Best 5 Dry Brined Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

HOW TO DRY BRINE A TURKEY FOR THANKSGIVING

Steps:

• Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and save for gravy. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and put on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Combine 1/4 cup salt, the sugar, rosemary, sage, thyme, celery seeds, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a spice grinder. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the salt is pale green.
• Rub the turkey inside and out with the salt mixture, rubbing some under the skin of the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• When ready to roast the turkey, rinse it well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with desired flavors and ingredients. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body. Add desired seasonings and flavor to the outside of the turkey. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks) and preheat the oven to 350˚. Roast the turkey 1 hour, then baste with the pan drippings, adding up to 1/2 cup water to the pan if the drippings are getting too dark. Continue to roast the turkey, basting every 30 minutes and adding more water to the pan if needed, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160˚, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.

DRY BRINE TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside and outside of turkey with kosher salt, focusing on the breast and thighs. Place turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate turkey for about 2 days.
• Flip turkey breast-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 more day.
• Remove plastic wrap and place turkey on a rack over a baking sheet the night before you plan to roast. Allow turkey to air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Bring turkey to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours; pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey with black pepper and place onion and celery in the cavity.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place turkey, breast-side down, in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until skin is golden, about 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and flip to breast-side up. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours.
• Transfer turkey to a large platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil; allow turkey to rest about 30 minutes before carving.

DRY-BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Two days before serving, rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub all over with kosher salt, slipping salt under skin where possible and rubbing some into cavities. Use about 1 tablespoon per 4 pounds of bird.
• Wrap bird in a large plastic bag and place in refrigerator. On second night, turn turkey over. A couple of hours before cooking, remove turkey from bag and pat dry. (There is no need to rinse it first.) Place in roasting pan and allow to come to room temperature.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle half the pepper into main cavity of turkey; add thyme, parsley, half the onions and half the apples. Truss legs with kitchen twine. Put remaining apples and onions in neck opening and tuck neck skin under bird.
• Rub butter under breast skin and onto thigh meat. Sprinkle bird with remaining pepper.
• Roast for 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cover breast of bird and wing tips with foil. Add 1 1/2 cups white wine (or use water) to bottom of roasting pan and roast bird for another two hours, depending on size; figure 12 minutes a pound for an unstuffed bird. Remove foil in last half-hour so breast browns.
• When turkey has roasted for 2 hours, begin to test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer (digital is best) into two places in thigh, making sure not to touch bone. It should be at about 160 degrees.
• When roasting is done, tip turkey so interior juices run back into pan. Remove turkey to a separate baking sheet or serving platter, cover with foil and then a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Pour fat and drippings from pan into a measuring cup. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup white wine (or use broth) and pour that into same measuring cup. Fat and drippings can then be used to make gravy.

DRY-BRINED TURKEY WITH CLASSIC HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Unwrap the turkey and remove the neck and giblets (reserve for gravy). Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Combine 1/3 cup salt, the sugar and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Rub all over the turkey and inside the cavity. Put on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse well and pat dry. (A dry brine is a good choice if you're short on fridge space.)
• Mix the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper, the paprika and cloves until combined. Reserve 4 tablespoons of the butter, then rub the rest under the turkey skin on the breasts and legs. Rub 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter on the skin; chill and save the rest for your gravy. Let the turkey stand 30 minutes at room temperature before roasting.
• Put the oven rack in the lowest position; preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan, tucking the wing tips under. Tie the drumsticks together with twine. Roast until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes per pound. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving. Whisk the reserved 2 tablespoons flavored butter into your gravy just before serving, if desired.

DRY-BRINE THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat dry your turkey. Place a roasting rack on a sheet pan and place the turkey on top of the rack.
• Rub the dry rub all over the turkey, especially on the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 to 48 hours.
• Remove the turkey from the fridge to let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before roasting.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
• Working from the neck end of the turkey, gently loosen skin from breasts and rub butter under skin of the bird. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. *You do not have to do the butter under the skin. I've done it both ways and it turns out flavorful and delicious either way. Obviously, butter is always a delicious touch, but if you are having trouble getting it under the skin just move along.
• Fill a roasting pan with 2 cups of broth and place the turkey (which should still be on the rack) into the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until the skin starts to brown in spots, about 20 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting, basting the turkey every 20 to 30 minutes with the broth/juices from the turkey (if there are no juices and the bottom looks dry, pour 1 cup of chicken broth over the breasts/body of the turkey).
• When the turkey is starting to look golden brown all over, tent with foil. Continue to roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 160°F. It will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven.
• Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and reserve pan juices if planning on making my Herby Turkey Gravy.