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 .
Jeff Ortiz
Hi Chef! I plan on spatchcocking my 18lb bird while doing the same brine method youโre suggesting. Do you think when it comes time to cook (smoking/roasting it on my gas grill) should I still start breast down?
Any cooking suggestions on doing it spatchcock style?
Thank you for the great recipe!
Chef Dennis Littley
No, there is no need to start it upside down, since the thighs won’t be dripping the fat into the breast. You’ll be cooking over indirect heat for most of the process. You can also baste the turkey, with a salt-free mixture during the process and remember it will cook in about half the time.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Bill Cooper
LOL sorry Chef Dennis in advance for the following.
Hey Jeff,
I have been using this recipe for years as a dry brine only, I also did not cover my Bird throughout the 72hr Brining period. I stuffed the cavity with sliced apples, oranges and onions.
I also cooked the Bird using the Spatchcocking method cooking it upside down until the last hour then flipping the bird over to brown the breast for presentation.
The breast meat was as moist as the dark meat even days later went used as leftovers. :-{]
Joni Lutzky
Good morning,chef.Just a few more questions-Do you not recommend trussing the turkey? Do you place the wings under the bird to prevent burning? If you want to baste what do you recommend to use?Butter? Drippings? A combo?
Ok-I think thatโs it!!
Best
Joni
Natalia
Hi Chef Dennis, I used your recipe for a whole turkey last year and it was wonderful. Everyone enjoyed it… even the people who donโt like turkey!
This year Iโm doing a 7.5lb bone in breast. My question is – should I still roast it upside down at the beginning?
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Natalia
no you don’t. The reason we do the upside method is so the fat from thighs seeps into the breast.
Don’t forget to cut the seasonings down to about 1/3 of the recipe.
Natalia
Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving!
Nichole
Hi Chef,
Do you think it will be necessary to salt the turkey after the dry brining process? Or will it already be salty enough from the brine?
Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley
I wouldn’t add any more salt to the turkey other than what’s in the brining mixture. That will be enough for the cooking process.
Connie Katz
I’ve already purchase a 15 lb kosher turkey. Is there a way I can adjust your recipe to accommodate a kosher turkey?
Chef Dennis Littley
you can leave the salt out of the seasonings and use the rest as a rub, It will add flavor to the turkey. You can also follow my roasting techniques.
Jean
Hi Chef Dennis,
I dry brined my turkey last year and it turned out great. This year I am excited to use your recipe. I just want to thank you for posting your recipe. I have read through all the comments here and want to thank you for all the time you are taking out of your busy schedule to respond to everyone. Your knowledge is so helpful. Thanks again and have a great Thanksgiving.
Serana Robertson
Thanks for this recipe. If I donโt plan on making gravy from scratch (because I really donโt believe I can where it will taste smooth and not too greasy) do the aromatic ingredients at the bottom of the pan add anything? Or is that really just if you intend to make homemade gravy with the drippings? Iโm planning a 7 lb turkey breast.
Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley
if you’re not using a rack they keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan. If you’re not making gravy from the drippings you can leave them out of the pan.
Kelly S
Hey there,
I have a self basting Turkey. I would like to try your dry brining method with it, but I noticed you stated not to get a self basting Turkey. I had my Turkey before I found your post. Is there a way to still use my Turkey with your dry brining method? Maybe a shorter brining time or a little less salt? Please let me know! Thanks so much!
Chef Dennis Littley
The only thing you can do is leave the salt out of the seasoning mixture and use the seasonings as a dry rub. You only need 24 -36 hours for that.
T Bailey
Wish I had read this earlier….. I (wet) brimed my turkey last night, was going to let it air dry tonight in the fridge and smoke tomorrow for Friendsgiving.. Do you think I could dry brime it as well while it is drying tonight or is that too much? Thanks.
Chef Dennis Littley
I think you could add a dry rub using the seasonings without the salt. I think it would end up too salty if you tried for the dry brine.
Madeline
Hi, Chef Dennis, I have a 15 pound heritage turkey. I plan on dry brining Tuesday morning, leaving it uncovered overnight Wednesday and cooking it Thursday. I want to flip it over; should I roast at 425 degrees for 30 minutes and then reduce to 325 degrees and cook for 12 minutes per pound after that? I will be cooking unstuffed but with onion, garlic and lemon in the cavity. Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Madeline
it sounds like you’ve got everything worked out. I would check on your turkey about a half-hour sooner than the time you predict it will be done, just on the chance its cooking faster.
Jay
Thank you for your detailed instructions! Unfortunately, an 18 lb turkey was the smallest I could find. I have only roasted turkey once and it was only 12 lbs….
I have seen other recipes with compound butter under the skin. Just wanted to get your thoughts about putting compound butter under the skin of the breast in addition to dry brining it for three days? I was thinking to put some cajun type seasoning with the butter because my family likes spices. Any help would be appreciated!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Jay, you can add some of the cajun seasonings to the dry-brining mix if your family enjoys that flavor, and yes you can add some compound butter under the skin, seasoned the way you like it. Adjusting recipes to your family’s tastes is what cooking is all about!
Happy Thanksgiving
Jason
Hi Chef!
I was planning for a late lunch in 2 days and was going to dry brine about 50 hours (currently at 24), but worst case scenario might have to postpone 2 more days. I have a 14lb turkey brining (haven’t flipped it yet, and did not brine under the skin) and am hoping that a 5 day dry brine won’t break down the meat proteins *too* much. What are your thoughts? I would hate to have to pat down the brine or any juices at this point!
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
I would not suggest brining for more than 3 days with that size turkey, you will start to get break down on the meat. Five days is definitely too long.
Joni Lutzky
Hi Chef! Roasting a turkey always makes me anxious but the dry brining seems to make sense.How do I adjust brining ingredients and roasting time for a 10-12 pound bird? Do you not baste during roasting? What about a rack? Also,Iโm not going to make my stock so should I buy chicken stock or broth?
Once I have the answers Iโll be ready to go!
Thanks,Dennis
Happy thanksgiving from Joni
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Joni
For a 12 pound turkey cut the seasoning mix by one-third and adjust the cooking time to 30 minutes inverted at 425, and 1.5 โ 2 hours at 325.
You can use a rack,I do. I also put some chopped onions, celery and carrots in the pan to flavor the drippings. You can baste if you like, I usually don’t, because I don’t like to open the oven anymore than necessary.
I usually buy chicken or turkey broth at the store to supplement the drippings for my gravy too.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Joni Lutzky
Many thanks, Dennis!
Best- Joni
Melissa
My 14 pound turkey says it is basted with a 9.5% solution of salt, broth, and sugar. How should I adjust accordingly?
Chef Dennis Littley
Don’t add any salt to the brine, it’s basically going to become a dry rub. It will still impart some nice flavors to the turkey and you only need a good 24-36 hours with the rub on the turkey. You can also cut the seasonings by about one-third since its a smaller bird.
Debbie
Hi Chef Dennis. I9glad I read this response. My 10 pound Turkey says the same thing and I have already set the kosher salt out lol. This will be my first time dry bringing a Turkey. I can’t wait to taste it!!
Melissa
Thank you! I have followed this recipe for the past 2 years and itโs honestly the best turkey ever! I hope it turns out just as good without the full brining process this time.
Natalie
Hi Chef Dennis! Iโm so excited about this recipe but would love to know if I can replace the butter with olive oil. My husband is on a low cholesterol diet and while I know butter is ideal, would olive oil suffice?
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Natalie
yes, you can, it’s really just helping with the color of the skin.
Meghan
One more question: do you baste the turkey with the chicken stock as the turkey is cooking or do you just let it be?
Thank you so much!