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 .
Irene Vastola
Hello,
This is the second time that I dry brined my turkey. I am a novice and got the info on this technique from a friend. Family members with more experience want to help and insist the bird should be tented from the beginning as it goes into the oven to prevent the skin from burning and only remove the foil the last 1/2 -1 hour it is the oven to brown up the skin. Should it go into the oven and remain uncovered the whole time it cooks in order to get a crispy skin? I kind of feel the bird steamed for the first few hours it was in the oven (24 lbs)
I filled the cavity with fresh herbs, carrots, celery, onion and a quartered orange. Also, even though we didn’t baste, there were pan drippings and they were very salty. We had to try to dilute the salt and absorb by putting raw potatoes in the broth as we wanted to use for the gravy. How do you combat this and get to use the delicious drippings without all of the salt taste??!
Other than that, the bird was really delicious! Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
Irene
I don’t tent the turkey unless it starts to look too dark and that would come at the end. If you did tent it you may have cause extra salt to be released into the pan drippings. One of the reasons for dry brining and letting it sit open in the fridge for the last part is to get the skin really crispy. As for the saltiness, it is a by product of a dry brine. Did you use 3 Tablespoons kosher salt and did you start with the turkey breast side down for the first 45 minutes?
In any case I usually make a good deal of gravy using the pan drippings for the flavor and add in a low sodium chicken broth and water to get it to the point where the salt content is where it should be.
Irene Vastola
Chef Dennis,
I used 1 TBSP Kosher salt per lb….since it was a 24 lb turkey, I used just under 5 TBSPs along with dry herbs…..is that too much salt in the ratio? And no, I did not have the bird cooking on its chest for the first 45 minutes..( I had not yet seen your website and blog!!!) At what temp should the turkey be roasted on its chest for the first 45 minutes and while we had heard of doing that in some other recipes, none of us thought it was necessary or even thought we could handle a hot 24 lb bird and flip it over! how do you do that without ripping its skin or getting ourselves burned???
Also, why would tenting the bird in the beginning and while it roasts cause more salt to be released while it cooks? When we forgo the tenting, does the salt “burn off” while it roasts rather than pass thru the drippings, hence the drippings that accumulate would be less salty?
I would love to brine again next year using your recipe and now with some experience and your tips. My family members have always basted, tented and just roasted the turkeys in years past and it was always very delicious, so I relinquish to their experience. Last year even though I brined it as well, they tented and basted the turkey and the drippings oozed out of the bird and were too salty to use in the gravy. This year they wanted to help again and tented it but I told them the bird didn’t need to be basted as it will self baste with the brine and some butter that i had rubbed under the skin. But as I said the skin was not crispy as a result of the tenting and we again had a salt problem with the drippings to use for gravy. Lastly, is it necessary to open the oven door every hour and rotate the bird/pan in the oven to get it to cook evenly or check the broth level in the bottom of the pan? Doesn’t this through the oven temperature off too much? Very sorry for all of the questions….the turkey was absolutely delicious and I think i am a convert!
Chef Dennis Littley
I use less salt in my recipe, I found that 1 tbsp per 5 pounds was too much. For my 20 bird I used 3 tablespoons.
With the tenting, as you mentioned you were steaming the bird, hence more salt loss in the drippings. It won’t burn off it will cook into the meat creating less salty drippings. At least that’s my theory.
I only open the oven, to turn the bird back right side (45 minutes breast side down at 425) and to check the internal temp a half hour before it should be done ( every oven is different) and if needed I’ll add more stock to the pan at that point. I use oven gloves and I would make sure that whoever does it can handle the weight. If you don’t think it can be done without getting burned then forgo that step.
I don’t use butter under the skin anymore (since brining) but if you can’t cook it breast side down you may want to keep adding the butter.
Give it another try, just cut back the salt and also make sure the turkey isn’t injected (butterball type) or pre basted. They both will add extra salt.
Irene Vastola
Chef Dennis,
Thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me and answer my questions. We will certainly give it another go using less salt and your direction and expertise! One last question? When roasting the turkey, we put fresh herbs and vegetables into the cavity. Then stuffed a ball of aluminum foil into the neck and opening of the cavity to help hold juices in and prevent them from flowing out. Is this necessary or do you have another recommendation? When you roast your turkey, do you leave the cavity open? Legs untrussed? Or do you sew it closed? Thank you, thank you and thank you again! ๐
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re very welcome Irene.
I just put fresh herbs and citrus in the cavity and don’t bother with aluminum foil in the openings, it really isn’t doing anything. I do leave the cavity open and the legs untrussed.
Kim
Chef Dennis- that was THE BEST turkey we have ever had. Thank you so much for your thoughtful tips. Your advice made for a great Thanksgiving! Thank you for sharing your wisdom! Lots of Love from San Diego.
Chef Dennis Littley
You’re very welcome Kim! I’m happy to hear your turkey turned out well!
Andrea
Hello!
After many years of brining in a salt/sugar/citrus liquid this is the second year I’ve dry brined instead – I think I may be a convert now forever more…. I ended up adding some fresh herbs to the brine and citrus to the roasting pan w/ the veggies as you recommend, I’m fairly certain, next to the drssing and pumpkin pie, the turkey was the big hit. Awesome flavor throughout the turkey and the gravy, spot on! Thank you for posting and then upading with comments/feedback.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you so much for the great comment and review Andrea, I try to be available to answer questions on my posts especially with something as important as a turkey. I’m happy to hear your turkey was a success.
Erin C
Fantastic! Roasted 20 lb turkey, following recipe exactly as written and it was perfect! Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
You are very welcome Eric! Thanks so much for the great review and for letting me know your turkey turned out well.
Marj
Chef Dennis
What a wonderful recipe. Thank you for sharing it and answering my questions along the way. My whole family loved it and said it was the best and tastiest Turkey I ever cooked. I gave the credit of course to you for the recipe which I printed and added to my recipe file. Thank you again and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Marj
Chef Dennis Littley
I’m happy I could help and thrilled to hear your turkey was a success!
Now you have to try my tiramisu recipe!
Kim
Chef Dennis
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! The turkey was cooked to perfection and the flavor was amazing! Happy Holidays to you.
Kim
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you for letting me know that your turkey turned out so well, it made my day! And thank you for such a great review!
Janet Ryder
We needed to pull the turkey out about 30 minutes ago, because after the initial 45 minutes of the bird being on 425 degrees and then reducing the temp. to 325 for just an hour and forty minutes more, our turkey reached 170 degrees in the breast, and 175 degrees in the thigh and leg. Any idea why it cooked so fast? It only took a total of less than two and a half hours. The turkey weighed 15 pounds, and was not frozen.
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Janet
The recipe was for a 20 lb turkey and every pound is about 13 minutes to take off the roasting time. I would also cut back the initial 45 minutes to 30 with a smaller bird. I’m sorry these instructions weren’t in my original post I’ll make sure to add them in.
Stephen
I just did a 20# fresh turkey using your method and it is the best looking bird I have ever cooked. The amount of juice in the cavity is insane!!!
Followed our recipe to the T, brining on Monday and left it unwrapped for 1 day before putting in the oven.
425 for 45 minutes followed by 2 1/2 hours at 325. Checked it and it was done. Bird is resting now and will report in later.
Chef Dennis Littley
It sounds like your turkey came out pretty darn good Stephen. Thanks for letting me know and I hope everyone enjoyed your masterpiece.!
Meredith
I so want to try your dry brine, but purchased a 26 pound young turkey by Kroger that says basted with 8% of turkey broth salt sodium phosphate sugars and natural flavoring. We’re celebrating Thanksgiving on this Sunday. Can I use this turkey with your recipe. If so would I increase any of the ingredients for the brine?
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Meredith
The problem with a pre-basted turkey is they are already injected with a salt solution so doing my dry-brining method or any other including wet brining will only make the turkey and drippings too salty. You can still add your own flavors to the turkey I just don’t think adding additional salt will be helpful. You can still follow my roasting techniques which will help you get better a moister turkey with crispy skin.
Benjamin
Quick question, if you’re still available. Do I cook my bird, with or without the lid? Some say uncovered the whole time for dry brined. Your’s does not specify.
Chef Dennis Littley
Cook it uncovered. Just follow my roasting techniques and it will come out great!
Brian K
Chef, how about a roasting pan gravy quick recipe or tip?
I want to use the fat from the pan, and then flour and stock?
Chef Dennis Littley
hi Brian
Make a roux using the fat and flour. Allow this to cook for a few minutes without burning to get rid of the raw flour taste. Then add the rest of your drippings and any stock you might have ( I use chicken stock if I don’t have enough turkey drippings) then season if necessary.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Brian K
Happy thanksgiving!
Lynn
How long in oven should a 12 poumd Turkey take?The temp in thigh and leg should be,?
Chef Dennis Littley
You should follow my roasting techniques and cook at 425 for 30 minutes then 325 for 1.5 โ 2 hours. I would start checking the temp at 1.5 hours and the legs and thigh should be 175, breast 165
Guido
last minute question, I followed your instructions but uncovered the turkey too soon: yesterday at 4pm while I ideally should put in oven today at 12. now itโs been sitting uncovered in fridge for more than 12 hrs. any advice?
Chef Dennis Littley
Leaving it uncovered longer isn’t a problem, it just helps the turkey dry out to give you crispier skin.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Linda Brown
Hi my turkey is 12 pounds. How long do i cook in oven? Also temp in legs and thigh should be what? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley
You should follow my roasting techniques and cook at 425 for 30 minutes then 325 for 1.5 – 2 hours. I would start checking the temp at 1.5 hours and the legs and thigh should be 175, breast 165
Janet Ryder
We are dry brining our turkey for the very first time, and are super excited to see how it turns out, because we have not had much luck with the liquid brines, like using apple cider. Our turkey usually is dried out, and lacks flavor. The only question we have is, how long do we cook the turkey if we decide to stuff it? It sounds like youโre not a fan of stuffing the turkey, since the bread will soak up the juices, leaving the meat more dry. I think we will take your word, and do the stuffing separately this year! Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley
If you do stuff the turkey it will take at least an hour longer. I would advise using a meat thermometer to make sure the stuffing has reached 165 and the turkey breast as also 165.
Happy Thanksgiving
Betty
For 50+ years, I have roasted the family Thanksgiving turkey with stuffing in both the neck and the body cavity (sometimes a different kind of stuffing in each cavity). Two or three years ago, I came across your dry brine technique and have used it each year since then. Everyone loves the moistness and flavor your method adds! However, I do continue to stuff the bird since that is the way my family likes it. It never has resulted in a dry turkey or stuffing that is too salty. I simply decreased the amount of salt I put in the stuffing when I seasoned it. When I use sage in my dry brine, I also reduce the amount of sage in the stuffing. The stuffing may taste a little “flat” when tasting it to see if it needs additional seasoning, but it will be perfect when it comes out of the roasted turkey.
As you said, it is very important to check the temperature of the stuffing as well as the meat. The stuffing must reach 165 degrees. I hope this helps those whose stuffing is coming out too salty.
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for sharing your tips and successes with my brining and stuffing the turkey!