Succulent Dry Brined Turkey Recipes

DRY BRINE TURKEY

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside and outside of turkey with kosher salt, focusing on the 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.
• 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.

SUCCULENT DRY BRINED TURKEY

Steps:

• Best to use a fresh turkey. However, is using a frozen bird, ensure that it is not injected with sodium. Otherwise, you'll have an overly-salty bird.
• Wash turkey inside and out and pat dry. Use 1 tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds (15-pounds would be 3 tablespoons).
• Sprinkle inside of turkey with salt.
• Place turkey on its back and salt breasts, concentrating in the center, where meat is thickest. It may take slightly more than a tablespoon. It should appear liberally seasoned, but not overly so. You can add other flavors if desired, like minced rosemary.
• Turn turkey on one side and sprinkle with salt, concentrating on thigh, using just over a tablespoon. Flip turkey over and salt the other side.
• Place turkey in a 2½-gallon sealable plastic bag, press air out and seal tightly.
• Place turkey breast-side up in refrigerator. Chill 3 days, turning onto breast for final day.
• Remove turkey from bag. No salt should be visible on surface, but skin should be moist. Place turkey breast-side up on a plate. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours.
• On cooking day, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Leave turkey at room temperature at least 1 hour.
• Brush turkey lightly with butter or oil.
• Roast turkey for 30 minutes, breast side down.
• Turn turkey breast side up. Fill cavity with lemon, celery, carrot, onion and herbs. Reserve parsley for garnish.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Return turkey to oven and roast until thermometer in deepest part of thigh reads165 degrees, after about 2¾ hours.
• Remove turkey from oven, transfer to warm platter or carving board. Tent loosely with foil. Let rest at least 30 minutes for juices to redistribute through meat. This is a good time to use the drippings to make pan gravy.
• Carve, garnish with parsley and serve.