Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are no presents to purchase, no expensive decorations to put up. It’s all about the food and the connection to family and friends. It’s about tradition and creating something new that may become a tradition. For some, it’s a day of football games on TV or family football on the front lawn, for others it’s all about the planning, preparation and love poured into the feast. It’s about teaching the littles how to make Grandma’s famous dinner rolls and trying a new recipe. It’s about catching up on family news and spending time with those you haven’t seen since last year.
Dry brined turkey is the best way to season it
Dry brining is the easiest and least messy way to season your turkey. The benefits are crispy skin, moist turkey meat that is super flavorful.
Look for an “All Natural” turkey. They have not been injected with any juices or flavor enhancers. Brining your turkey will add the best flavor.
How much salt do you need? For every 5 pounds of turkey, use 1 tablespoon kosher salt. You can also add freshly ground pepper and poultry seasoning too.
Once you have your turkey all salted, place it in a rimmed pan on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, uncovered. Make sure it’s level so the juices won’t run all over your fridge! For a turkey less than 14 pounds, refrigerate it for 24 hours. Over 14 pounds, 30 hours.
More tips for turkey success
- Remove the popup timer! If you rely on it your breast meat will be overcooked!!
- Set your turkey on a bed of rough chopped celery, carrots and onions. This flavors the juices from the turkey
- Insert your temperature probe into the breast and set the temperature at 158°F
- Remove the turkey from the fridge at least 2 hours prior to roasting
- For more detailed information about temperatures and how to carve your turkey
- After roasting, let your turkey rest for about 30 minutes before carving. This allows time for the juices to redistribute and the temperature to rise 8-10 degrees. Do not tent with foil
Dry Brine Your Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 All natural turkey thawed with giblets and neck removed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt for every 5 pounds of turkey
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper for every 5 pounds of turkey
- ½ teaspoon Poultry seasoning for every 5 pounds of turkey optional
Instructions
- Mix together the dry brine ingredients
- Place the turkey on a rack set in a rimmed baking tray that will sit level into your refrigerator
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels
- Optional step: make a seasoned butter with poultry seasoning or fresh herbs mixed with 4-6 tablespoons softened butter. Use your hand to loosen the skin over the breast and separate it from the meat. Push the seasoned butter under the skin and work it as far back as you can without tearing the skin
- Sprinkle the brine salt mixture all over the turkey, rubbing it onto the legs, wings and breast and into the cavity
- Bend the wing tips back and tuck under the back and remove the popup timer
- Place the turkey, unwrapped, in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf 24 hours for turkeys under 14 pounds, up to 30 hours for larger birds
Thanksgiving Day Roasting
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator at least 2 hours prior to roasting
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and adjust the oven rack to the lowest level
- Prepare your roasting pan with rough chopped onions, celery and carrots spread evenly in the pan
- Pat the skin dry with paper towels (you do not need to rinse off the turkey)
- Rub the skin all over with a small amount of olive oil, season with poultry seasoning (optional)
- Place an onion, cut in quarters, fresh parsley and a halved lemon or orange in the turkey cavity
- Tie the legs together with butcher's twine
- Place the turkey in the prepared roasting pan and insert a thermometer probe into the deepest part of the breast, horizontal into the breast, making sure the probe is not touching the bone. Set the temperature alarm to 158℉
- Place the turkey into the oven and cook for one hour at 425℉
- After one hours, reduce the oven temperature to 325℉ and continue to cook the turkey until the probe alarm sounds and reads 158℉. Verify the temperature by using an instant read thermometer and take the temperature of the thighs (thighs should be around 175℉)
- If all temperatures are at proper levels, pull out of the oven to rest. If the temperatures are not at the proper levels, roast for another 15 minutes and check temperatures again
- Allow the turkey to rest on the countertop for at least 30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat and the temperatures to rise another 8 to 10 degrees
