Method

• 1.
  To make the brine, put all the ingredients with 4L water in a large stockpot, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add another 4L water, then strain (discarding solids) and set aside to cool completely.
• 2.
  Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the whole turkey.
• 3.
  Submerge the turkey in the brine and use a heavy plate to weigh it down. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. One hour before cooking, drain the turkey, discarding the brine, and pat dry inside and out with paper towels.
• 4.
  Meanwhile for the stuffing, cook wild rice in a saucepan of boiling water until tender (40-45 minutes), then drain and set aside to cool completely. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Squeeze the meat from the skins of the sausages into the pan. Fry for 6-8 minutes to brown well, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Add onion, apple and garlic, and saute for 4-5 minutes until tender and translucent. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the wild rice, parsley and sage. Season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine.
• 5.
  Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan-forced). Season the turkey lightly with salt and pepper, inside and out. Loosely fill the body cavity and neck cavity with stuffing (any remaining stuffing can be cooked separately in a buttered baking dish). Secure the cavity with a skewer and tuck the wings underneath the body.
• 6.
  Weigh the stuffed turkey to calculate the cooking time, allowing 20 minutes per 500g.
• 7.
  Spread the onion slices in a large flameproof roasting tin to form a trivet and place the stuffed turkey, breast-side up, on top. Drizzle generously with olive oil and rub well into the skin. Season with salt and pepper.
• 8.
  Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and roast, basting every 30-40 minutes with the pan juices, until golden brown, referring to your calculated cooking time. If the turkey browns too quickly, cover with a piece of buttered foil. To check whether it is cooked, a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh should read 71°C.
• 9.
  Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover loosely with foil and rest for at least 1 hour.
• 10.
  Discard any excess fat from the roasting tin. Heat the tin over medium-high heat, pour in the wine and verjuice, and scrape the base of the pan to remove all the lovely caramelised bits. Reduce by half, add the stock and boil for 10-15 minutes to reduce to a rich-flavoured sauce. Season.
• 11.
  Serve the turkey and sauce with your favourite trimmings.