If you want the most perfectly moist, flavorful, and juicy Thanksgiving Turkey, my dry brine turkey recipe is what you’re looking for. All you need to do is rub the turkey down with salt, seasonings, and fresh herbs. Then, place the turkey in the fridge and let the dry brine work its magic for the next 48 to 72 hours.
That’s all you need the prep you need to do, and you’re on your way to enjoying the best turkey you’ll ever eat!
When it comes to cooking a turkey, what you do before it goes into your oven makes all the difference in the world.
Don’t be intimidated by the thought of cooking a turkey. Because Iโm here to share my dry brining and roasting methods to make your holiday turkey the star of the holiday dinner
There are different thoughts on brining a turkey, with the choices being wet brine or dry brining. While both techniques will help you cook the most succulent turkey youโve ever had, the smartest, easiest way to achieve the best results every time is with a dry brine.
It doesnโt matter if this is your first Thanksgiving dinner, my dry-brine method will make you look like a seasoned veteran of Thanksgiving and turn out an impeccably juicy, flavorful bird.
If you’re looking for a non-traditional dessert for the holidays, my Tiramisu will be the perfect ending to your holiday meal.
Ingredients
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to dry brine our turkey. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Citrus zest
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh Sage
Do I have to use specific herbs and spices to dry brine a turkey?
That’s a tricky question because if you want a traditional Thanksgiving turkey, the answer is yes.
But If you like specific flavorings and aren’t into traditional Thanksgiving flavors, then by all means, have fun substituting spices that you like.
Recipes should be used as guidelines, and in all honesty, the salt is the only ingredient you really need for dry brining; the rest are added for flavor.
Why Should I dry-brine my turkey?
When you’re dealing with a large piece of meat like a whole turkey, it’s easy to overcook it into a dry, flavorless disaster. Dry Brining gives the dry brine mixture time to penetrate into the meat.
Dry brining (dry rub) is a way to inject both flavor and moisture into a turkey, giving you a flavorful, moist, roasted turkey.
Rule #1 of Dry Brining
The larger the piece of meat, the more time is needed for the brine to be effective.
A dry brine, also called pre-salting, involves rubbing the salt, seasonings, and/or sugar directly onto the meat and skin and then letting the meat rest in the refrigerator for a period of time before cooking. During the process of dry brining, the salt draws out the juices through osmosis.
As the salt dissolves into the juices, it begins turning into a natural brine without any added liquid. This Natural brine is then reabsorbed into the meat and starts breaking down the tough muscle proteins. That is why this process needs up to 3 days to complete.
How to thaw a frozen turkey
The best way to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator in its original packaging. General defrosting times are 24 hours for every 4 pounds of Turkey.
If you have no choice and must thaw your turkey quickly, fill the kitchen sink with cold water and put the turkey in it, breast side down.
Make sure to completely submerge the turkey in water (in its original packaging) for the quick thaw method. Make sure to change the water every 30 minutes. This defrosting method will take 30 to 40 minutes per pound of turkey.
*When finished thawing the turkey, make sure to clean and disinfect the sink, spigots, and all surrounding surfaces.
*Don’t leave the turkey out to thaw on the countertop.
Chef Tips
- Don’t buy a preseasoned or kosher turkey (pre-salted) or self-basting turkeys. I always look for free-roaming or a heritage bird. But most importantly, no added salt.
- Make sure your turkey is thawed if you buy a frozen turkey. *Buy your turkey early enough so that itโs thawed and ready to brine on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
- It doesn’t have to be a whole turkey; you can dry brine a turkey breast.
- Getting under the skin of the turkey and applying the brine directly to the meat will make a tastier, moister turkey. If you’re only going to brine the skin, try and brine it for the full 72 hours.
- Don’t rush dry brining. To enjoy the best turkey you’ll ever have, you need to give it enough time to be effective. 2 days is the minimum, and can go as long as four days if you’re working with a 20-pound plus bird. *Any length of time you can brine the turkey is better than not brining the bird.
- You can use any herbs that you like, but the salt really does matter. Use Morton’s Kosher Salt for the best results. Diamond Kosher salt is a larger grain; if you use Diamond, increase the amount of salt by half. Don’t use table salt, it’s too fine and will make the turkey too salty.
- If you don’t have Kosher Salt, you can use Coarse Sea Salt or Coarse Himalayan Pink Salt because of the size of the coarse grains.
*The standard is one tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds of turkey, but I like to go a little below that at one tablespoon of salt for every 6 lbs. So if you’re turkey is smaller, adjust the amount of salt and herbs.
Does it Matter Where I Apply the Mixture?
It does make a difference where you apply the dry brine. Separating the skin from the meat so that some of the dry brine can be rubbed directly on top of the meat (below the skin) will give you the best results.
If you apply the brine directly on the skin, it will need more time to penetrate the skin and get to the meat. The breast will also get more of the dry brine than the rest of the turkey. The turkey breast has the largest amount of meat on a conventional turkey.
- After applying the dry brine, place the turkey breast side up in a roasting pan. Cover the turkey securely using plastic wrap. Or place it into a small plastic bag and seal it, removing as much of the air as possible. Refrigerate for 48 – 60 hours.
- Remove the plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated uncovered for the last 12 hours of brining. This will help crisp the turkey skin.
Can I use Dry Herbs?
Yes, you can, although I prefer fresh herbs. You can find them at most grocery stores in convenient little plastic containers. If fresh herbs are not available, by all means, use dry herbs. You can also add any other herbs or aromatics that you like.
Should I cook a Heritage Turkey Differently?
A heritage turkey is more elongated with drumsticks that are a good 1 to 2 inches longer than a modern bird, extending well beyond the tip of the breast.
Because of its more elongated shape, a heritage turkey cooks a little more quickly than a conventional turkey, so the biggest danger is overcooking. To make sure your Heritage Turkey is not overcooked, follow my recipe and change the cooking times.
Roast an unstuffed turkey at 425ยฐ for 20 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 325ยฐF until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 155ยฐF.
Cooking 15-20 minutes per pound for the total cooking time. That being said, I would start checking the internal temperature 2 hours after the second phase of the process using an Insta-read thermometer in the thigh.
Also, make sure to allow 1-ยฝ lb. per person compared to about one lb. for a conventional turkey. As an example, expect a 12-lb. heritage turkey to feed about eight people. Also, keep in mind that youโll have as much dark meat as light meat. A conventional turkey will have more white meat.
Chef Tips for Roasting
- Set your oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
- Let the turkey sit out of refrigeration for about 30 minutes so it can come to room temperature before roasting.
- Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour before roasting. **Do Not Rinse The Brine Off Turkey
- Start off roasting the turkey at 425ยฐF, and roast upside down for the first 45 minutes. At the end of that time, very carefully turn the turkey over with the breast side up to continue cooking.
- You’ll find that some ovens have cold spots. This is why it’s a good idea to rotate the turkey halfway through and baste for even cooking and browning. Keep some turkey or chicken stock handy in case your turkey doesn’t produce enough juice during the roasting process, and use that for basting if necessary.
- Always use an instant-read thermometer to ensure that your turkey has been cooked properly. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh without touching the bone registers. Your turkey will be done when the thermometer reaches 165ยฐF. It will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven, increasing by another 10 degrees.
- Let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
I absolutely love my Meater Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer. It takes all the guesswork out of cooking meats in the oven, on the grill, or in a smoker.
Do I have to start the turkey upside down?
No, you don’t. Safety should always come first and if you don’t think you can flip the turkey safely, skip that step. Still use the instruction for roasting starting at 425 degrees, then lowering to 325 degrees.
**If you do flip the turkey, take the pan out of the oven first. Don’t attempt this while the pan is in the oven.
You might also find heat-resistant gloves a good option. They’ll come in handy throughout the year.
Can I still Dry-Brine a Self-Basting or Kosher Turkey?
No, you can’t. That will make the turkey too salty! What you can do, is leave the salt out of the dry-brine ingredients and use the remainder of the seasonings as a dry rub. Feel free to add in your favorite spices.
Apply the dry rub for 24-36 hours and follow the roasting instructions.
My Turkey has been injected with a saline solution can I still use a dry brine?
While it’s not a good idea to add more salt to an injected turkey, you can still use the dry brine method. If your turkey is in the 15-pound range cut the Kosher Salt down to 1 Tablespoon. If your turkey is under 15 pounds reduce the salt accordingly. You can use the rest of the ingredients as stated in the recipe.
Why shouldn’t I stuff my turkey?
I know that the stuffing from inside the turkey is the best you’ll ever have. But it’s not a practice I recommend for two very important reasons.
The stuffing sucks a lot of the moisture (and flavor) out of the turkey. That’s why a stuffed turkey is often dry and overcooked. And the really bad news is, it puts us at risk for foodborne illness.
The longer it takes the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees gives bacteria more time to multiply. And that means that uncle Sal (salmonella) might be paying you and your guests an unexpected holiday visit, which will definitely put a damper on the festivities.
**Stuffed turkeys also take longer to cook.
If you have leftover turkey, try my Old Fashioned Turkey Croquettes.
If you’re looking for a new Chef Knife, check out Misen. I’ve been using their kitchen knives for years!
Recipe FAQs
Dry-brining, also referred to as salting, is the process of rubbing the meat down with salt. The natural moisture content of the meat creates a concentrated brine that isย naturally absorbed back into the meat before cooking.
Aย whole turkey needs two to three days of brining time. The dry-brining can be done days before Thanksgiving, giving you extra time on Turkey Day.
For the last 24 hours of the dry brine, leave the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator. This will dry out the skin, which in turn gives you incredibly crispy, golden-brown skin on the finished turkey.
Recipes to serve with turkey!
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
Ingredients
Dry Brine Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon coarse kosher salt I use Morton's Kosher Salt (coarse grain sea salt may be used)
- 1 tablespoon coarse grind black pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme finely chopped fresh or dry
- 1 tablespoon sage finely chopped fresh or dry
- 1 tablespoon clementine peel finely zested any citrus may be used
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Roasting Turkey
- 1-2 carrots rough cut
- 1 onion rough cut
- 3-4 stalks celery rough cut
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 16-20 lb turkey fresh or frozen
- rough cut onion, carrot, sage, thyme and orange skin for inside the turkey (optional)
Instructions
Prep and Dry Brining
- Mix the dry brine ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside
- Remove the turkey from the wrapping and remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity and save for another use. Remove or discard any plastic or metal cages or pop-up thermometers.
- If you can follow safe procedures, rinse the entire turkey in cold water thoroughly. ย Then pat the turkey dry using paper towels, inside and out. ย The FDA Does Not Recommend Rinsing Turkeys. If you do rinse your turkey make sure to clean and sanitize the counters, sink, faucet and any areas possibly exposed.
- Using your hands, gently loosen the skin over the breast and separate it from the meat, making sure to break through the thin membrane between the skin and breast while leaving the skin itself intact.
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the cavity of the turkey and rub it into the cavity.
- Rub 4 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of the breasts (under the skin). ย Then sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over all the skin of both the breasts, legs and wings
- Place the turkey breast-side up in aย roasting pan. ย Cover the turkey securely using plastic wrap, or place it into a small plastic bag and seal it, removing as much of the air as possible. ย Refrigerate for 48 – 60 hours.
- After the time has expired, uncover the turkey and allow it to remain uncovered and refrigerated for 8-12 hours. ย
The Secret to Roasting
- Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour before roasting.**Do Not Rinse The Brine Off the Turkey
- Preheat the oven to 425ยบ.
- In the bottom of your roasting pan add roughly cut celery, onions, garlic, and carrots. ย Include the skin from the onion and carrots. ย Add 1 cup of chicken broth or water to the pan.**You can also place some aromatics inside the cavity of the turkey before cooking. Onions, carrots, herbs of your choice, orange peel and any other spices you like.
- Place the turkey upside down on a rack in a roasting pan. This will allow the turkey to self baste the breast as the fat from the underside and dark meat flow into the breast.**If you don't feel comfortable turning the hot turkey, cook your turkey right side up for the entire process. The breast meat won't be quite as moist, but it's not a deal-breaker. Safety First!
- Brush the turkey with melted butter and roast upside down for the first 45 minutes. ย At the end of that time very carefully turn the turkey over with the breast side up to continue cooking. ( I used heat resistantย gloves) Brush again with melted butter if you like.Decrease oven temperature to 325ยบ. ย Cook the turkey until it reaches the temp of 165ยบ for the breast and 175ยบ for the thighs. ย The meat will rise an additional 10ยบ continuing to cook as it rests.*My 20-pound turkey only took an additional 3 hours to cook using this method. ย Make sure to check your turkey around the 2 ยฝ hour mark. ย ย
- Allow the turkey to rest 30 minutes before slicing. ย This will ensure that the juices stay in the turkey and don't all run out as you slice it. ย
Video
Notes
Dry Brining Turkey Tips
- Don’t buy a preseasoned or kosher turkey (pre-salted) ย or self-basting turkeys. I always look for free-roaming or a heritage bird.ย But most importantly no added salt.
- Make sure your turkey is thawed if you buy a frozen turkey. ย Buy your turkey early enough so that itโs thawed and ready to brine on the Monday before Thanksgiving.
- It doesn’t have to be a whole turkey, you can dry brine a turkey breast.
- Getting under the skin of the turkey and applying the brine directly to the meat will make a tastier, moister turkey. If you’re only going to brine the skin, add an extra day to the process.
- Don’t rush dry brining. To enjoy the best turkey you’ll ever have, you need to give it enough time to be effective. 3 Days really is the minimum, 4 is even better especially if you’re working with a 20 pound plus bird.
- You can use any herbs that you like, but the salt really does matter. Use Kosher Salt for the best results. Salt that is too fine will make the bird too salty. Kosher salt, say it out loud, twice.
- The standard is 1 tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds of turkey, but I like to go a little below that at 1 tablespoon of salt for every 6 lbs.ย So if you’re turkey is smaller adjust the amount of salt and herbs.
- Add more water to roasting pan if necessary to prevent pan drippings from burning.
- If you absolutely don’t have Kosher Salt and have to use Regular Salt decrease the amount of the salt by โ .
Tracy
Oh No! I think I doubled the salt! i have 2 small (9lb ea) turkeys that have been cut in parts, and used the rub under the skin. The parts will only be brining for 24 hours. Should I rinse off the brine before, sooner or at all? Will it make a difference? Thanks for any words of wisdom – my first dry brine.
Chef Dennis Littley
you can rinse the brine off before you roast them
jennifer A Campbell
Hi Dennis –
Great recipe. I have dry brined before and did the 3 days but this year ran short on time and am only doing a 7lb bone in turkey breast. Is 30 hrs enough time or will it ruin the it? Should I skip it this year?
Chef Dennis Littley
30 hours will be good for the bone in breast. Make sure to scale back the ingredients for the smaller size.
Suzanne
I followed your method of dry brine, I started on Monday and today is Wednesday I am planning to remove wrap this evening. My question is a lot of liquid came out in the pan, when I start baking it should I discard these juices or keep them in the roasting pan when I cook it. Would that make the gravy salty? I am excited about this method it is my first time cooking that way. I have a 15.22lb and plan to use convection roast. Should I cook inverted for first 35 min, then turn over how long should I cook by convection, or is regular bake better? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Suzanne
you can get rid of the liquid in the pan when its time to roast. That’s about the size of my turkey this year and I will be cooking in a convection oven. I’m planning on roasting the bird upside down for 45 minutes and then let it finish right side up for the remaining time 2 -2.5 hours. I will start checking the internal temp at the 90-minute mark on the second part of the roast.
jen
Hi Dennis –
Great recipe. I have dry brined before and did the 3 days but this year ran short on time and am only doing a 7lb bone in turkey breast. Is 30 hrs enough time or will it ruin the it? Should I skip it this year?
Sherri
Hi Chef Dennis-
If I don’t have time to dry brine and am following the roasting recipe how much kosher salt should i add before cooking to the skin and should i rub butter under the skin on the breast? Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try the dry brine the next time!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Sherri-
I would cut back the salt to half (18lb turkey) and season with the remaining herbs and any other spices you like. You can put butter under the skin mixed with some of the seasonings.
Sherri
Thanks so much for replying – so only 1.5 tablespoon of salt for the whole turkey? Just trying to clarify!
Chef Dennis Littley
thats correct Sherri you basically just seasoning again thats based on an 18 pound turkey if its smaller use less.
Cassie
Hi, just to be clear, I thaw my 20lb turkey with the packaging left on ? Then do a brine in the fridge for up to 3 days ?
Chef Dennis Littley
yes you let it thaw in the package it came in, and then proceed with the brine
Lindsay
I was using a different recipe for the dry brine, and it said to leave uncovered the whole 3 days in the fridge! Am I going to kill everyone at dinner??? Is this ok? I also didn’t put the salt under the skin, can I do that the night before, or will it be too salty? Love the cooking tips though – will use those for sure!
Chef Dennis Littley
if you didn’t put salt under the skin don’t worry about it now. It won’t harm the turkey, with it uncovered that long it will just be really dry so the skin should crisp up nicely.
Erik
Great recipe..one question you say roast ..i have a roast convection setting on my oven should indona stadard bake or roast convection …i know convection gives a more even cook but will it take longer or shorter to cook..thanks and happy thanksgiving
Chef Dennis Littley
Convection will speed up the cooking process by about 30%. If you’ve got a bigger turkey its not a bad option. Just make sure to check your turkey earlier if you use convection.
Jay
Thanks for responding to these questions so promptly. Iโve got another one. I started the brine yesterday and put the turkey in a bag in the fridge. Some liquid has accumulated in the bag. Should I let that remain or dump it out? Also, if the salt causes this liquid to pull out of the meat like that, how does that make the meat juicier? I would imagine if it pulls out that liquid, it means it would be more dry. Im just curious about that part and would love to know how that works.
Chef Dennis Littley
nope just leave the juices in the pan. The juice coming out would happen even if you didn’t brine. Don’t forget to take it out of the bag to let it dry for a day before roasting
Jay
Yep took it out of the bag this evening. Looking forward to it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Diane
Hey Chef Dennis
Its my very first time making a turkey, about 15 pounds to be exact. I planned on a dry brine and putting that on my turkey tonight ( Tuesday night) and leaving it uncovered in the fridge , but now I’m seeing you say that it wont work. Can I still do it but cut back on the salt ? Also , my husband wants to do this in a gas grill. Help!!! I am in sheer panic mode now.
Chef Dennis Littley
36 hours will be enough to help the turkey, I would reduce the salt by 25% since a little smaller turkey. If your husband wants to grill the turkey, I’m hoping hes done this before and not experimenting on Thanksgiving.
Charlene D.
Hi Chef Dennis,
I’m looking forward to trying this!!
I started to brine my 15lb turkey around 9pm on Sunday night, so I’ll have an extra 17 hours of brine time…hopefully it won’t be too much! I’m planning on letting it sit uncovered in the fridge for a full 24 hours to get super crispy skin. I do have a question on cooking…in the video you just use a pan, but in the tips you mention using a rack. Do you think the rack version comes out better than placing it directly in the pan?
Thanks in advance!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Charlene
as for the extra day, I honestly don’t know the answer. I’ve tried to find out but no one talks about dry brining more than 3 days and I’ve never brined any longer myself. I think it should be fine.
I use a rack to keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan to allow circulation. I prefer that method if you have a rack available. If not have extra veggies cut up under the bird to leave from for some air to flow.
Jason
Hello, I started my brine today following this recipe. I used the same amount of brine ingredients in this recipe but then realized after it was for a 16-20 lb turkey. My turkey is 14 lbs. should I be worried itโs going to be too salty? I suppose I could wipe off a little of the brine. What do you think?
Chef Dennis Littley
My brine has less salt than most so you should be okay with the turkey. The drippings may be a little saltier but you can thin out your gravy with low salt chicken stock or water.
Jason
It came out perfect, not too salty at all and everyone agreed one of the best theyโve had! Thanks so much for the recipe, see you next year!
Chef Dennis Littley
My pleasure Jason. I’m happy to hear your turkey was a success!
Robert McDonnough
Not a fan of the flavor of rosemary and other spice. concerned about adding citrus. onions and other spices. My concern is the flavor of the drippings for the gravy. I’m thinking just salt pepper brine for 2 days. comments????
Chef Dennis Littley
Thats entirely up to you. You can always add any seasoning that you enjoy. The salt is the star of the brine and what helps keep the meat moist. The other spices add layers of flavor. Just don’t compensate by adding more salt.
Alicia
I notice it says to wrap the turkey with plastic wrap the first two days then uncover the last day. Can foil be used instead? Should I turn the turkey upside down on day 2?
Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley
yes, you can use foil and no you don’t have to turn the turkey upside down until you roast it.
Denise
Would I be able to dry brine a whole turkey, then deconstruct before cooking? Thank you for this recipe! I am excited to try this.
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re very welcome and Absolutely. Just remember that some parts will cook a whole lot faster than others.
Amanda Sue
Hi Dennis,
I am cooking a 10lb turkey (we are only celebrating with 5 people). How would the cooking time translate to a smaller bird? I read somewhere that you should allow for 13-15 minutes per pound.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Amanda
15-20 minutes per pound is the standard but I always start checking an hour before its supposed to be done (at 15 per pound). With a 10 pound turkey, I’d start looking at the temp at 90 minutes. Also if you’re using my method change the times to 25 minutes at 425 degrees, then flip and turn down to 325 for the remainder.
Also remember to cut the brine ingredients down by about 40 % (or half)
James N.
Hi Chef Dennis,
Still learning new things… We did Thanksgiving last night due to family being home, so I can serve as a guinea pig of some sort prior to the holiday.
I’ve done this recipe before with a production turkey and didn’t have any issues except for my comments below on the neck flap, while roasting face down, with the intention of stuffing.
Last night was the first time I tried a true heritage bird…paid about four times the cost of a production bird.
As you noted, the bird was more elongated but I also noticed the HUGE neck cavity, compared to regular birds; this allowed for a lot more stuffing. This was a 16 pound bird vs. our usual 25 pound beast and yet the internal cavity was just as big (or longer).
I also made my own stuffing this year with fresh herbs, vs. the long time favorite, Mrs. Cubbinson’s. This was a slightly wetter stuffing that went into the bird and more of it.
I roasted at 425 for 30 min and then dialed down to 325, cooking breast up the whole time and tinted to prevent over-browning. In the end, it took hours longer to cook (6 vs 4), even dialing up to 350 and then 375 when the crowds threatened to riot. The result was great breast meat but a little tougher on the bottom; the dark meat was much different (more like goose). Unfortunately there was some waste there. The stuffing was to die for but there was a price.
Can’t remember if I did 325 or higher last year but that temp doesn’t seem to be adequate for a stuffed bird of this shape. Two-thirds the size of last year but took forever.
My conclusion: Either use a temp of 375 for phase 2, don’t stuff, or be prepared for 8 hours of cook time.
As always, thanks for your tireless counsel.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi James
stuffing does tend to make things take a lot longer. And you may have to adjust the temp if you’re going to stuff the bird or even use a bag to cook in and help reduce the cooking times. There’s always a trade-off when you adjust cooking methods but you gotta do what you gotta do. I honestly don’t do heritage birds anymore. I just look for organic/free-range because of the differences in the meat. One I had one year looked like all dark meat…
Happy Thanksgiving