this Dry brine turkey An easy way to pack your Thanksgiving dinner with herbal goodness is with rosemary, thyme, and sage. The longer you brine it, the smoother the skin and the juicier the inside.
Why you'll love this dry brine turkey recipe
This classic dry brine turkey is the only method you'll use to season your turkey from now on.
- simple All you need is dried herbs, kosher salt and turkey.
- A little cleanliness. Discard the parchment paper and clean the baking sheet. So!
- Great for the holidays. Use this dry brine turkey recipe for your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's dinner party.
- Beginner-friendly. All you have to do is pat the turkey dry, rub the dry brine on, and let the turkey cool.
What is Dry Brining?
Dry brining is a seasoning technique used to flavor proteins as a result of salt rubs. Dry brine ingredients may contain only salt, or herbs and spices. The mixture is rubbed into the protein and then cooled. When salt breaks through fat molecules, it releases excess moisture. It speeds up the process to a nice golden sear on your chicken, pork, turkey, steak or fish. It also seasons the meat from the inside as it has a chance to absorb the flavor from the rub mixture.
Material notes
The earthy, herbal, fresh flavors in the recipe come from the combination of the herbs in the dry brine. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
- whole turkey- Just turkey breast, thighs, leg-quarters or legs are fine.
- kosher salt- Go for coarse sea salt if you have some.
- herbs – I used dried rosemary, thyme and sage. You can also use fresh herbs.
How to dry brine a turkey
For all the flavor that dry brining brings to a turkey, you'd never guess that it only requires 3 easy steps. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
- Prepare the turkey. Pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Mix dry salt. Whisk the salt, rosemary, thyme, and sage in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the turkey.
- Let it cool. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 2 days and then cook.
What do you do with a brined turkey?
After you've dried the brine turkey, prepare it as usual to enhance its flavor. Think of it as a pre-seasoning or basic herb seasoning. Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Easy, no fuss thanks Türkiye. Reduce the amount of salt in the garlic compound butter to 1/2 tablespoon since the turkey will already be pre-seasoned.
- Maple Smoked Türkiye. This is another recipe to try. It has a more complex flavor profile with smoky maple syrup, sweet ancho chili powder and paprika. Dampen a paper towel with water and rub it over the turkey to remove excess salt without getting it wet.
- Garlic Herb Oven Roasted Turkey Breast. This recipe is perfect if you only use one turkey breast. Omit the salt completely in the garlic butter with 4 herbs. You don't want to oversalt the turkey breast, which is already very lean and mild in flavor.
Tips for success
The secret to a perfectly crispy-skinned dry brine turkey with a juicy interior is to avoid excess moisture at all costs.
- Don't overdo it. Never dry turkey for more than 2 days as bacteria can build up on it after that. Raw chicken is particularly susceptible to bacteria and even refrigerated storage can cause food poisoning.
- Get creative with Robs. 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning, taco seasoning, or shawarma seasoning mixed into dry brine creates a new flavor profile for your Thanksgiving turkey.
- Clean thoroughly. When you're done with baking sheets and other kitchen items, such as knives and cutting boards, clean them thoroughly with soap and water to avoid cross-contamination.
- Avoid moisture. Do not add any sauce or liquid to the dry brine mixture. Any liquid added to it defeats the purpose of a dry brine, which draws out excess moisture. Stick to dry spices for best results.
- Check the temperature If you live in a high-humidity area that is very hot, do not allow the turkey to rest on the counter to come to room temperature before cooking. Heat and humidity speed up the growth of bacteria. It's best to prepare turkeys for baking and/or roasting straight out of the fridge.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
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This 3-herb dry brine turkey recipe with dried rosemary, thyme, and sage will pack your holiday dinner with classic herby flavor.
- Once the turkey is completely thawed. Pat dry with a paper towel and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Add salt, rosemary, thyme and sage to a small bowl. Mix together.
- Rub the dry brine evenly all over the turkey.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 24 hours or up to 2 days.
- Cook accordingly These are the baking instructions.
