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 .
Jamee
Hi chef, I have always wet brined and I’m thinking of dry brining this year due to a larger Turkey and less space in the fridge. I typical put an herb butter mixture on it and under the skin after the wet brine and then into an oven bag breast down. Can I still do this or would it mess with the dry brine?
Chef Dennis Littley
you can still use that method to cook the turkey. I’ve found that the skin sticks to the bag sometimes, but if you’re not looking to show the bird off as much as having a delicious turkey, I would say go for it.
harold
thanks chef, I reread and understand now. I always buy Heritage.
harold
I’m gonna try this recipe this year. Question you have 425 for 20 minutes in the article, is that for Heritage only? in the recipe you have 425 for 40 minutes, then turn.
Chef Dennis Littley
the 20 minutes is for heritage turkeys. For all other go with the 40 minutes, unless its a small turkey.
Jackie
I will only have 24 hours to dry brine my turkey. Should I keep uncovered in the fridge? If I should be covering, do you wrap the turkey completely in plastic wrap or do you just put plastic wrap over the pan?
Chef Dennis Littley
I would leave it uncovered for the whole time.
Gillian
Hi Chef Dennis-
I used your dry brine method last year, to absolute rave reviews, and Iโm planning to do the same this year! Do you have any recommendations or techniques for gravy to go with it? I wasnโt super excited on how mine turned and would appreciate some tips!
Chef Dennis Littley
The easiest way to make really good gravy is to use the drippings from the pan. While the turkey is resting, add one cup of water to the roasting pan (more if there isn’t a lot of drippings. Place the pan on the stove top burners and heat the pan, scraping all the tasty bits out of the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and strain the drippings to get rid of the larger bits.
Make a roux by melting one stick of butter in a saucepan, reduce heat to low and add flour to the butter using a wire whisk to mix it in. You’re going to use about a 1/2 cup of flour. The idea is to add enough flour until the mixture loses its shine. Allow the roux to cook for 3-4 minutes over low heat. Don’t let it burn! It can get a little dark but it doesn’t need to.
When the roux has cooked add in the drippings, using a wire whisk to mix. The roux will get fluffy, if that’s all the drippings you have from the pan supplement it with either turkey stock or chicken stock (look for low sodium). You just want to make sure what you have in the pan isn’t too salty, that is one bi product from the brine, if it is a little too salty, you can add more water. If the gravy isn’t thick enough then, make another batch of roux and add it to your gravy a little at a time. *If you don’t use all the roux you can keep it in the fridge for a week.
Once you’ve added all the stock to the gravy, reseason as needed. I like adding a little sage or poultry seasoning and black pepper. If for some reason it needs salt, you can always add it now.
I hope this helps
Renee.
Hello Chef
For dry brining bone in breasts You mention only 48hours – would that be 24 hours covered and 24 hours uncovered in refrigerator?
And for roasting do they still start upside down then flip?
If I roast these the day before how do you recommend reheating? Can I preslice breast ?
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Renee
yes 24 hrs covered 24 hours uncovered. You do not have to flip the bird since there is no dark meat.
If you roast the day before, watch the temperature carefully and stop the cooking at 165 degrees. Allow the turkey breast to come to room temperature (15-20m minutes) and reheat in a 350 degree oven by placing the breast on a rack with some stock or water in the pan, cover with foil and reheat until it reaches 165 degrees. Let it rest for 10 – 30 minutes and slice. Pre slicing will dry out the slices ands its better to do it before service. The turkey doesn’t have to be super hot as long as the gravy is.
Jeffery
Thank you so much for this detailed post, Chef Dennis. So many people do not cook, except for Thanksgiving, and they truly need practical advice.
I always look forward to Thanksgiving and the bounty of leftover turkey!
Sam
Will the drippings be to salty for a gravy?
Chef Dennis Littley
I’ve been making it for years and it’s not been too salty for us.
Michelle R.
Wondering if the steps (besides cook time) would all be the same for a spatchcocked bird?
Chef Dennis Littley
I would think the brining process would be the same. Although, I might wait until it’s done brining to spatchcock it.
Michelle R.
I ended up spatchcocking it first (so I could use the back bones for stock) I reweighed the bird and did 1tbsp of salt to every 6 lbs of turkey. I used an oven safe probe and took the bird out to rest once the breast reached 150. This was hands down the BEST turkey ever. Everyone loved it and asked me how I did it. The breast meat is so juicy and not crumbly at all. Well done chef, this will be my go to from now on! Oh and the gravy made from that stock was fantastic as well.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for letting me know how you did your turkey and I’m very happy to hear everyone enjoyed it!
Cam
Hello Chef
You suggest putting celery, onions, carrots and garlic in chicken stock in the bottom of the roaster. Is this for the gravy?
Chef Dennis Littley
it is to help with the flavor of the drippings as well as keeping the turkey from direct contact with the bottom of the pan
Cam Carswell
I was going to put it ion a rack in the roaster. Is it better to just put on the carrots and celery.
Chef Dennis Littley
no, if you’re using a rack just leave them in the pan for the drippings or you can leave them out. It won’t make a big difference. Usually in the restaurant its also a way to use scraps to flavor the drippings.
Mariah
Hi chef,
My husband and I bought a 13 lb fresh turkey today (Tuesday) and we want to serve dinner Saturday. Can we brine it tonight? Is it safe to leave in the fridge this long? Iโd appreciate your guidance.
By the way, we really impressed my in laws the last time I used your recipe. So many thanks for that!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Mariah
I try not to brine for longer than 3 days. It will be safe to leave in the fridge longer, but it will start to dry out more than needed. Also its smaller so cut back the brine by 1/3.
R P HAHN
I followed the recipe and the turkey was awesome! best skin ever! First turkey I ever cooked!
Bonnie
Hello Chef! Thank you for this great recipe, this is my first time dry brining! I want to ask for tips on thermometer placement in the thigh – I can never quite figure it out without hitting bone, and then I get paranoid and end up over cooking. Also, above it says cook to 155, but the recipe down the page says 165 – is this because it will continue to rise 10 degrees while carry over cooking? It’s in my oven now at 154 degrees and the thermometer is “I think (hope)” in the right place.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Bonnie
I’m just seeing your question Take the temperature in the dark meat being careful not to touch the bone, so the meaty part of the thigh. You want a minimum of 175 degrees for the thigh, 165 degrees for the breast.
The 155 degrees was for a heritage turkey.
Debbie
Hello,
I am about to make my Easter turkey but was hoping for a little clarification,
I have a 13.3 pound turkey. I’m going to start breast side down at 425 for 30 minutes and then flip the bird and turn down the temp to 325 for an additional 2-3 hrs checking it at the 2 hr mark.
I prefer to cook on my convection roast setting. Should I be adjusting the temps and how should I adjust the time?
Thanks so much!
Chef Dennis Littley
You can cook on convection, just start checking your internal temp at 1 1/2 hour mark.
Happy Easter
Debbie
I already sent a message but I’m not sure if it went through..
Am I still using the same temps? 425 and 325?
Thanks again ๐
Tamara Gagarin
Hi, I’ve used this recipe previously and it was great. With everything going on right now, I was only able to get Alessi Kosher salt. It is much coarser than Morton’s. I’ve never used Diamond but imagine I should treat it the same way? I’m just about to start the dry brine…
Chef Dennis Littley
I have never used Alessi as long as it’s coarser you should be fine. It’s the finer grains that add too much salt to the brine.