. Rub the turkey very well all over.

  2 tablespoons fine sea salt +1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 teaspoon dried rosemary + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Refrigerate: Wrap it well in plastic wrap/cling film, place in baking dish upside down, and brine and thaw for 48 hours. Turn it over after the first 24 hours.

Roast:

• Prepare turkey: Remove from the fridge and unwrap one-two hours before roasting. Remove the giblets if they are inside the turkey. Carefully pat the skin dry with kitchen paper.
• Preheat oven: Start preheating the oven to 430°F/ 220°C about ½ hour before the turkey needs to go in the oven.
• Season: Melt the butter in a small pan. Use 1 tablespoon of it to smear the turkey inside the cavity. Rub it inside with 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt and some pepper as well.

  ½ cup (scant) unsalted butter/ 100 g + 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + some freshly ground black pepper
• Stuff: Quarter one onion and one orange. Place the wedges and the rosemary inside the body.
• Bind the legs with kitchen twine.
• Assemble: Place the remaining halved or quartered onion and orange in the roasting tin. Place a rack on top (See note 5 for substituting a rack). Place the turkey, breast side down, on the rack. Brush with half of the melted butter. Pour the red wine into the tin, around the turkey, not on it.

  1 ¼ cup red wine/ 300 ml
• Roast at high temperature for 30 minutes.
• Flip: Remove from the oven and turn the heat down to 340°/170°C.

  Turn the turkey breast side up and brush well with the remaining melted butter (if the butter is not melted anymore, reheat it).

  Pour the water into the tin around the turkey.

  1 cup (scant) water/ 200 ml
• Roast at a lower temperature for one hour. Check from time to time; if the skin turns too brown too soon, cover it loosely with aluminum foil (it depends on your oven). Check 10 minutes before the roasting time is over. If the skin is not brown enough, increase the temperature to 430°F/ 220°C again.
• Check the internal temperature with a kitchen thermometer: it should be 165°F/ 75°C (Note 6). If the turkey is not quite there yet, roast for 5-10 more minutes and check again.
• Rest: Remove from the oven and transfer to a large plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 30 minutes.

  In the meantime, make the red wine gravy.

Red wine gravy:

• Strain the pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve into a larger bowl. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to allow the fat to separate from the rest. Remove the fat from the surface of the bowl with a flatter spoon.
• Reduce wine: In the meantime, pour the wine into a small saucepan, bring to a boil on medium heat, and reduce by half. It will take about the time you need to cool and remove the fat from the drippings, but keep checking.

  ⅔ cup red wine/ 150 ml
• Boil: Once the wine is reduced, add the drippings and the stock. Bring to a boil again.

  1 cup (scant) chicken/turkey stock/ 200 ml
• Thicken gravy: In a small bowl, mix the starch and the cold water. Carefully pour into the gravy while whisking continuously to avoid clumps. Let bubble for 1 minute or until the sauce is thickened to your liking.

  2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water