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A whole roasted dry brined turkey on an oval platter on a bed of herbs with side dishes around it.
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4.88 / 8 votes

Dry Brine Turkey

This dry brine turkey gets blanketed in a salt and sugar rub overnight and is then rinsed and roasted until golden. The result? Perfectly moist and tender turkey. No basting required.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 day 3 hours 50 minutes
Total Time1 day 4 hours 20 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 843

Ingredients

  • 3 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups Diamond brand kosher salt*, (if you are using a different brand of kosher salt, you’ll need to weigh out 270 g)
  • One (13-to-15-pound) fresh turkey
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme, parsley or sage, or a combination
  • 3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
US - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine the 3 cups packed light brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups Diamond brand kosher salt*. Place the One (13-to-15-pound) fresh turkey in a large plastic bag and place the bag in a roasting pan.
  • Pack the sugar mixture all over the turkey's breast, legs, and wings, pressing firmly so as much of the mixture sticks as possible. Carefully close the bag, just for neatness’ sake, and then pop it into the fridge for 24 to 36 hours. Flip the turkey halfway through the brine.
  • About 4 hours before you plan to serve the turkey, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
  • Take the turkey out of the bag and rinse it under cold running water, gently rubbing it until every last speck of the brining mixture comes off. Don’t forget to rinse out the inside, too. It’s okay if the turkey looks a little dry. Trust us on this one.
  • Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan and dry it with paper towels. Place the 1 bunch fresh thyme (and/or parsley and sage) in the cavity and tie the legs together with twine. Bend and tuck the wing tips under the back. Brush the turkey all over with the 3 tablespoons mild vegetable oil.
  • Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 175°F (80°C), 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest at least 30 minutes and as much as an hour before carving.

Notes

  1. Scaling--If you're making this with a turkey under 9 pounds, use half of the dry brine.
  2. Thaw your turkey--For best results, always start with a fully thawed turkey before brining it.
  3. Storage--Leftover turkey can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 843kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 113g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 377mg | Sodium: 7667mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g