Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means Americans will be donning their aprons, sharpening their knifes, and warming their ovens to roast the bird of all birds—The Turkey.
About 45 million turkeys are harvested each year, according to the National Turkey Federation, to supply our Thanksgiving dinner centerpiece. Turkey, however, is not the easiest protein we could roast for a holiday and has an unfortunate reputation for becoming dry in the oven.
When it comes to turkey, what you do before it sees the inside of an oven determines whether your guests request seconds. Follow this handy dandy guide to dry-brining your turkey in order to get the crispiest skin and the most succulent meat. Your guests will definitely request seconds!
“Don’t worry about seasoning the turkey with salt before it goes into the oven; the seasoning will happen later. Add a pinch or two of salt and a small squirt of olive oil to the sliced turkey breast and thigh meat while it’s still warm. Pour some of the drippings over, too.
What Kind of Turkey Works Best for Dry Brining?
Dry brining works best on natural or air-chilled turkeys without a saline solution added.
Many mass-produced supermarket turkeys are injected with a saline solution and are best avoided if you are intending to dry-brine your turkey. You can usually find that information on the label. I’ve seen as low as 4 percent and as high as 8 percent solution, and dry-brining on top of this could make the bird overly salty.
That being said, if you’ve already purchased your turkey and see that it has been injected with saline, you can just reduce the salt in this recipe by half.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__simply_recipes__uploads__2018__10__Brined-Turkey-LEAD-6-135012beef1741bf9c20381379acdf6d.jpg)
How Long to Dry Brine Turkey
I typically dry-brine for 48 hours for a luscious bird. You can, however, brine your turkey for up to 72 hours (and some of our testers actually preferred this!). The skin will look dry and desiccated after all that time in the fridge, but don’t worry, it will cook up beautifully.
Also, if you are short on time, because sometimes that’s just how holidays go, any little bit will help. Dry brining is worth the time, even if you only have half a day. Just make sure the bird isn’t frozen when you start out—otherwise it won’t absorb the flavors.
You’ll Never Go Back To Your Old Turkey Method After This
FAQ
Should I put salt on my turkey before roasting?
How far in advance should you salt turkey?
Should I season my turkey before cooking?
Why cook a turkey in salt?
Why should you salt a Turkey before cooking?
Salting the turkey in advance helps to season it not only on the surface but also throughout the meat and helps to draw moisture out of the skin which results in a crispier texture. The salt also acts as a natural brine, helping to preserve the moisture in the meat, resulting in a more tender and juicy bird.
How do you salt a Turkey before roasting?
1. Pat your turkey dry. At least one day (and up to three days) before you intend to roast your turkey, start the salting process. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the turkey, then pat dry with reusable or paper towels. Be sure to swab the whole turkey (both inside and outside).
How do you salt a Turkey for Thanksgiving?
For the most flavorful turkey, consider salting the bird on Sunday for your Thanksgiving feast on Thursday. That way it gives the bird 4 to 5 days for the salt to work through the cells. Cover the turkey—over and under the skin as much as possible—with about 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt per pound of meat. It will seem like a lot.
How do you salt a boneless turkey breast?
Boneless or bone-in turkey breast: Apply kosher salt (¾ teaspoon per pound) evenly between skin and meat, leaving skin attached, and let rest in refrigerator on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours. (Wrap with plastic wrap if salting for longer than 12 hours.) Brining works in much the same way as salting.