The evening before cooking, bring 2 quarts of water to boil, add salt and sugar, remove from heat and stir to dissolve. Add remaining spices and cool. Pour into a plastic bag lined 5-gallon bucket, adding 2 gallons of ice water.
Place bucket of brine in refrigerator, iced cooler, or in garage below 40 degrees (but not freezing). Submerge turkey into cold brine, adding more water if needed. Leave in brine for 8-10 hours. Rinse, pat dry, season and roast as usual.
