Dry Brined Turkey Recipe

overhead view of dry brined turkey n a white serving dish with sliced oranges and herbs.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 2

Brine Time: 2

Total Time: 4 15

Servings: pounds

Calories: 553kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

If you're looking to make a moist and delicious turkey this Thanksgiving, look no further than the dry brined turkey. This method will achieve perfectly cooked poultry, and is really quite simple.

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Ingredients

1 (12-pound) whole turkey thawed
½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 onion quartered
3 bay leaves
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice from about 2 oranges

Instructions

Remove everything from the inside of the turkey cavities and pat dry.
1 (12-pound) whole turkey
Loosen the skin of the turkey and rub the butter inside, leaving pieces around. Rub the outside with any remaining butter.
½ cup unsalted butter
Combine the salt, paprika, chili powder, brown sugar, sage, thyme, black pepper and garlic powder together, save 3 tablespoons to add to the orange juice. Rub the herbs over the entire turkey, making sure all the surface is coated.
3 tablespoons kosher salt, 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoons rubbed sage, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Let the turkey sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Towards the end of the brining time, preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the onion in the bottom of a roaster pan, then place the turkey on top. Add the bay leaves to the pan and spoon the orange juice around, careful not to wash the rub off.
1 onion, 3 bay leaves, ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Tie the legs together and twist the wings under the turkey.
Place the turkey in the oven and bake for 2-2½ hours. Spoon the drippings over the entire turkey every 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Once the thermometer registers 165°F, the turkey is cooked.
Remove and let the turkey rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Don't use a pre-seasoned, kosher, salt-injected, or self-basting turkey. Using a salt brine on this type of turkey will make it too salty!
Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before dry brining. Turkey takes approximately 6 hours per pound to defrost.
Some turkeys come with a little plastic piece to help hold the turkey legs in place. If your turkey doesn’t have one, you can use butcher twine and tie the legs together. You need to twist the turkey wings under to help protect them from burning.
Be sure to apply some of the brine between the meat and the skin to allow for better penetration.
In general, the bigger the bird, the longer you should dry brine. Dry brine for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 2 days!
Use kosher salt or coarse sea salt; fine or table salt will make your turkey too salty!
When roasting, place your oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
If you're confident that you can flip the turkey safely, start it breast-side down and flip it breast-side up in the last 30 minutes of cooking. This will help keep the breasts juicy.
Note that for every 1 pound of turkey, it should take about 11-13 minutes to roast. For a 12-pound turkey, it should take 2-2½ hours.
Baste the turkey with the pan juices every 30 minutes to keep it juicy.
Rotate the turkey halfway through cooking so it roasts more evenly.
Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer. It should be 165°F in the thickest part without hitting the bone.
Let the turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.
This dry brine works great on a smaller turkey or even just a turkey breast. For a 4-pound turkey breast, use 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, ⅔ tablespoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, ⅔ teaspoon rubbed sage, ⅔ teaspoon dried thyme, ⅔ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ⅔ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Storage: Store dry brined turkey in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition