With this simple dry brined turkey recipe, you’ll discover the secrets to an incredibly juicy and flavorful bird that will alter the game this holiday season!
Inspired by a dish by Jeff Mauro that appeared in Rachel Ray Magazine, this amazing dry-brined turkey recipe was shared with me by Rebecca Jurkevich, the excellent food stylist that styled my second cookbook. I especially adore how easy this recipe is to make. The dry brine, which is a mixture of salt and seasonings, is first applied to the turkey’s skin, and it is then left to rest in the refrigerator for the entire night.In addition to fully seasoning the meat, the salt extracts the natural liquids from the bird and turns them into a self-brine that the meat absorbs again, resulting in a juicy and tasty turkey from the inside out. Additionally, the remaining time in the refrigerator dries out the bird’s outside, giving it the most gorgeously crispy, golden-brown skin when it’s cooked. Because of its simplicity and consistent results, this dry-brined turkey dish is a must-try for both experienced and novice turkey cooks.
The items required to create a dry brined turkey
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1For the dry brine, combine the sugar, salt, sage, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl.
2Arrange the turkey onto a baking sheet rack. All over the turkey, including within the cavity, rub and pat the dry brine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 48 hours.
3Brush the turkey’s dry brine off with wet paper towels.
4Arrange the celery, carrots, and onion in a large roasting pan. The turkey should be placed on a roasting rack that has been placed inside the pan. Place the bird’s wings underneath it.
5Spread the butter all over the turkey with your hands.
6Roast the turkey for 1-3/4 to 2-1/2 hours, or until the skin is deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer put into the thickest portion of the breast and thigh registers 165°F. An hour and a half later, check the turkey. Use foil to loosely cover it if it’s getting too dark.
Note: The size of your turkey will determine how long it takes to cook. I suggest utilizing a digital thermometer, such as the one below, with a leave-in probe and remote monitor for the best results. In this manner, you can keep an eye on the turkey’s temperature without ever opening your oven.
7Gently turn the turkey so that any cavity juices fall into the roasting pan, using clean oven mitts (that you don’t mind getting filthy). Move the turkey to a chopping board or dish. Cover with foil and give it a 20 to 30 minute rest. Take out the veggies from the pan and throw them away, or save them if they aren’t too brown or soft and lay them alongside the turkey on the serving tray. Keep the pan drippings aside for the gravy. Prepare the gravy while the turkey is resting.
After carving, serve the turkey with the gravy on the side.
Dry Brined Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 12 to 14-pound turkey, patted dry (see note)
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Morton kosher salt or ¼ cup Diamond kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves or ground sage
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 large yellow onion cut into wedges
- 2 carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 stalks celery cut into 2-inch pieces
Instructions
- To make cleanup easier, line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven rack on top.
- If the legs are secured with turkey skin, cut the skin to free the legs. Otherwise, remove and discard the truss holding the legs together. Cut away and dispose of any extra fat in the abdominal cavities or neck. Take off the neck and giblets; dispose of or keep for stock. Use warm water to rinse the turkey from the inside out. Using paper towels, pat dry.
- For the dry brine, combine the sugar, salt, sage, thyme, and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange the turkey on the baking sheet rack that has been preheated. All over the turkey, including within the cavity, rub and pat the dry brine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 48 hours. To maintain food safety, keep the turkey refrigerated at 40°F or lower for the duration of the brining process. If brining the turkey for more than a day, you can loosely cover it with plastic wrap for the first 24 hours of the brining procedure and then expose it to let the skin dry.)
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush the turkey’s dry brine off with wet paper towels.
- Arrange the celery, carrots, and onion in a large roasting pan. The turkey should be placed on a roasting rack that has been placed inside the pan. Place the bird’s wings underneath it. Spread the butter all over the turkey with your hands.
- Roast the turkey for 1¾ to 2½ hours, or until the skin is deeply brown and an instant-read or leave-in thermometer placed into the thickest portion of the breast and thigh registers 165°F (see note). After 1½ hours, check the turkey. Cover the skin loosely with foil if it’s getting too browned.
- Gently turn the turkey so that any cavity juices fall into the roasting pan, using clean oven mitts (that you don’t mind getting filthy). Move the turkey to a chopping board or dish. Cover with foil and give it a 20 to 30 minute rest. Take out the vegetables from the pan and throw them away, or save them if they aren’t too brown or soft and lay them alongside the turkey on the serving platter. Keep the pan drippings aside for the gravy.
- Prepare the gravy while the turkey is resting.
- After carving, serve the turkey with the gravy on the side.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The turkey can be roasted and cut ahead of time if you don’t mind losing the crispy skin. Cover a serving dish that may be baked with a thin layer of the gravy. Place the properly carved turkey over the gravy, then cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to two days. Keep the leftover gravy chilled in a different container. To reheat, take off the plastic wrap and place aluminum foil on the surface. Put the turkey in the oven at 325°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it’s hot. Use a microwave or stovetop to reheat the gravy.
- Note Regarding Turkey Selection: To ensure optimal outcomes while using this dry-brining technique, choose a turkey that is not kosher, injected, or marked as “self-basting.” These kinds of turkeys have already been brined or treated with salt. But don’t worry, you may still use this recipe if all you can find is a self-basting, injected, or kosher turkey; extra spice is still beneficial for these birds. To prevent oversalting, just cut the salt content of the dry brine in half.
- Note: Depending on the size of your turkey, I’ve given a range for the cooking time. I suggest utilizing a digital thermometer (such as this one) with a leave-in probe and remote monitor for the best results. In this manner, you can keep an eye on the turkey’s temperature without ever opening your oven.
Notes
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories:1,075
- Fat:47 g
- Saturated fat:15 g
- Carbohydrates:6 g
- Sugar:5 g
- Fiber:0 g
- Protein:147 g
- Sodium:1,619 mg
- Cholesterol:513 mg
