Dry Brine Turkey – 10 Minute Prep!

Created by

Gretchen

Total Time

3 hours 10 min

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

3 hours

Rating

(3)

Notes

Read our recipe notes below (5)

A dry brine turkey requires several days of resting in the salt brine, which makes it easy on Thanksgiving Day. All you have to do on game day is roast the bird! The salt and herb brine creates tender, flavorful, and juicy meat with a crispy, golden skin. Just 10 minutes of prep time, this is truly the easiest way to flavor a turkey. Just make sure you have a large plate, extra room in the refrigerator (or a spare fridge in the garage), and a roasting dish. Gobble gobble!

Ingredients

Yield: 12+ servings

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Directions

Step 1

Prepare the dry brine turkey 2 or 3 days before you will roast it. Mix together all dry brine ingredients in a small bowl and set aside while you clean the turkey. Rinse turkey inside and out with water, then pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on a large plate or dish.

Step 2

Rub the dry brine all over the turkey and inside the cavity. Make sure to rub the wings and legs with dry brine so the entire turkey is covered. Use all of the brine. Wrap the entire turkey and dish with compostable cling wrap so that it is airtight. Place in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 days covered, then 1 day before you will roast it, remove the cling wrap, so that the turkey can dry out in the fridge.

Step 3

Ready to roast, but first truss the bird! Preheat the oven to 425℉. Place the turkey in your roasting dish. Stuff the cavity with the onion, lemon, and thyme. Truss the turkey using butcher’s twine.

Here’s how to truss: Take a long piece of twine and wrap it around the back of the turkey, around each of the wings to bring them in close to the bird, then crisscross the twine underneath the top of the cavity. Pull it tight and give it a tie to keep in place. Bring each piece around the leg of the turkey, pull the legs in close and let one sit on top of the other. Wrap the twine around the end of each leg a few times then double knot. Cut the excess string.

Step 4

Brush the turkey with the melted butter using a silicone pastry brush and sprinkle lightly with sea salt and pepper all over the turkey. Place the turkey in the oven and roast at 425℉ for 1 hour, then turn down the temperature to 325℉ and bake for several hours depending on the weight of the turkey. An 18 lb turkey took just over 3 hours. Use a meat thermometer to determine if turkey is done. The thigh should read at least 165℉ and the breast should read at least 155℉ when you remove from the oven.

Step 5

Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes. During this time, the internal temperature will continue to rise. Breast should be 165℉ when ready. Keep turkey covered with unbleached parchment paper while it rests, as we try to avoid using aluminum foil. During the rest time, make the gravy using the pan drippings.