Place the sugar and salt in 4 cups of hot water. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Place the brine in a large stock pot with a gallon of cold water, the cloves, bay leaves and a handful of ice to make sure the water is cold. Stir to combine.

Place the turkey breast side down in the stockpot with brine. You want the water to just cover the turkey.

Refrigerate 18-48 hours (or set it in a cool safe place outside as long as it’s below 55 degrees outside).

When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 450°F.

Take the turkey out of the brine, discarding the brining liquid.

Place the turkey on a roasting rack inside a wide low pan and blot the turkey dry with a paper towel.

Tuck back the wings and rub the skin of the turkey with the oil.

Roast on the lowest rack of the oven for 30 minutes and then place a piece of foil just over the breast of the turkey to cover. The breast cooks faster then the legs and wings so this process helps it to cook more evenly.

Pour 1 cup of water in the pan, reduce temperature to 350°F and continue to roast 1 hour.

Remove the foil from the breast and cook another 15-30 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh (avoiding the bone) to reach a temperature of 160-165 degrees. The turkey will continue to cook a little even after you take it out of the oven (the total cooking time in the oven will be 1 hour 45 minutes-2 hours total).

Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes (this is an essential step to allow the juices to redistribute and settle).

Slice and serve.