How To Dry Brine a Turkey

This post is part of a partnership with Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative, but all opinions are my own.

Dry brined cooked turkey on a serving plater

The star of a Thanksgiving meal is arguably the turkey. This year we are enjoying a delicious Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative turkey. Grass Roots turkeys are pasture raised on small family farms across the US.

To prepare the turkey, I did a dry brine. If you are wondering how to dry brine a turkey, don’t worry, it’s easy! I find it to be the best way to make a moist an flavorful turkey with extra crispy skin. A dry brine involves rubbing salt and herbs directly onto the skin and meat and it’s my favorite way to brine meat. You get a similar result to a wet brine, without the mess.

Grass Roots recommends 1.5 pounds of turkey per person so you’ll have left overs. Each turkey comes with a handy guide to storing, thawing, brining and roasting your bird. There are only a few days left to order a Grass Roots turkey in time for thanksgiving so visit their site today.

Dry brining isn’t just for turkey! My dry brined pork chops are perfect anytime of the year.

Ingredients

A turkey and kosher salt is all that’s needed for a dry brine. You can also add some dried seasoning like black pepper, rosemary, sage and thyme if you want to infuse your bird with flavor while it brines.

Turkey
Kosher salt
mix of dry spices like black pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme
Unsalted butter
Fresh rosemary
Yellow onion

Step 1: Dry brine turkey 1-2 days before cooking.
Let frozen turkey thaw in fridge for 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. Remove turkey from fridge and remove giblets from cavity. Pat dry with paper towel. Combine 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of herb mix for every 4 pounds of turkey in a small bowl. Place turkey on a wire rack placed in a baking pan or roasting pan and rub salt mixture all over bird, including under breast skin. Place in fridge, uncovered for at least 1 day, ideally 2.

Dry brined turkey in a pan before cooking — Turkey after 2 day dry brine

Step 2: Prepare turkey.
Remove turkey from fridge and place in on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Do not rinse. Stuff 1 sprig of rosemary and ¼ of onion into cavity. Rub butter all over the turkey and under breast skin. Truss legs with kitchen twine. Place remaining onion and carrots in bottom of pan and add 3 cups of water.

Step 3: Bake turkey.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook turkey uncovered for about 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. Cook turkey for about 12 minutes per pound, until turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. To measure temperature, place thermometer into thickest part of thigh. When turkey is done, remove from oven and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. Save the turkey drippings to make gravy. Enjoy!

Equipment

Unlike a wet brine which requires a container or bag to house the bird during the brining process, a dry brine requires no extra equipment. All you need is a roasting pan or sheet pan. There are a bunch of reasonably priced roasting pans on Amazon, but my favorite roasting pan is from Hestan.

FAQ

What is dry brining?

Dry brining is simply rubbing salt directly onto meat, then letting it rest in the fridge for a period of time. Spices and sugar can also be added to dry brines to add extra flavor to the meat.

How does dry brining work?

Salt pulls out the juices from the meat during the dry brining process. The salt dissolves into the juices, creating a natural brine. As the meat rests, the juices are reabsorbed into the meat, breaking down the muscles into the process. This dry brining process results in tender and juicy meat.

How much salt do I need to dry brine?

Use about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for every 4lbs of turkey. If you are using herbs/spices, add about 1 teaspoon of them for every 4lbs of turkey.

How do I cook a dry brined turkey?

Once the turkey is brined, you can use whatever cooking method you like for your bird. I provide a basic roasting method below in the recipe card.