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Dry Brine Turkey

Herb and Salt-Rubbed Dry Brine Turkey

4.98 from 38 votes
This Herb and Salt-Rubbed Dry Brined Turkey comes out so moist and flavorful, with crispy golden skin and juicy tender meat.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 3 hours
Brine Time: 4 days
Total Time: 4 days 4 hours
Yield: 16 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 thawed or fresh 16-lb turkey (preferably fresh (not kosher or self-basting) if frozen, thaw before)
  • 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (use less with Mortons)

Instructions

4-Day Dry Brine:

  • (4) Four days before you plan to roast the turkey, mix the herbs and oil in a small bowl. Remove the neck and giblets and reserve for stock, if using. Loosen the skin around the shoulders of the bird and around the cavity. Carefully slide your hands underneath the skin to loosen it from the breast, thighs, and drumsticks.
  • Combine olive oil and herbs. Rub the herbs on the meat, under the skin. Pat the skin back into place.
  • Rub the salt inside the cavity and on the skin. Tuck the wing tips behind the neck and tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey in a large food-safe plastic bag (such as a turkey-size roasting bag) and tie. Put the bag inside a second bag and tie.
  • Day 1 to 3: Place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate the turkey, turning it over every day, for 3 days.
  • Day 4: Remove the turkey from the bags and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a large roasting pan and refrigerate, unwrapped, to let the turkey air-dry overnight (for the fourth day).

Roast turkey (Day 5):

  • Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let it temper on the counter for about 1 to 3 hours. Place turkey breast side up on a rack (sprayed with oil) in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2½ inches deep.

Convection Roast Mode:

  • Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F in convection roast setting. If using a probe, insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh not touching the bone and set the temp to 165F. Roast until the breast reaches 160°F and the thighs reach 165°F (they’ll rise slightly as the turkey rests), about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or longer depending on the size of the turkey. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle.

Conventional Oven:

  • Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Roast the turkey for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 325°F.
  • Continue to roast until the breast reaches 160°F and the thighs reach 165°F (they’ll rise slightly as the turkey rests), about 1 3/4 to 2 hours, or longer for a larger bird. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to settle.

Video

Notes

Nutrition is based on turkey breast no skin.
  • Brining Time: Dry brine the turkey for 3 to 4 days. Four days gives the best flavor and the crispiest skin, but even 3 days works beautifully.
  • My Method: I keep the turkey in a bag for the first 3 days, then uncover it on day 4 to dry out the skin overnight before roasting.
  • Do Not Rinse: Don’t rinse off the dry brine — rinsing adds moisture back to the skin and prevents browning. Just pat dry if needed.
  • Salt Type: Use kosher salt only. Table salt is much finer and will make the turkey too salty. I use Diamond Crystal which has less sodium than Mortons.
  • Starting Late: Even if you only have 24–48 hours, a shorter dry brine still improves flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 6oz turkey breast no skin, Calories: 225kcal, Protein: 45.5g, Fat: 3.5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 121mg, Sodium: 896.5mg
- WW Points: 0