Dry-brining a turkey is a simple step to take in helping make a deliciously moist turkey with perfectly golden, crispy skin.
Making a dry-brined turkey is the secret to a deliciously moist bird.
A dry brine requires a day or two in the fridge to work, but it’s worth the step. Simply rub rub salt and herbs directly onto the skin, then leave in the fridge uncovered for a day or two before roasting.
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
How to dry brine a turkey
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How to dry brine a turkey
Ingredients
1 12lb Turkey
3 tablespoons of kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into quarters
Optional: 1 teaspoon of each black pepper, rosemary, sage and thyme
Instructions
- Dry brine turkey 1-2 days before cooking. Remove giblets from cavity of turkey. Pat dry with paper towel. Combine 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of herb mix (if using) for every 4 pounds of turkey in a small bowl. Place turkey on a wire rack placed inside a baking sheet or roasting pan. Rub salt mixture all over bird, including under breast skin. Place in fridge uncovered for 1 day, ideally 2 days.
- 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.
- Roast turkey. Use your favorite way of cooking the turkey or follow this simple method. 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.
- Category: Thanksgiving
I used this method for my Friendsgiving turkey and it turned out great. Very juicy. I’ll be making this my go to method in the future.
Perfect turkey everytime!
I’ve use this method for years and works every time!
I’ve used this recipe for many years and it’s perfect!
We made this last yes and will do again this year