Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel and place on a cutting board. (Put a towel beneath the cutting board to help hold it in place.)
Using kitchen shears, remove the backbone by cutting along one side and then the other. This takes some force and leverage, so be careful! (Save the bone for making broth!)
Turn the bird over and press down on the sternum to flatten. You should hear a "crack."
Place on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. (Make sure the rack is safe for cooking-typical non-stick cooling racks are not.)
Rub the salt and herbs all over the skin, making sure to cover the whole bird.
Place the pan in the refrigerator overnight (uncovered!) to dry out.
Cooking day:
Remove the turkey from the fridge to come to room temperature whole the oven preheats to 450 degrees.
Bake at 450 for 75-90 minutes. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh. It should read 170-175 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes before carving so you don't lose all the juices!