Brining a turkey is an easy way to help ensure moist flavorful meat and crispy skin on your holiday bird. One popular brining technique is dry brining, which involves salting the turkey and letting it rest uncovered in the fridge before roasting. Food writer Alison Roman’s dry brined turkey recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Here’s how to dry brine a turkey like a pro.
What is Dry Brining?
Dry brining, also known as salting, involves rubbing a turkey all over with salt and letting it rest in the fridge for 8-24 hours before cooking. Over time, the salt will draw moisture out of the turkey, which will then reabsorb the salty liquid, seasoning the meat and helping it retain moisture as it cooks.
The main difference between dry brining and wet brining is that no liquid is involved in dry brining. With wet brining, the turkey is submerged in a saltwater solution. Dry brining provides flavor without diluting it.
Why Dry Brine a Turkey?
There are a few key benefits to dry brining over other brining methods:
- Distributes salt evenly for well-seasoned meat
- Helps meat retain moisture for juiciness
- Allows skin to dry out for crisping
- Adds flavor with no dilution from liquid
- Easy to do with minimal ingredients and time
Dry brining is an easy “set it and forget it” way to boost your turkey’s flavor and texture with little hands-on effort required.
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
Alison Roman’s popular dry brined turkey recipe uses just a few simple ingredients – salt, pepper, brown sugar, and thyme. Here are the basic steps:
1. Mix the Brine
- 1/3 cup kosher salt
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
Thoroughly mix the salt sugar, pepper and thyme in a small bowl.
2. Pat Turkey Dry
Remove turkey from packaging and pat dry all over with paper towels, inside and out. Make sure giblets are removed.
3. Apply Brine Mix
Rub the brine mix all over the turkey, distributing evenly inside cavity, under skin, and over the exterior.
4. Refrigerate 8-24 Hours
Place turkey on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 8-24 hours. The longer time allows salt to fully penetrate.
5. Roast Turkey
Roast turkey at 325°F for 2 1/2 – 3 hours until internal temp reaches 160°F. Then increase heat to 425°F and roast 20-25 minutes more until skin is deeply browned and temp reaches 165°F.
And that’s it! The dry brine helps ensure a juicy, well-seasoned turkey with crispy browned skin. Pair with Alison’s easy sheet pan gravy for the perfect holiday feast.
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FAQ
Do I need to rinse turkey after brining?
What is the ratio of salt to water for brining a turkey?
What is the best way to brine a turkey wet or dry?
How long does it take to brine a Turkey?
Wet brines take no longer than 24 hours, whereas dry brines can be effective for up to 72 hours. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and add to prepared container. Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt into 2 cups of hot water. Allow to cool. Pour salt solution over turkey. Add remaining water.
How much salt do you put in a turkey brine?
Create a Salt Solution The basic ratio for a wet turkey brine is to use 2 cups of kosher salt or coarse sea salt for every 2 gallons of water. The benefit of a wet brine is that it can work slightly quicker than a dry brine because it infuses the entire turkey in a salty solution.
How do you cook a Turkey with thyme?
Prepare the turkey: Strip the leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme, and coarsely chop the leaves. Place in a medium bowl along with salt, brown sugar and pepper; mix to blend well. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. (If you do not own a wire rack, just place the turkey directly on the baking sheet.)
How do you wet brine a Turkey?
The real trick to wet-brining is finding a non-corrosive container that’s large enough to submerge the turkey, yet small enough to fit in your refrigerator. Try a stainless steel stock pot, an enamel-coated pot, or a plastic bucket. A 5-gallon container is typically large enough to fit any size turkey.
How do you cook a brined Turkey?
Pat dry inside and out. Be sure to clean your sink afterwards to avoid cross contamination. Let the brined turkey stand on the roasting rack for up to one hour before roasting. 5. Cook Turkey
Should you brine a Turkey?
Second, brining robs your bird of flavor. Think about it: Your turkey is absorbing water, and holding on to it. That means that that extra 30 to 40% savings in moisture loss doesn’t really come in the form of turkey juices—it’s plain old tap water. Many folks who eat brined birds have that very complaint: It’s juicy, but the juice is watery.