Dry Brine Turkey

Prep Time:
15 mins

Cook Time:
2 hrs 30 mins

Additional Time:
3 days 9 hrs 30 mins

Total Time:
3 days 12 hrs 15 mins

Servings:
15

Yield:
1 (15-pound) turkey

Ingredients

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season inside and outside of turkey with kosher salt, focusing on breast and thighs. Place turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate turkey for about 2 days.

Flip turkey breast-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 more day.

Remove plastic wrap and place turkey on a rack over a baking sheet the night before you plan to roast. Allow turkey to air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. This step helps the skin crisp beautifully during roasting.

Bring turkey to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours; pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey with black pepper and place onion and celery in the cavity.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place turkey, breast-side down, in a roasting pan.

Roast in the preheated oven until skin is golden, about 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and flip to breast-side up. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours.

Transfer turkey to a large platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil; allow turkey to rest about 30 minutes before carving.

Cook’s Note

I found that a dry brined turkey cooks a bit faster than a traditionally brined turkey. Start checking the doneness about 45 minutes earlier than you think.

During the last hour of roasting, baste turkey with pan juices for added richness.

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of salt. The actual amount consumed will vary.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)