The holidays are not complete without a turkey, and this dry brined turkey is simple to put together, but full of flavor. Serve your turkey with cranberry orange sauce and Southern cornbread dressing for a memorable meal.
Dry Brined Turkey Ingredients
To make this dry brined turkey you will need kosher salt, brown sugar, rubbed sage, dried thyme, garlic powder, a turkey, a lemon, an onion, garlic, butter, black pepper and herbs or fruit for a garnish. This turkey goes perfectly with some of my other favorite Thanksgiving recipes like corn pudding, sweet potato casserole with pecans and pumpkin cheesecake. When you have leftover turkey make sure to check out these leftover turkey recipes.
How To Make A Dry Brined Turkey
To make a this turkey recipe, the first step is to prepare your dry brine. In a small bowl mix together salt, garlic powder, brown sugar, rubbed sage and dried thyme. Pat your turkey dry with paper towels. Next, coat your turkey with the dry brine mixture. Let the turkey sit covered with the salt mixture in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Uncover the turkey, and let it sit for an additional 12-24 hours in the fridge so that the skin can dry out and get crispy in the oven. Stuff the turkey with a quartered lemon, a quartered onion and smashed garlic cloves. Coat the turkey in butter mixed with pepper. Roast the turkey until golden brown and cooked through. Serve decorated with garnishes and enjoy!
Tips For The Perfect Turkey
The dry brine needs at least 2 1/2 days to do its job, so plan accordingly with your timing of purchasing a turkey. Don’t add any more salt to the turkey after you brine it so that the end result is not overly salty. This recipe will not work on a kosher or pre-brined turkey. Read the label to make sure the turkey you purchase does not contain any added salt. If you’re using a frozen turkey, make sure to thaw it completely before you start the brining process. The dry brine will not penetrate a frozen turkey. Be sure to use kosher salt; table salt does not measure the same and will make your turkey too salty. Serve this roast turkey with my delicious turkey gravy made with drippings.
Flavor Variations
This is a basic recipe for a dry brine, but you can absolutely add other flavors to the mix to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Sweetener: Instead of brown sugar, try granulated sugar, granulated honey, maple sugar, coconut sugar or muscovado sugar. Spices: Feel free to stir in additional spices such as paprika, chili powder, onion powder, Cajun seasoning, oregano or poultry seasoning. Herbs: Other great herb options include dried basil, dried rosemary, dried parsley, Italian seasoning, dried chives or marjoram. Vegetables: Feel free to stuff your bird with chopped carrots or celery for a savory flavor.
Try dry brined turkey for an easier turkey preparation with all the flavor and juiciness of a traditional wet brine. After tasting this turkey, you will use this recipe every year!
Dry Brined Turkey Video
