Alright, this was my first time dry-brining a turkey and I do not think I will ever look back. So here is how to make my Dry-Brine Thanksgiving Turkey!
As we all know, Thanksgiving turkey can often get a bad rep. Flavorless, overcooked, dry…it can really go bad pretty quickly. Enter: dry-brining! This technique not only helps inject the turkey with flavor, but also helps with the moisture. You’ll simply rub the salt + seasoning dry-rub all over the turkey then let it sit for 24-48 hours in the fridge. During this time, the salt helps to draw out the meat’s juices then the salt dissolves into the juices, making a brine without adding any liquid. From there, the brine soaks into the meat resulting into a flavorful, moist turkey.
Now, for a few Dry-Brine Thanksgiving Turkey tips ahead of cooking:
- If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure you give it plenty of time to defrost. It will take a few days! I’d allocate 3-4 days just for your turkey to thaw in the fridge.
- Once you are working with a thawed turkey, I recommend dry brining it 2 days before Thanksgiving.
- On Thanksgiving, remove it from the fridge 1-2 hours prior to roasting so that it roasts more evenly and has a better chance at crispy skin — what we all love.
Follow these tips and the additional in the recipe below and you will have a perfectly cooked turkey and a recipe you will want to use for years to come! And don’t forget to pair it with my Herby Turkey Gravy!
Dry-Brine Thanksgiving Turkey
Ingredients
For the Dry Rub:
- 4 tbsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 2 tbsp lemon zest from 2 small lemons
For the Turkey:
- 1 turkey 12-18 pounds
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus more as needed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter optional
Instructions
- Pat dry your turkey. Place a roasting rack on a sheet pan and place the turkey on top of the rack.
- Rub the dry rub all over the turkey, especially on the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 to 48 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the fridge to let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before roasting.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Working from the neck end of the turkey, gently loosen skin from breasts and rub butter under skin of the bird. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. *You do not have to do the butter under the skin. I’ve done it both ways and it turns out flavorful and delicious either way. Obviously, butter is always a delicious touch, but if you are having trouble getting it under the skin just move along.
- Fill a roasting pan with 2 cups of broth and place the turkey (which should still be on the rack) into the roasting pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until the skin starts to brown in spots, about 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and continue roasting, basting the turkey every 20 to 30 minutes with the broth/juices from the turkey (if there are no juices and the bottom looks dry, pour 1 cup of chicken broth over the breasts/body of the turkey).
- When the turkey is starting to look golden brown all over, tent with foil. Continue to roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (without touching bone) registers 160°F. It will continue to cook once you remove it from the oven.
- Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and reserve pan juices if planning on making my Herby Turkey Gravy.
Notes
- Cook time greatly varies depending on the size of your turkey
- For reference, my 16 lb turkey took 2 hours and 10 minutes in the oven to roast once I lowered the temperature
- A thermometer is key when cooking your turkey to ensure your turkey is cooked through
88 Comments
Beth
December 5, 2022 at 6:40 pmWhole dry brining is there suppose to be a puddle of blood underneath the Turkey?
Colleen
November 30, 2021 at 10:32 pmHi Alex,
How do you think this would hold up on a Traeger grill (following the same process)? My husband is obsessed with the grill and I think this would be great for Christmas if we could pull it off.
Thank you!
Alex
December 2, 2021 at 8:10 pmI think it would be AMAZING on the traeger!
Heather
November 28, 2021 at 3:56 amThis was my first time cooking the family turkey and it turned out PERFECT! It was super flavorful and moist. Such a easy preparation and beautiful golden brown crispy skin. Thanks Alex!
Sarah Ostrander
November 27, 2021 at 4:15 pmThis was AMAZING! I made gravy from the drippings at the end and I didn’t even need to season it because the drippings were so flavorful! My dad and I (the cooks of the family) were shocked at how good the brine was. And the turkey was so moist and delicious! So so good!!!
Maureen
November 26, 2021 at 8:53 pm2021 Thanksgiving Turkey was a great success! I added more of the fresh herbs to the butter under the skin. And I added whole shallots to the pan which went right into the gravy! Easy and wonderfully moist, very flavorful!
Maren Hayes
November 26, 2021 at 2:17 pmYUM! First time using a dry brine and wow. Easy and delish!
Alex
November 26, 2021 at 5:50 pmwoohoo!!
Sue
November 26, 2021 at 2:02 amMy turkey came out so juicy. This dry brine is so much easier than the wet brine I used to do. I will continue to use this recipe. Everyone really liked the turkey. Thank you
Danielle
November 24, 2021 at 11:53 pmHey! This is probably dumb but don’t want to screw up the turkey! 😅 I usually stuff with herbs and onions and things. Would this still be okay with recipe as is?
Alex
November 25, 2021 at 12:45 pmabsolutely! stuff however you please!
Gina
November 24, 2021 at 10:36 pmShould I dry rub the inside of the turkey too or just the outside?
Alex
November 25, 2021 at 12:46 pmyou can do the inside too, but the outside is most important.
Randi
November 24, 2021 at 7:07 pmHey Alex!! I’ve got my turkey all rubbed down and in the fridge ! 🙂 I just realized I didn’t get any cooking twine (my fault for not reading the whole recipe before I shopped lol) ! Will the turkey be ruined if I don’t tie the legs up? Is there another method of securing the bird I can do? Or can I just let this bird ride it out untied? What do you recommend?
Kyla McDermott
November 24, 2021 at 7:06 pmHi Alex!
If I am not using a roasting pan with a rack, should I still add the broth to my pan?
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 8:24 pmIf you have a pan that has sides– i would!
Ney
November 24, 2021 at 5:47 pmShould we wipe away the dry brine rub/ bits from the turkey after taking it out of the refrigerator before roasting or leave on?
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 8:23 pmI left my dry brine on the turkey– however, if any fell into the roasting pan– i’d rinse that out first.
Stephanie
November 24, 2021 at 3:44 pmI made this for friendsgiving, and everyone was SHOCKED at how moist and delicious it was. I’ve cooked Turkey many different ways with the same dry result but this actually turned out TASTY and MOIST!!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 5:35 pmyay!! Thanks so much, Stephanie!
Julie
November 24, 2021 at 4:51 amHello. Excited to try the dry brine for the first time! Question, do I need to rinse the turkey before roasting as you do when it’s a liquid brine? Thanks!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 11:50 amsome people do rinse off their dry brines (you totally can!!), I didn’t and it turned out great
Paula
November 23, 2021 at 10:37 amWould the dry rub be ok if you didn’t use fresh herbs?
Lindsey
November 23, 2021 at 4:59 amWould you mind clarifying. I took my Turkey out of the freezer on Sunday like you recommended to thaw in the fridge. Your instructions say “once working with a thawed turkey” to dry brine it 2 days before. I don’t know that my turkey will have thawed by tomorrow. Do I have to wait until thawed to dry brine or can it do it tomorrow (2 days before Thanksgiving) ? Please advise. First timer here! Thank you in advance!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 2:33 amI would wait until it is thawed out, ideally! and even if you dry brine for only 1 day– it will still be great!
Marnie
December 22, 2021 at 3:33 amHi Alex,
Thinking of doing this recipe for Christmas dinner. I don’t have a roasting rack. Would it work to put the turkey directly in the roasting pan with the 2 cups of broth?
Thanks!
Alex
December 22, 2021 at 12:38 pmYes!! It’ll be just fine (the only difference is the bottom of your turkey will be submerged in the liquid so it won’t be crisp all around).
Candice
November 22, 2021 at 8:16 pmFirst time making a turkey this week and I’m so excited to try this recipe, especially after all the great reviews! When roasting, breast up or down? Thanks!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 2:35 amgood luck!!! and breast up!
Claire
November 22, 2021 at 7:13 pmDo you continue basting every 20-30 minutes until the end, or just until you tent it? Thanks!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 2:36 amuntil the end (even after you tent)
Jen
November 22, 2021 at 1:42 pmI’d like to cover the turkey with tin foil while it’s in the refrigerator. Will covering it change the flavor or texture of the final dish?
Fran
November 21, 2021 at 2:59 pmHi Alex,
We have always cooked our turkey with the stuffing inside the bird (I know some people poo poo this but this is what I grew up eating). Do you think the outcome of this recipe will be affected if I stuff and cook? Obviously I will have to cook longer but other than that what do you think?
Alex
November 22, 2021 at 5:43 pmYes! you can defintiely stuff it with stuffing
Sue
November 17, 2021 at 4:40 pmI’m going to try this this Thanksgiving. Can I substitute coconut or maple sugar for the brown sugar?
Alex
November 17, 2021 at 8:35 pmI find that coconut sugar burns more easily — so i don’t recommend using that. I’ve honestly never cooked with maple sugar- so I can’t say for sure on that one.
Michelle
November 23, 2021 at 9:37 pmWhen I put the brine seasonings on the Turkey after drying off, they didn’t stick. Lots fell off to the side. Should I do another round and try to stick more on? Also, when I cook Turkey, should I rinse out baking Pan before I add broth? Thanks so much!!!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 2:29 amIt’s ok if some falls off– and yes– if its oveerly salted in the baking pan that’s a good idea.
Steph
November 15, 2021 at 3:29 pmCan I use this dry brine recipe-but spatchcock the turkey instead of leaving it whole? We loved your spatchcock turkey last year !!!!
Mack
November 15, 2021 at 1:07 amCan I use a turkey breast roast for this recipe? I have no idea how it would need to be altered so i was wondering if you had any tips! Thanks
Alex
November 16, 2021 at 9:02 pmHi! I know a dry brine would work well on it; however, I don’t have tips on roasting time! Also– depending on how large the Turkey Roast is, you’ll likely need to half the amount of salt in the dry brine.
Carey
November 14, 2021 at 11:44 pmWhere do I find the Herby Gravy recipe?
Alex
November 15, 2021 at 3:47 pmHere you go! https://thedefineddish.com/herby-turkey-gravy/
Laura
November 17, 2021 at 4:48 amWhy does it need to be uncovered in the refrigerator?
Alex
November 17, 2021 at 4:11 pmThis helps to make sure it is all dried out so you get crispy skin.
Hillary
November 14, 2021 at 6:04 pmJust made the dry brine turkey for my annual Friendsgiving and wow!! So tasty, so flavorful, and so less intimating than I imagined! I usually chicken out and buy a smoked bird but tried my hand for the first time cooking the turkey with this recipe. And it restored some confidence! Another winner from Alex for sure.
Hillary
November 14, 2021 at 3:26 pmJust did the dry brine turkey for our annual Friendsgiving and WOW. So tasty, so flavorful and honestly so less intimidating than I thought! My first time actually making the turkey (I usually chicken out and buy a smoked), and this recipe gave me all the confidence. Kudos to Alex on another winner!!
Maureen OBrien
November 13, 2021 at 6:59 pmAlex, your plan is my plan this Thanksgiving! How many people did your 16lb turkey feed?
Alex
November 15, 2021 at 6:39 pmI’d say (with all the sides, etc) it could easily feed 16 people. The general rule of thumb (since most of the turkey is a lot of bone) is 1 to 1.5 lbs per person at your gathering.
Amber
November 13, 2021 at 4:02 amWould you cook at the same temperature if you are using a roaster instead of the oven?
Alex
November 15, 2021 at 6:37 pmHi Amber,
I’ve honestly never cooked with a Roaster before so I am not positive how they work/cook and if there would be a difference. So sorry for the lack of help onthis one.
Linda
November 11, 2021 at 3:02 pmCan I still dry-brine a grocery store turkey that has been injected with a sodium solution? or will it be too salty?
Alex
November 15, 2021 at 6:42 pmohhh i worry it could be too salty.
Emily Kenyon
November 19, 2021 at 10:09 amGot the turkey all prepped for our Friendsgiving! Question; I’ve never dry brined before. Do you leave the salty herb mix on the turkey when you roast it?
Alex
November 22, 2021 at 6:16 pmI do!! some folks rinse theirs off.
Steph
November 11, 2021 at 3:41 amCan you use this dry brine on a spatchcocked turkey? We loved your recipe last year cannot imagine going back to the traditional roasting method!!!!
Alex
November 15, 2021 at 6:41 pmabsolutely. The two combined will be fantastic.
Jessica
November 10, 2021 at 11:37 pmWill this work with a boneless turkey breast?
Athina Hernandez
November 9, 2021 at 4:25 pmSo excited to make this! It will be my first attempt at making a Turkey 😜 2 quick questions, would you adjust the salt for an 8lb Turkey? And when you place the Turkey back onto the roasting pan once the broth is added, is the Turkey still going to be on the rack? So not placing it into the broth. Thank you so much!
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 8:58 pmYes, keep the turkey on the rack the entire time.
and yes– for 8 lbs I’d cut the salt to 2 tbsp.
Athina Hernandez
November 10, 2021 at 7:32 pmOkay Thank you! Last question- if I had to remove the brown sugar from this recipe for a family member that eat Keto, would that totally ruin the crispy skin factor? also wondering if that amount of sugar would even make a big deal?
Erica
November 9, 2021 at 3:55 pmWill a dry brine work out ok when turkey is cooked on a charcoal grill, you think? Hubs insists on grilling every year. We usually do a wet brine on the bird but interested in trying this!
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 8:59 pmYes, I think a dry brine would work fine; however, I am not a grill master and have certainly never grilled a turkey– so I defer to your hubs on this one.
Hillary
November 14, 2021 at 3:25 pmJust did the dry brine turkey for our annual Friendsgiving and WOW. So tasty, so flavorful and honestly so less intimidating than I thought! My first time actually making the turkey (I usually chicken out and buy a smoked), and this recipe gave me all the confidence. Kudos to Alex on another winner!!
Demi
November 9, 2021 at 2:56 pmHi there, is there any way to make this hours before serving to save oven space? I have heard of making the turkey then putting a heavy blanket on top to keep it moist and warm?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 8:59 pmI’ve never tried that so I am not certain!
Leigh Bloomfield
November 9, 2021 at 1:21 pmSo, additional 2 hours and 10 minutes meaning after the initial 20 minute roasting?
Marissa Marcantonio
November 9, 2021 at 2:46 amWhat was the total time your 16lb turkey was in the oven ? I know you said 2 hours but I’m confused by “ additional “ lol
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 12:55 pmsorry for the confusion– I mean it took mine 2+ hours after the original higher temperature roasting time. My turkey took about 3 hours– my oven does tend to cook more quickly I’ve found
MArissa
November 23, 2021 at 11:53 pmThanks Alex!!
Amy
November 9, 2021 at 2:28 amWe’re team dry brined and spatchcocked!!
Katherine
November 9, 2021 at 2:00 amWould the dry rub still turn out well if we smoked the turkey?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 12:53 pmI think it would be great!
Keely
November 8, 2021 at 11:24 pmDid you spatchcock the turkey or just leave it whole? What was total roasting time?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 12:55 pmI left it whole
Megan
November 8, 2021 at 10:44 pmHi! Do you put dry rub underneath the skin too?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 12:56 pmJust all over the top! I am sure underneath the skin would be great– but I didn’t bother and it turned out so juicy and delicious.
Jenny
November 8, 2021 at 10:28 pmHi, planning out my thanksgiving cooking timeline😬 How many hours does the Turkey cook? I see the note that the Turkey took an extra 2 hours but how long should I reserve for Turkey roasting?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 9:00 pmI just edited to clarify– it really depends on how big your turkey is.. but I’d hold 3.5 to 4 hours for a turkey (to ensure you have time for turkey to rest before carving, also).
Courtney
November 8, 2021 at 8:39 pmIs it crucial to use a roasting rack or can you just cook the turkey in a traditional roasting pan sitting in the broth?
Alex
November 9, 2021 at 9:01 pmI prefer a roasting rack OR spatchcocking a turkey to ensure the skin is cooked more evenly. But technically, yes, you can roast a turkey in there without a rack!
https://thedefineddish.com/whole30-spatchcocked-turkey/
Carla
November 8, 2021 at 6:56 pmThis may be silly- but I’m hosting my first thanksgiving and want to get it right. Are the herbs you mentioned supposed to be fresh or dried?
Alex
November 8, 2021 at 7:14 pmnot silly at all! it’s fresh! I just edited to clarify! 🙂
Pilar O
November 24, 2021 at 1:47 amHi Alex, Could you use dried if I needed to? Eeek!
Alex
November 24, 2021 at 2:26 amYes, but i’d half the amount of herbs.
Mary
November 8, 2021 at 2:40 pmWill this work on a chicken? Thanks!
Alex
November 8, 2021 at 7:14 pmyes but since chicken doesnt weight near as much, you’ll need to reduce the salt amount
Nicole
November 9, 2021 at 3:10 amDo you find that the pan juices are too salty for gravy?