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Dry brine turkey roasted with crisp golden skin on a platter with herbs, lemon and roasted onions

Dry Brine Turkey with Herbs and Baking Powder

Author: Olivia Stone | Home Chef
380kcal
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Prep 20 minutes
Cook 3 hours 15 minutes
Dry brine + rest 2 days 30 minutes
Total 2 days 4 hours 5 minutes
Easy dry brine turkey recipe with kosher salt, baking powder and dried herbs. No bucket, juicy seasoned meat and crisp golden skin. Brine 24 to 72 hours.
Servings 12 servings
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Ingredients

Dry brine
  • 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt (36 g), or 2 tbsp + 1 tsp Morton kosher salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder aluminum-free (not baking soda)
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary crushed
  • 2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Turkey
  • 1 whole turkey (12 to 14 lb / 5.4 to 6.4 kg), fully thawed, not enhanced or self-basting, neck and giblets removed
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter (57 g), melted
  • 1 medium yellow onion quartered
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary

Equipment

  • Roasting pan with rack
  • Rimmed sheet pan with wire rack (for the fridge)
  • Instant-read meat thermometer
  • Pastry brush

Method

Dry brine (1 to 3 days ahead)
  1. Remove the neck and giblets and pat the turkey very dry inside and out with paper towels.
  2. Mix the kosher salt, baking powder, thyme, sage, rosemary, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl.
    Dry brine rub ingredients: kosher salt, baking powder, dried thyme, sage, rosemary, black pepper and garlic powder
  3. Gently loosen the breast skin with your fingers and rub about one third of the mixture directly on the breast meat.
  4. Sprinkle the remaining mixture over the outside, legs, back and a little inside the cavity, patting it on.
  5. Set the turkey on a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 24 to 72 hours (48 hours is ideal).
    Raw turkey coated in dry brine resting uncovered on a wire rack in the refrigerator
Roast
  1. Take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting (do not rinse). Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
  2. Place the onion, lemon and herb sprigs in the cavity, tuck the wing tips under and set the turkey on the rack in a roasting pan. Brush all over with melted butter.
  3. Roast 30 minutes at 425°F, then lower the oven to 325°F (165°C) and roast until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the breast and inner thigh, about 2 1/4 to 3 hours more. Tent the breast with foil if it browns too fast.
    Close-up of crackly golden dry brine turkey skin with herbs and cracked pepper
  4. Rest the turkey 30 minutes before carving. Taste the pan drippings before salting any gravy.
    Juicy carved dry-brined turkey slices on a cutting board with gravy and herbs

Nutrition

Serving6ozCalories380kcalCarbohydrates1gProtein48gFat20gSaturated Fat6.5gSodium1000mg

Notes

Salt: use about 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt per 4 lb of turkey. Morton kosher salt is denser, so use a little more than half the volume; table salt, about half. Skip dry brining for enhanced, kosher or self-basting turkeys.
Thawing: allow about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 lb before brining.
Timing: roasting time is a guide; always go by the 165°F (74°C) reading.
Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 to 6 months.
Nutrition is an estimate for about 6 oz cooked turkey with skin; much of the salt stays in the drippings.

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