Dry brining a turkey is the easiest way to enjoy a delicious moist turkey at your holiday table. You'll amaze your guests and you'll be sharing my secrets on How to Dry Brine a Turkey with your family and friends.
As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, thoughts to turn to plum juicy turkeys, roasted to perfection, served with gravy and all the trimmings…..sigh. But how many times have you had sat down to dinner to be disappointed by a dry and flavorless bird? It’s not a very pretty picture.
Of course, you may already be researching how to cook that oversized piece of poultry, and many of you might be feeling a bit intimidated by the thought of cooking a turkey. But fear not my friends, I’m here to share my dry brining and roasting methods to make your holiday turkey the star of the show…..some might say legendary.
There are different thoughts on brining, should I do wet or dry. Brining will help you cook the most succulent turkey you’ve ever had, and the smartest, easiest way to do it is with a dry brine. It doesn’t 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.
What Is Dry-Brining?
When you’re dealing with a large piece of lean meat like a whole turkey, it’s easy to overcook it into a dry, unappealing texture. Also, just seasoning it right before cooking means there’s no time for the salt to penetrate into the meat, especially for thick cuts.
Brining, or soaking a piece of meat in salty seasoned water, is a way to inject both flavor and moisture at the same time.
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.
Why Dry Brine?
- A whole turkey needs two to three days of brining time, the dry-brining can be done days before Thanksgiving giving you extra time on the Turkey day.
- With a dry brine, you just mix the salt and spices, rub it into the meat, cavity and skin and you’re done. Cover it for two days, uncover for one and it’s ready to cook. No muss, no fuss and no water!!
- Dry-brining can be done in a roasting pan, a throwaway aluminum pan or a sheet pan. You don’t need to find anything big enough to hold all the wet brine ingredients as well as the turkey. That also means you don’t need to find an extra refrigerator to store it in.
- Because the turkey sits uncovered in the refrigerator during the last day of a dry brine, it drys out the skin, which in turn gives you incredibly crispy, golden-brown skin on the finished turkey.
Will a Dry Brined Turkey Be Too Salty?
No, it will not be too salty. And you do not need to rinse the dry brined turkey! That’s correct You do not have to rinse the turkey. In fact, rinsing the dry brined turkey will defeat the purpose of letting it sit uncovered. We do that to make the skin extra crispy.
Dry Brining Turkey 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 it’s 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. So if you’re turkey is smaller adjust the amount of salt and herbs.
Does it Matter Where I apply the Dry Brine 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.
Can I use Dry Herbs in the Dry Brining Method?
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 changing the cooking times.
Roast an unstuffed turkey at 425° for 20 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 325°F until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 155°F. 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.
Using a digital insta-read thermometer will help you cook the perfect Roast Turkey!
Also, make sure to allow 1-1/2 lb. per person compared to about 1 lb. for a conventional turkey. As an example expect a 12-lb. heritage turkey to feed about eight people. Also, keep in mind that you’ll have as much dark meat as light meat. A conventional turkey will have more white meat.
Yes, You Can Dry Brine a Turkey Breast or Individual Pieces.
The process isn’t any different for whole or cut-up turkeys. It doesn’t matter if you’re brining a whole turkey, a bone-in turkey breast or a spatchcocked turkey, the brining process will remain the same. You just need to adjust the amounts of the ingredients depending upon the weight of the turkey you use.
How should I cook a Dry Brined Turkey?
My favorite method for cooking a turkey is in the oven. That being said, a dry brined turkey can be cooked any way you normally cook a turkey. I’ve never tried it but I’ve had friends both deep fry and grill their turkeys.
How long does it take to thaw a Frozen Turkey?
If you are starting with a frozen turkey make sure to give yourself enough time to fully thaw the bird before brining. For every 5 pounds give 24 hours of thaw time in your refrigerator. **An example would be that a 15-pound bird would take 3 days (72 hours).
**You can thaw a frozen turkey in cold running water (left in wrapping). It will take about 24 hours that way and is not my suggested method for thawing but is something you can do if needed.
What Type of Roasting Pan should you use?
The pan has to have some room in it so the turkey isn’t crowded in the pan. But make sure the pan isn’t too deep. A pan deeper than 2 inches will cause the bird to steam in all those delicious juices you’ll use for your gravy. **Also be very careful if you buy a throw-away foil pan to use, they can be hard to handle with the turkey and you might be better off using two for the extra strength if you decide to that route.
**Add more water to roasting pan if necessary to prevent pan drippings from burning.
How do I Know when a Turkey is Fully Cooked?
The only way to know for sure is to use an Insta-Read Thermometer. You can find them in all major grocery stores and it’s a good item to have in your kitchen.
Take the temperature in the dark meat being careful not to touch the bone. You want a minimum of 175 degrees for the thigh, 165 degrees for the breast.
If you’re worried about the temp the fact is that while the turkey is resting (30 minutes rest time before cutting) the temperature will increase approximately 10 degrees before starting the cooling process. You can start checking your turkey at around 2 hours for a 15-pound bird.
Do I need to Cover the Turkey with Foil?
Cook the turkey uncovered for the entire time unless it appears to be getting too dark. At that point, you can tent it with foil. Otherwise its not necessary or helpful.
Can You Stuff a Dry Brined Turkey?
Yes, you can, although for health reasons I advise not roasting a stuffed turkey. You also will suck more of the juices out of the turkey into the stuffing (this is why the stuffing tastes so much better) causing the turkey to be dry.
If you want to stuff your dry brined turkey make sure to do a light rinse of the turkey’s cavity. The risk of the stuffing being extra salty will be less likely this way.
What to do if you Don’t Have Time to Brine.
I get messages the day before Thanksgiving about brining and the truth is if you don’t have 48 hours to let the bird brine you’re better off just seasoning the turkey and following my roasting methods.
You can still season under the skin and inside the turkey. If you have time letting it sit uncovered in your fridge overnight will help get you that crispy skin we all love. And my roasting method will still help you make a juicy turkey.
My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes:
- Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Original Pumpkin Crunch Cake
- Holiday Pie Recipes
- Amethyst Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake
- Turkey Leftover Recipes
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
Ingredients
Dry Brine Ingredients
- 3 tbsp coarse kosher salt I use Morton's Kosher Salt (coarse grain sea salt may be used)
- 1 tbsp coarse grind black pepper
- 1 tbsp thyme finely chopped fresh or dry
- 1 tbsp sage finely chopped fresh or dry
- 1 tbsp clementine peel finely zested any citrus may be used
- 1 tsp 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
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.
- Rinse the entire turkey in cold water thoroughly. Â Then pat the turkey dry using paper towels, inside and out. Â Â
- 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). Â Then sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over all the skin of both the breasts, legs and wings
- 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.
- After the time has expired, uncover the turkey and allow it to remain uncovered and refrigerated for 8-12 hours. Â
The Secret to Roasting
- Allow the turkey to sit at room temperature for one hour before roasting.
- In the bottom of your roasting pan add roughly cut celery, onions, garlic, and carrots. Â Include the skin from the onion and carrots. Â Add 1 cup of chicken stock or water to the pan.
- Place the turkey upside down on a rack in a roasting pan. Â This will self baste the breast as the fat from the underside and dark meat flow into the breast. Â This will help keep the turkey from being dry.
- Preheat oven to 425º.  Brush the turkey with melted butter and roast upside down for 45 minutes.  At the end of that time very carefully turn the turkey over with the breast side up to continue cooking.  ( I used heat resistant gloves) Brush again with melted butter if you like.Decrease oven temperature to 325º.  Cook the turkey until it reaches the temp of 165º for the breast and 175º for the thighs.  The meat will rise an additional 10º continuing to cook as it rests.*My 20-pound turkey only took an additional 3 hours to cook using this method.  Make sure to check your turkey around the 2 1/2 hour mark.  Â
- Allow the turkey to rest 30 - 60 minutes before slicing. Â This will ensure that the juices stay in the turkey and don't all run out as you slice it. Â
Notes
Dry Brining Turkey 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 it’s 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. 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 1/3.
Bonnie says
Hello Chef! Thank you for this great recipe, this is my first time dry brining! I want to ask for tips on thermometer placement in the thigh – I can never quite figure it out without hitting bone, and then I get paranoid and end up over cooking. Also, above it says cook to 155, but the recipe down the page says 165 – is this because it will continue to rise 10 degrees while carry over cooking? It’s in my oven now at 154 degrees and the thermometer is “I think (hope)” in the right place.
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Bonnie
I’m just seeing your question Take the temperature in the dark meat being careful not to touch the bone, so the meaty part of the thigh. You want a minimum of 175 degrees for the thigh, 165 degrees for the breast.
The 155 degrees was for a heritage turkey.
Debbie says
Hello,
I am about to make my Easter turkey but was hoping for a little clarification,
I have a 13.3 pound turkey. I’m going to start breast side down at 425 for 30 minutes and then flip the bird and turn down the temp to 325 for an additional 2-3 hrs checking it at the 2 hr mark.
I prefer to cook on my convection roast setting. Should I be adjusting the temps and how should I adjust the time?
Thanks so much!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can cook on convection, just start checking your internal temp at 1 1/2 hour mark.
Happy Easter
Debbie says
I already sent a message but I’m not sure if it went through..
Am I still using the same temps? 425 and 325?
Thanks again 🙂
Tamara Gagarin says
Hi, I’ve used this recipe previously and it was great. With everything going on right now, I was only able to get Alessi Kosher salt. It is much coarser than Morton’s. I’ve never used Diamond but imagine I should treat it the same way? I’m just about to start the dry brine…
Chef Dennis Littley says
I have never used Alessi as long as it’s coarser you should be fine. It’s the finer grains that add too much salt to the brine.
Linda says
Thank you for the recipe. Our turkey was great and we will definitely use this brine next year. Flipping the turkey was a bit of a challenge but not as much as we feared. I was glad you told me to check our 25 lb. turkey at 41/2 hours because it took just over 5 hours. We had to let it rest for longer than I hoped but it was still juicy and delicious.
Our dinner was a success..thanks.
Sue Tanner says
We loved the dish! We are going to do this again but with chickens just to see how it comes out and we want to have it again. My husband’s work gave us a turkey this year, but we didn’t get until the 20th. He chose an almost 17 pounder and of course it was frozen, so had to make adjustments but I followed your recipe to the letter. I chose to skip the covered part and just went straight to uncovered and cooked it Christmas morning. Delicious! Thanks so much! Sue
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe Sue and thank you for the great review!
Gail Portis says
Good Morning Chef
Question: I am just going to clean my
turkey … I have a dry run. Can I season it with the rub and leave overnight until I cook it. In other words how long can my turkey sit seasoned … do not want a too salty piece of meat
Merry Christmas Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley says
The dry brine can stay on for up to 3 days before roasting.
Treena says
HI Chef Dennis,
Do i cooked my 21 pound turkey covered or uncovered? The receipe doesn’t specify. I don’t want a dry turkey. HELP!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You don’t need to cover the turkey unless it looks like its getting too dark. Otherwise roast it uncovered
John says
Hi Chef Dennis, just been to fetch my turkey, planning to dry brine it this afternoon. Unfortunately, there’s been a delay and I won’t be able to pick it up until early tomorrow morning. It’s a 12 pound turkey, which we’re planning to serve around 3pm on Christmas Day.
Revised plan now is to get it early tomorrow morning (23rd), and get it dry-brined and wrapped by 8am. Then unwrap about 10pm on Christmas Eve and pop it back in the fridge until Christmas morning around 10am, then get it in the oven at 11:30am with the timings you gave me below (30 minutes plus 90 minutes). Then out and resting around 1:30pm to give me the oven back for the rest of the dishes.
I guess I’m getting 36 hours wrapped and 12 hours unwrapped. Just mindful of your advice below that if you don’t have 48 hours for the wrapped portion then it’s not doable, and wanted to check if you thought this would work with it being a slightly smaller bird?
Many thanks for your help, it’s really reassuring to have such great advice, especially as I’ve never done this before!
John
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi John
That will for your turkey. A longer time is preferred but that still enough time to make the turkey flavorful and moist.
And I would check the internal temp of the turkey to make sure its reached 160- 165 in the dark meat.
Happy Christmas!
John says
Great, thanks Chef Dennis, much appreciated!
Brian says
Hi – any juices that come out while brining do you cook in or dump before cooking?
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can dump those. Just make sure to add some water or chicken stock to the pan before you roast
Tina Heaney says
Hello,
I want to cook my turkey in a rotisserie, if I put the veggies in the try under it can I make gravy from that? My thoughts was no since is is mostly fat?
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can use the fat to make a roux to thicken your gravy. There will be a lot of flavor in the fat.
Cassie says
My turkey is 17lbs frozen, just put it in the fridge to thaw. It’s Thursday night, I don’t have enough time to dry brine for Christmas day do I?
Can I take the turkey out of the fridge for a few hours here and there to rush the thawing process?
Thank you
S says
Hello,
Could you please tell me if your cooking time/temperatures are for convection ovens, or conventional ovens? Do you have a preference for this recipe? Also, do you have an opinion as to whether it is better to use the roast or bake option?
Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley says
they are for conventional ovens, convection can reduce times by up to 25%. If you have the opportunity to use a roast option that would be preferable for the turkey, just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t brown too much and it may reduce the cooking time down even more.
Linda says
Hi do you have advice for cooking time for a large turkey..25lb. It is a large group. I am fearful of under cooking. I will definitely use your dry brine. Thank you.
Chef Dennis Littley says
That’s something you’re going to have to watch Linda. I would definitely start it early so you don’t have people waiting for dinner. 15 minutes per pound is the standard time for turkeys but you might find it cooking a little faster towards the end of the cooking time. Cooking time based on 15 per pound will be around 6 hours. I would start checking at 4.5 hours and I would definitely use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp of the meat. If you don’t have one its a small investment to make and they can be found in most grocery stores.
John says
Hi Chef Dennis, thanks for the really informative article. Very much looking forward to trying it out. We’ll be having a 12 pound turkey, so based on your answers to previous comments I’m guessing I do about 30 minutes at 425 upside down, and then another 90 minutes at 325 and check it.
One thing I can’t quite work out is whether the vegetables are only if you don’t use a rack? Or do I still use them and put them on top of the rack?
Many thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi John
the vegetables are there as a dual purpose to lift the turkey up if you don’t have a rack and also to add some flavor to the drippings.
Don’t forget to cut down the amount of the brine by about a third since you have a smaller turkey. Your times are right for the process.
John says
Great, thanks for the quick response!
Sharon says
The best turkey I have ever made, my family enjoyed it so much some had a hard time leaving the table. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Happy Thanksgiving
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m very happy to hear your family enjoyed the turkey Sharon! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and the great review!
Andrea says
Winner, winner turkey dinner! I followed your methods/tips again this year and WOW it was even better. Perhaps I’m better at it this year? Regardless I have talked up dry brining to those who love to cook. Did I mention how awesome the gravy also turned out? Hands down best ever. I was worried about choosing to do a breast only this year and my worry was pointless. The results were just as fabulous with less cooking time.
I appreciate the fact you respond to posts or inquiries. I learned more again this year. Thank you!
Dan says
Chef D for the win. First time making turkey. Had 21 people depending on me. Came out great! Only problem is now I have to host next year.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I love to hear that, thanks Dan!
Keanna says
Started my brine Monday morning around 1 Am; just took the wrapper off to leave it uncovered till tomorrow morning. I am starting to panic that perhaps I over brined!!!
Tracy says
Oh No! I think I doubled the salt! i have 2 small (9lb ea) turkeys that have been cut in parts, and used the rub under the skin. The parts will only be brining for 24 hours. Should I rinse off the brine before, sooner or at all? Will it make a difference? Thanks for any words of wisdom – my first dry brine.
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can rinse the brine off before you roast them
jennifer A Campbell says
Hi Dennis –
Great recipe. I have dry brined before and did the 3 days but this year ran short on time and am only doing a 7lb bone in turkey breast. Is 30 hrs enough time or will it ruin the it? Should I skip it this year?
Chef Dennis Littley says
30 hours will be good for the bone in breast. Make sure to scale back the ingredients for the smaller size.
Suzanne says
I followed your method of dry brine, I started on Monday and today is Wednesday I am planning to remove wrap this evening. My question is a lot of liquid came out in the pan, when I start baking it should I discard these juices or keep them in the roasting pan when I cook it. Would that make the gravy salty? I am excited about this method it is my first time cooking that way. I have a 15.22lb and plan to use convection roast. Should I cook inverted for first 35 min, then turn over how long should I cook by convection, or is regular bake better? Thanks
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Suzanne
you can get rid of the liquid in the pan when its time to roast. That’s about the size of my turkey this year and I will be cooking in a convection oven. I’m planning on roasting the bird upside down for 45 minutes and then let it finish right side up for the remaining time 2 -2.5 hours. I will start checking the internal temp at the 90-minute mark on the second part of the roast.
jen says
Hi Dennis –
Great recipe. I have dry brined before and did the 3 days but this year ran short on time and am only doing a 7lb bone in turkey breast. Is 30 hrs enough time or will it ruin the it? Should I skip it this year?
Sherri says
Hi Chef Dennis-
If I don’t have time to dry brine and am following the roasting recipe how much kosher salt should i add before cooking to the skin and should i rub butter under the skin on the breast? Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try the dry brine the next time!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Sherri-
I would cut back the salt to half (18lb turkey) and season with the remaining herbs and any other spices you like. You can put butter under the skin mixed with some of the seasonings.
Sherri says
Thanks so much for replying – so only 1.5 tablespoon of salt for the whole turkey? Just trying to clarify!
Chef Dennis Littley says
thats correct Sherri you basically just seasoning again thats based on an 18 pound turkey if its smaller use less.
Cassie says
Hi, just to be clear, I thaw my 20lb turkey with the packaging left on ? Then do a brine in the fridge for up to 3 days ?
Chef Dennis Littley says
yes you let it thaw in the package it came in, and then proceed with the brine
Lindsay says
I was using a different recipe for the dry brine, and it said to leave uncovered the whole 3 days in the fridge! Am I going to kill everyone at dinner??? Is this ok? I also didn’t put the salt under the skin, can I do that the night before, or will it be too salty? Love the cooking tips though – will use those for sure!
Chef Dennis Littley says
if you didn’t put salt under the skin don’t worry about it now. It won’t harm the turkey, with it uncovered that long it will just be really dry so the skin should crisp up nicely.
Erik says
Great recipe..one question you say roast ..i have a roast convection setting on my oven should indona stadard bake or roast convection …i know convection gives a more even cook but will it take longer or shorter to cook..thanks and happy thanksgiving
Chef Dennis Littley says
Convection will speed up the cooking process by about 30%. If you’ve got a bigger turkey its not a bad option. Just make sure to check your turkey earlier if you use convection.
Jay says
Thanks for responding to these questions so promptly. I’ve got another one. I started the brine yesterday and put the turkey in a bag in the fridge. Some liquid has accumulated in the bag. Should I let that remain or dump it out? Also, if the salt causes this liquid to pull out of the meat like that, how does that make the meat juicier? I would imagine if it pulls out that liquid, it means it would be more dry. Im just curious about that part and would love to know how that works.
Chef Dennis Littley says
nope just leave the juices in the pan. The juice coming out would happen even if you didn’t brine. Don’t forget to take it out of the bag to let it dry for a day before roasting
Jay says
Yep took it out of the bag this evening. Looking forward to it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Diane says
Hey Chef Dennis
Its my very first time making a turkey, about 15 pounds to be exact. I planned on a dry brine and putting that on my turkey tonight ( Tuesday night) and leaving it uncovered in the fridge , but now I’m seeing you say that it wont work. Can I still do it but cut back on the salt ? Also , my husband wants to do this in a gas grill. Help!!! I am in sheer panic mode now.
Chef Dennis Littley says
36 hours will be enough to help the turkey, I would reduce the salt by 25% since a little smaller turkey. If your husband wants to grill the turkey, I’m hoping hes done this before and not experimenting on Thanksgiving.
Charlene D. says
Hi Chef Dennis,
I’m looking forward to trying this!!
I started to brine my 15lb turkey around 9pm on Sunday night, so I’ll have an extra 17 hours of brine time…hopefully it won’t be too much! I’m planning on letting it sit uncovered in the fridge for a full 24 hours to get super crispy skin. I do have a question on cooking…in the video you just use a pan, but in the tips you mention using a rack. Do you think the rack version comes out better than placing it directly in the pan?
Thanks in advance!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Charlene
as for the extra day, I honestly don’t know the answer. I’ve tried to find out but no one talks about dry brining more than 3 days and I’ve never brined any longer myself. I think it should be fine.
I use a rack to keep the turkey off the bottom of the pan to allow circulation. I prefer that method if you have a rack available. If not have extra veggies cut up under the bird to leave from for some air to flow.
Jason says
Hello, I started my brine today following this recipe. I used the same amount of brine ingredients in this recipe but then realized after it was for a 16-20 lb turkey. My turkey is 14 lbs. should I be worried it’s going to be too salty? I suppose I could wipe off a little of the brine. What do you think?
Chef Dennis Littley says
My brine has less salt than most so you should be okay with the turkey. The drippings may be a little saltier but you can thin out your gravy with low salt chicken stock or water.
Jason says
It came out perfect, not too salty at all and everyone agreed one of the best they’ve had! Thanks so much for the recipe, see you next year!
Chef Dennis Littley says
My pleasure Jason. I’m happy to hear your turkey was a success!
Robert McDonnough says
Not a fan of the flavor of rosemary and other spice. concerned about adding citrus. onions and other spices. My concern is the flavor of the drippings for the gravy. I’m thinking just salt pepper brine for 2 days. comments????
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thats entirely up to you. You can always add any seasoning that you enjoy. The salt is the star of the brine and what helps keep the meat moist. The other spices add layers of flavor. Just don’t compensate by adding more salt.
Alicia says
I notice it says to wrap the turkey with plastic wrap the first two days then uncover the last day. Can foil be used instead? Should I turn the turkey upside down on day 2?
Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
yes, you can use foil and no you don’t have to turn the turkey upside down until you roast it.
Denise says
Would I be able to dry brine a whole turkey, then deconstruct before cooking? Thank you for this recipe! I am excited to try this.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re very welcome and Absolutely. Just remember that some parts will cook a whole lot faster than others.
Amanda Sue says
Hi Dennis,
I am cooking a 10lb turkey (we are only celebrating with 5 people). How would the cooking time translate to a smaller bird? I read somewhere that you should allow for 13-15 minutes per pound.
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Amanda
15-20 minutes per pound is the standard but I always start checking an hour before its supposed to be done (at 15 per pound). With a 10 pound turkey, I’d start looking at the temp at 90 minutes. Also if you’re using my method change the times to 25 minutes at 425 degrees, then flip and turn down to 325 for the remainder.
Also remember to cut the brine ingredients down by about 40 % (or half)
James N. says
Hi Chef Dennis,
Still learning new things… We did Thanksgiving last night due to family being home, so I can serve as a guinea pig of some sort prior to the holiday.
I’ve done this recipe before with a production turkey and didn’t have any issues except for my comments below on the neck flap, while roasting face down, with the intention of stuffing.
Last night was the first time I tried a true heritage bird…paid about four times the cost of a production bird.
As you noted, the bird was more elongated but I also noticed the HUGE neck cavity, compared to regular birds; this allowed for a lot more stuffing. This was a 16 pound bird vs. our usual 25 pound beast and yet the internal cavity was just as big (or longer).
I also made my own stuffing this year with fresh herbs, vs. the long time favorite, Mrs. Cubbinson’s. This was a slightly wetter stuffing that went into the bird and more of it.
I roasted at 425 for 30 min and then dialed down to 325, cooking breast up the whole time and tinted to prevent over-browning. In the end, it took hours longer to cook (6 vs 4), even dialing up to 350 and then 375 when the crowds threatened to riot. The result was great breast meat but a little tougher on the bottom; the dark meat was much different (more like goose). Unfortunately there was some waste there. The stuffing was to die for but there was a price.
Can’t remember if I did 325 or higher last year but that temp doesn’t seem to be adequate for a stuffed bird of this shape. Two-thirds the size of last year but took forever.
My conclusion: Either use a temp of 375 for phase 2, don’t stuff, or be prepared for 8 hours of cook time.
As always, thanks for your tireless counsel.
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi James
stuffing does tend to make things take a lot longer. And you may have to adjust the temp if you’re going to stuff the bird or even use a bag to cook in and help reduce the cooking times. There’s always a trade-off when you adjust cooking methods but you gotta do what you gotta do. I honestly don’t do heritage birds anymore. I just look for organic/free-range because of the differences in the meat. One I had one year looked like all dark meat…
Happy Thanksgiving
Irene Vastola says
Hi Chef Dennis,
I am excited to try your recipe again this year and hope it comes out as great as last year. We had a few hiccups last year and I wrote to you a number of times but I still have a few questions, if you don’t mind. ( This is the third time I am writing as I was having computer connection problems and don’t know if any of my other tries went through.
In your directions, you recommend to remove the pop up thermometer. Won’t doing this leave a hole in the skin and promote the juices to leak as the bird roasts? You also say that you use Morton’s Kosher salt. I have read that Morton’s brand contains more sodium that Diamond Crystal, which I will be using. Does my ratio need to modified at all for a 22.85lb turkey?
I bought a fresh, never frozen free range young turkey, no hormones or antibiotics added, but the back of the packaging does indicate 4% sodium…am guessing to keep it fresh until Thanksgiving…will this present a problem brining? Will it be too salty? Or should I cut back on the salt? I also read somewhere where they recommend weighing and subtracting the neck and gizzards that are removed and adjusting the roasting time . Does this make sense?
Thanks for all of your help and direction. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! I will let you know how it all works out!
Lastly, after roasting the first 45 minutes @ 425 degrees, how long do I roast the 22.85 bird at 325 degrees?
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Irene
there should be no change necessary using Diamond Crystal. As for the hole in the skin, it should seal during cooking, but you can leave the pop up in if you like, just don’t use it to determine if the turkey is done, use an instant-read thermometer to check the thigh for doneness.
As for your time, you want to cook your turkey 15 per pound. A turkey of that weight should take between 5-6 hours to cook. I would start checking the temp at the 4 hour mark.
As for the 4% sodium, it’s not a deal-breaker but I would reduce the salt slightly, maybe 20%.
Hope this helps
Irene Vastola says
Thanks, Chef Dennis! After removing the neck and gizzards, the turkey is about 22 lbs even. Its all brined and in the fridge!
I plan to make the stuffing on the side as you suggest…so after the first 45 minutes at 425 degrees, I just want to clarify…. it will still take how long at 325? Another 5 plus hours?( I thought it would could quicker after brining, especially when it is unstuffed..I was thinking 4 1/2 to 5 hours total….)
Thanks again!
Chef Dennis Littley says
the 45 minutes was included in my time frame. It would take longer stuffed, I just got an email from someone who had that experience. It may take less time, that’s why I said to start checking it at 4 hours, or 3 hours after you flip and turn down the heat. I’m a little anal about overcooking so I check early.
Denise says
Hi Dennis looking forward to trying your dry brine recipe this year. I always get a large turkey (28 pounds) I like to cut the pieces up before roasting g as it cuts the cooking time significantly. My question is do I still dry brine it for the 3 days? Thank you
Chef Dennis Littley says
it will still help to brine for 3 days, but 2 days will be enough.
Kevin says
Hi Chef
Do you tent the bird with foil at any point in the cooking process? Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
Only if it starts to look like the skin is getting too brown. Otherwise, you shouldn’t need to
Sherry says
Have done wet brines in the past, and liked the flavor, I was thinking about slow roasting my Turkey (12 hrs, 200 degree oven 20 lb. Bird) in addition to the dry brine. And doing the bird flip as you mentioned. Any concerns?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I have not cooked a turkey that way and if you’re familiar with the process I would say go ahead. If you’ve not done it before, I wouldn’t try it on Thanksgiving. I would also be concerned with the food safety aspect, cooking poultry at low heat could cause potential problems. You would definitely need to start with the high heat method and flipping wouldn’t really serve any purpose if you’re going to leave it in the oven for that long.
Melissa says
Also, will using just butter at the end give the turkey enough flavor or can I mix more herbs with the butter???
Chef Dennis Littley says
there will be plenty of flavor from the herbs in the brine, but feel free to add some to the butter.
Tracy says
I’m excited to try the dry brining method this year. I’ve done various wet brines in the past but its such a nightmare trying to find space for that much liquid in my fridge since I usually make 20+ lb birds. This year I’ve seen several recipes using compound butter & placing under the skin of the breast& some rubbing over the skin before roasting.Would you recommend this with the dry brining? I wonder, too, how it will affect the drippings – I usually use them to make my gravy & worry about the citrus and/or the gravy being too salty. Any advice you can give will be appreciated!
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can mix a little unsalted butter into some of the brine and use this under the skin. I don’t think it needs it if you use my cooking method but its entirely up to you. The stock will be a little saltier than it would be if you didn’t brine, but by stretching the gravy with some water or low salt chicken stock, it generally evens out. It won’t have a citrus flavor, you’re not adding enough to affect the stronger turkey flavors.
Tracy says
Thanka you!
Ricky and Jennifer says
We have followed this recipe from Chef Dennis the past two years and the bird has been a huge hit ! Highly recommend!
Keanna says
This looks great. I have a recipe for a rub. Can I add those ingredients to the brine here? For example can I add garlic, onion powder and cayenne ( the only missing items
From the rub that are not part of your brine).
Chef Dennis Littley says
you can add any other spices you like to the brine.
Keanna says
Thank you!!!
Justine says
This is the definitive guide to preparing a Thanksgiving Turkey. Your guests will rave over the juiciness and flavor of your turkey. They will want the recipe, and they will want to come to your house every year. At least one person will tell you that you need to plan more time for cooking the turkey. Ignore them. Follow this recipe exactly and you will have the best turkey you’ve ever tasted. I’m so excited to use this recipe for a third year this Thanksgiving!
Mary says
Hosted Thanksgiving for over 30 years, never had the space to try brining. Found this method last year, sounded easy and you could prep the bird in advance – why not! Followed the instructions to the letter. Everyone agreed it was the Best turkey Ever, myself included, and I really liked having it ready for oven Day Of. This is my method from here on out. Thanks, & Happy Thanksgiving!
Chef Dennis Littley says
thanks for leaving such a nice comment Mary, Happy Thanksgiving!
Tammy says
Hi Chef,
How far in advance do you dry brine a turkey breast or thigh?
Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I would do 48 hours.
Dan Fusco says
Hi Chef Dennis, I absolutely love your dry brine, but I lightly stuff ( family tradition) my 24 lb bird. My solution to drying out is my mother-in-laws method of laying strips of bacon over the breast to kind of self baste the bird, seems to work well with or method! What are your thoughts? Cant wait to try your Tiramisu, Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving
Justin l says
Great recipe. I want really crispy skin so I’m going to dry brine for 3 dayS. But If you roast for 45 minutes upside down first, wouldn’t that add juices to the skin making it less crispy? Also after flipping over right side up, do you baste? Or no baste?
Chef Dennis Littley says
the skin still comes out pretty crispy. The key is leaving it unwrapped in the fridge for one day. You can baste it once you turn if you like, it would help keep it moist and if you baste with butter that should help the skin get crisp.
Justin l says
great thank you. I was thinking of injecting with beer and butter also. I know I know probably overkill. But I’ll omit the salt from the injection and maybe just inject half the bird to taste the difference. Anyway I really like your method I’m going to use it as my Turkey bible for the next few days!
Melissa says
since you didn’t mention the type of butter you used, is it ok to use ghee? If so, should I add salt to it or leave it as is?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Yes, it is. I use unsalted butter for all my cooking.
Susan says
Good eveningChef Dennis…I have a couple of questions. I have a new induction stove with both a regular and induction oven, which I’ve never used. I ordered a 14-16 lb turkey, plus a 3-5lb breast and 2 extra drumsticks. I plan on using a dry brine on the whole turkey and other pieces but not sure of the timing to ensure everything finishes at the same time. Any recommendations would be most appreciated. This is my first time using a dry brine and I’m a little nervous and not sure if I should use the convection or regular oven and for how long? Thanks in advance for your suggestions and guidance.
Chef Dennis Littley says
The pieces will cook faster than the whole turkey. The breast and legs should take from one hour to an hour and a half to cook, so you could add them at that point in the roasting process. I would use a meat thermometer to check the temp, you want an internal temp of 165 on the pieces.
You can use the convection feature on your oven if time is a problem but with the smaller size of the bird, you may not need to. If you use convection it can reduce the cooking times by 30% so keep an eye on the internal temp of the bird and pieces.
James N. says
Hi Chef Dennis,
I have become a huge fan of dry brining over the last few years and it definitely yields the best results.
However I always stuff my turkey, as my mother and grandmother did before me, just because of the amazing taste that is imparts to the stuffing.
While following your recipe last year, I performed your unique step of roasting the turkey face down for 45 minutes, prior to stuffing it, as the stuffing would just fall out. Unfortunately the result was that the neck flap and fat band that holds the legs, completely receded and crisped up. This made it impossible to stuff and put it back in the oven for the low heat cooking phase.
Any suggestion how to keep the neck flap from wasting away, short of just doing the stuffed turkey on its back like most recipes?
Chef Dennis Littley says
If you want to stuff it, James, I would just follow the rest of the recipe, but cook it right side up for the whole time. I would baste it every hour to keep it moist.
Robyn says
Hi Dennis,
Just wondering if I choose to stuff my bird, should I just temperature or cooking time? And, do you have any tips to alleviate any drying out of the Turkey? I do realize you don’t recommend this method.
Thanks in advance.
Chef Dennis Littley says
you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. It could add 30 minutes to an hour depending upon the size of the turkey.
To keep it moist all you can do is baste it every hour. The stuffing will pull the moisture out of the meat .
Tamara says
Are you using Morton or Diamond salt for this recipe? Just wondering if I should cut down on salt because I’m using Morton’s.
Chef Dennis Littley says
I use Morton’s Kosher Salt
Tamara says
Thanks!
Sarah says
What would the minutes per pound end up being for a traditional turkey at 325 for a “super” turkey that was more around 28 pounds? I think I got a little confused between heritage turkey cook times and also where it says the 20 pound turkey only took an additional 3 hours but to check after only 2.
Also, any recommendations on using convection feature vs. no convection and how that would affect flavor and timing? There is a lot of conflicting info out there so hoping you can guide me in the right direction.
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Sarah
sorry for the confusion. For a Heritage Turkey, I would cook it between 15-20 minutes per pound and I like to start checking at the lower end of the cooking time. A regular turkey is really the same time frame so there isn’t any adjustment.
If you follow the recipe with my techniques listed, you should be fine either way and just adjust your cooking times for the weight of the turkey.
As for convection cooking, by all means, use it if you’ve got it. It will affect your cooking time by about 30%, which is a big help with a large turkey.
Sara says
Hi! Love this recipe and very excited to try it on my first go making a whole turkey! Only thing is I am a college student and all I have on hand is regular iodized salt (not kosher) and salted butter. Should I change the amount of salt I use in the dry brine to compensate?
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Sara
the butter is not a problem, but you’ll need to reduce the amount of salt by 25% if you’re using table salt. I would use 2 Tablespoons of regular salt and that will compensate for the butter as well.
Valerie says
Do you baste the turkey after flipping it over? Alternately, would you recommend using a roasting bag? Thanks.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You can baste after flipping if you like, I usually don’t but it won’t hurt the turkey. As for a roasting bag you can use one but I wouldn’t flip it if you do. Just keep the turkey right side up for the whole time.
Kayla says
I’m going to try this for the first time this year. I have always used rosemary with in my rubs, will adding it to this recipe make it horrible? Also, do you have a homemade gravy recipe? I’ve never made gravy using the juices before. Thanks in advance!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Kayla
by all means, add rosemary if you like that flavor.
As for the gravy, make a roux out of melted butter (3 tablespoons) and flour (3 tablespoons). Let the roux cook over low heat till it smells a little like bread, then add all the pan juices mixing them in thoroughly. If the gravy is too thick you can thin it out with water or chicken stock. It should need no seasoning, and be sure to taste it before adding anything.
Caroline says
Hi Dennis, I’m having trouble figuring out what my cook time will be using your recipe. I plan to go low at 325 degrees but I can’t tell for how long. For a heritage turkey, what is the common equation for estimating the roast time? Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Caroline
thanks for pointing that out I just updated the directions for a Heritage Turkey.
Roast an unstuffed turkey at 425° for 20 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 325°F until the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 155°F. 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.
Sandra Reedus says
I’ve heard that if I cook the brined turkey on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, slice and refrigerate it, the skin will not be as crispy. Is there a solution for this? I really need to cook as much as possible before Thursday. I did this last year with an unbrined turkey and it was still moist (with a little help from chicken broth).
Chef Dennis Littley says
Once you refrigerate a cooked turkey there is not a lot you can do to re-crisp the skin. It can go under the broiler for a bit but that can be tricky and not completely satisfying.
Sandra Reedus says
Thank you, so I’ll be serving Uncrispy Turkey.
Valerie Resh says
I have tried dry brining on a turkey breast. It was delicious! Now I am going to try on a whole turkey per Dennis recipe. Can I stuff the bird without rinsing out the cavity prior to roasting? And will the gravy made from the drippings be too salty???
Chef Dennis Littley says
The gravy will be a little saltier but I’ve had no issues as long as I stretch the gravy a little and use a low salt stock or water if more liquid is needed.
Yes, you can stuff the turkey, although for health reasons I advise not roasting a stuffed turkey. You also will suck more of the juices out of the turkey into the stuffing (this is why the stuffing tastes so much better) causing the turkey to be dry.
If you want to stuff your dry brined turkey make sure to do a light rinse of the turkey’s cavity. The risk of the stuffing being extra salty will be less likely this way.
Valerie Resh says
Thanks, Dennis! I think I will just bake the stuffing outside the bird like I usually do. Too many cooks in the kitchen . . . I’m sure you know what I mean.
Jennifer says
Hello,
Does the citrus make a difference? Can I use this recipe without zest? I don’t the turkey tasting citrusy.
Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi Jennifer, yes you can leave out the citrus. It won’t make the turkey taste like citrus but you can leave it out.
Jennifer says
I noticed there are many brining recipes with a citrus element. What is its purpose if not flavor? I’ll use it if needed. This is the first time I’m trying a dry brine and want to do it right 🙂 In-laws are coming over!
Teresa says
I tried this method for the first time last year and I’m a true believer. It was amazing. I followed your process and recipe as written. My question is have you ever cooked it in a turkey oven bag or does that defeat the purpose?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I have not tried that with a brined turkey, but if you want really crispy skin I wouldn’t do it. If you just want to cut down the cooking time then you could try it, although I wouldn’t try flipping it since the bag will stick to the skin of the breast.
John says
On Nov. 19, Christine asked you for advice about how to cook a turkey in a counter top roasting oven. I have a similar question: I know you suggest cooking the turkey on a rack in an open roasting pan in the oven, but my wife insists on doing it using our traditional method, which is to cook the turkey (22lb) right side up for 4 hours in a 325 degree stove oven in an old blue granite roasting pan with a lid We do not put the turkey on a rack while it is cooking and we baste the bird every 30 minutes with the drippings. During the last half hour, we remove the lid to allow the turkey to brown. It turns out great when we use your dry brine for about 60 hours, but I would like your opinion about whether cooking the turkey your way would give better results. Thanks in advance for the advice!
Chef Dennis Littley says
hi John,
would it come out a little better turning the bird and using the rack? Probably. Will it make that big of a difference if you’re already happy with the results? Probably not. The brine is really the game-changer. I wouldn’t change things up if you’re getting good results.
And I go back to the philosophy that has made life good. “If momma ain’t happy, Nobody’s happy”.
I remember the roasting pan you’re talking about, we had one growing up that my dad used for turkeys and other roasts.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sundaes & Flip Flops says
Oh wow, that’s a beautiful bird. I have to try dry brining this year.
Catalina says
This Dry Brine Turkey it’s so crispy and inviting! I think that my family will love it for Thanksgiving!
rika says
It sounds like an awesome tip! I’ll be traveling this Thanksgiving, so I will not be cooking Turkey,