Description
This Dry Brine Turkey recipe uses a simple mixture of kosher salt, fresh rosemary, and lemon zest to enhance the turkey’s natural flavor and ensure a juicy, moist bird with a crispy skin. The process involves seasoning the turkey days ahead to tenderize and deeply season the meat, making it the easiest way to cook a flavorful turkey without the risk of dryness.
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 14- to 16-pound turkey, thawed
Dry Brine Mixture
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt (Morton’s recommended)
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- Zest of 2 small or 1 large lemon (reserve lemons for stuffing if desired)
Instructions
- Thaw Your Turkey: Place the frozen turkey in the refrigerator 4 to 6 days before cooking, allowing 24 hours of thawing for every 5 pounds of turkey (approximately 3 days for a 15-pound bird). Alternatively, use a cold water bath changing water every 30 minutes, which takes about 8 hours for a 15-pound bird.
- Prepare the Dry Brine and Apply: 1 to 2 days before cooking, combine kosher salt, minced rosemary, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Remove neck and giblets from the turkey and pat the turkey very dry with paper towels. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture inside the cavity, then rub the remaining mixture all over the outside of the turkey, including under wings and legs, focusing on the breast but not the backside touching the pan.
- Refrigerate the Turkey Covered: Cover the turkey tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours until the day before or morning of cooking, depending on how early you started.
- Dry Out the Skin: One day before or the morning of cooking, uncover the turkey and refrigerate it uncovered for 24 hours or until 1 hour before cooking. This step dries the skin to help it crisp and it will appear translucent.
- Rest at Room Temperature: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking, letting it come to room temperature without disturbing the brine. Remove any plastic carrier attached to the legs.
- Cook as Desired: Proceed to cook your turkey using your preferred method such as roasting or smoking. This recipe prepares the turkey for any classic cooking technique that suits your preference.
Notes
- Dry brining ensures a juicy, moist turkey with flavorful, crispy skin without extra effort.
- The combination of kosher salt, fresh rosemary, and lemon zest is simple yet provides excellent flavor.
- Do not rinse the turkey after applying the dry brine to avoid spreading bacteria.
- Patting the turkey dry before applying the brine is very important for effective seasoning and drying the skin.
- Refrigerating the turkey uncovered for drying is key to achieving crispy skin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/10th of a 14-pound dry brined turkey)
- Calories: 636 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: Approx. 450 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.2 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 98 g
- Cholesterol: 325 mg
