by: Alex Snodgrass
Cook Time
2 hours 10 minutes
Prep Time
1 hours 15 minutes
Yield
Serves 12
@THEDEFINEDDISH
“A few things will make your turkey perfect. First, starting with the dry brine method. Second, a trusty thermometer. And third, gravy on top!”
Total Time
2 hours 10 minutes
Prep Time
1 hours 15 minutes
Yield
Serves 12
summary
Thanksgiving turkey can often get a bad rep. Flavorless, overcooked, dry . . . it can really go bad pretty quickly unless you have the right method. Enter my favorite technique: dry-brining! This helps inject the turkey with flavor, but also helps with the moisture. You’ll simply rub a salt and herb blend all over the turkey and let it sit for 24–48 hours in the fridge. During this time, the salt helps to draw out the meat’s juices then the salt dissolves into the juices, making a brine without adding any liquid. This straightforward and less-mess method is sure to please your table this Thanksgiving!
ingredients
- Dry Brine:
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from approx. 2 small lemons)
- Turkey:
- One (15–18 pounds) whole turkey, defrosted
- 4 lemons, halved
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Kitchen twine
directions
- In a small bowl, add all of the dry brine ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Remove the turkey neck and giblets from the cavity of the turkey. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry very well. Place the turkey on the rack in a roaster.
- Sprinkle and rub the dry brine inside of and all over the turkey, especially on the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 to 48 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the fridge and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before roasting.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Meanwhile, stuff the cut lemons into the cavity of the turkey, and then tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the bird. Lather the turkey under the skin as well as on the outside with the softened butter.
- Pour the broth into the roasting pan under the rack holding the turkey. Transfer roaster to the oven and roast turkey until the skin starts to brown in spots, about 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting. Check the turkey after 90 minutes. If the skin is getting too browned, cover it loosely with foil.
- Continue to roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 160°F. It will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven.
- Let the turkey rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing with a carving set. Reserve pan juices if planning on making gravy. Serve on a platter.
notes
Cooking Time: The cooking time greatly varies depending on the size of your turkey. For reference, my 16-pound turkey took 2 hours and 10 minutes in the oven to roast once I lowered the temperature to 325°F.
Turkey: For the best results with this dry-brining method, look for a turkey that is not kosher, injected or labeled as "self-basting." These types of turkeys have already been treated with salt or a brining solution. If you can only find these types of turkeys, that is okay. Just bump the salt in the dry brine down to 3 tablespoons.
Dry Brine: The dry brine does not need to be rinsed off of the turkey. It’s another reason this dry-brined, never-dry turkey recipe is easy! The salt you use for the brine will also flavor the turkey as it cooks.
