A Turkey for Thanksgiving (Dry Brine Method)

posted by Megan on Nov 8, 2022 0 comments »

I honestly used to dread hosting Thanksgiving. Even though I love feeding people and visiting, cooking a whole turkey was always a gamble for me. Dry? Raw in the middle? Takes 10 hours to cook? Is it thawed all the way?

So a few years ago, I decided to solve all the problems, one by one. And now? Nothing is left to chance. Shatteringly crisp skin and tender, moist, flavorful meat (yes, even the breast!), all within less than half the time it normally would take. Keep scrolling for plenty of visual aids from prep to carving and serving ideas!

Table of Contents show

roasted and carved turkey on a white platter, garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs, cranberries and orange slices

Fresh vs. Frozen

If worldly events are teaching me anything, it’s that whenever possible, rely on local suppliers for things like meat and dairy. We got our turkey fresh from a family farm about 40 minutes from our house, but that’s just tradition.

That being said, do NOT feel guilty for using a grocery store turkey!! They are reasonably priced and will be absolutely delicious. No matter which kind of turkey you use, Thanksgiving will be fantastic. I used a Butterball for this post, and it was just as moist, tender and delicious as the fresh turkey.

a whole, unroasted turkey still in the bag it was sealed in.

Plan ahead

If starting from frozen, begin thawing the turkey 5 days before you plan on roasting. It seems like a long time, but in order to properly thaw the bird and allow for adequate time to dry brine it, 5 days is just right.

I like to budget 2 full days and nights for thawing, especially if it’s a bigger turkey (>15lbs). You know where I always set it while it thaws? The shower in our laundry room. I know it sounds gross, but there’s a perfectly good drain in there, and plenty of space. Plus, I’m not taking up extra room in the kitchen that I need to prep other things. Try it! Just make sure to sanitize the shower floor before company comes over.

Back out

No, it’s too late for that. You already bought a turkey. But you do need to take the back out. Get yourself a good pair of heavy duty kitchen shears. They’ll come in handy for a lot more things later on.

Make sure the turkey is nice and dry, and place it breast side down on a large cutting board. Use your free hand to firmly hold it in place, and use the shears to make a straight cut along one side of the backbone, through the ribs, beginning where the tail meets the thigh.

a pair of hands demonstrating how to remove the backbone of a turkey before roasting

Keep cutting through the thigh joint and the ribs until you complete the cut at the neck. Open the turkey up a little to get a better grip and safely make the second cut to completely remove the backbone. Save the backbone along with the neck and giblets to make some seriously delicious turkey gravy!

After you remove the back, flip the turkey over so that the breast faces upwards, and open up the legs so that the ends of the drumsticks are pointed outwards. Using a firm, downward push, crack the ridge of the breastbone so that the turkey lays flat. Tuck the wing tips underneath the breast so that they don’t burn while roasting.

a pair of hands cracking down on the breastbone of the turkey

a pair of hands demonstrating how to position the thighs of the turkey before roasting

Set the turkey on a wire rack and place onto a foil lined baking sheet.

Dry brine

Here’s where the other half of those 5 days comes in. After removing the backbone and flattening the bird, use a mixture of salt and baking soda to “dry brine” the turkey. The salt adds flavor as the turkey rests, and the baking soda ensures that the skin stays deliciously crisp.

a salted turkey before being roasted, sitting on a silver metal rack

After generously sprinkling the salt and baking powder over the entire turkey, allow it to rest in the fridge uncovered until Thanksgiving day. If you’re brining longer than 2 days, cover the turkey with foil after the second day to prevent it from excessively drying out.

Roast

Everywhere you look, people tell you to pull the turkey out when the thickest part of the breast is 165 degrees. That’s a great way to have dry turkey. Instead, remove the turkey from the oven once the breast reaches 150 degrees. As the turkey rests, it will finish cooking all the way through, and you’ll have perfectly moist and tender meat.

a whole, raw turkey that has been oiled and seasoned, sitting on a silver metal rack.

a whole roasted turkey sitting on a silver metal pan and cooling rack

Allow the turkey to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Carve

Start with the wings and slice through the joint that attaches them to the breastbone. Remove the wingtips before serving and use them to make a killer turkey stock!

Follow suit with the thighs before separating the drumsticks away from them.

a pair of hands showing how to carve turkey thighs and drumsticks away from the rest of the turkey

To separate the drums from the thighs, use your knife to kind of follow the natural lines of the drumstick, and slice through the leg joint.

separated roasted turkey thighs and drumsticks

Finally, use long strokes with your knife to separate the breast meat from the carcass. As you cut, use your other hand to gently pull the meat in the opposite direction. This makes it easier to see where you’re cutting!

a pair of hands showing how to carve turkey breast meat away from the ribcage of the turkey

Slice the breast meat against the grain, going all the way up the breast. Arrange the slices with the thighs and drumsticks on a platter as desired before serving.

If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving staples, you’re in the right place! Here’s a few other things to make this roast turkey complete.

More Thanksgiving Recipes:

Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

Brioche Dinner Rolls

Brown Butter Cornbread Stuffing

Green Bean Casserole

The BEST Pumpkin Pie

The Best Turkey Gravy