The perfect Thanksgiving dinner menu is all about preparation. Instead of waking up at the crack of dawn to start cooking, plan to brine turkey the day before. It also helps to peel potatoes, make your gravy roux and pre-chopping the vegetables for your Thanksgiving sides. But that means your fridge will be packed.
To wet brine a turkey the traditional way, you need a container that’s large enough to hold five gallons of liquid. However, a dry brine turkey uses no water, so it takes up less space and requires much less fuss.
What Is Dry Brine?
In short, a brine uses salt to add flavor, tenderize and infuse meat with extra moisture. It can be done by submerging a cut of meat into a saltwater solution (a wet brine) or by sprinkling salt directly onto the meat (a dry brine). Either way, the salt denatures the meat’s proteins, causing the muscle fibers to unravel and swell. That allows the cells to retain more moisture than normal, trapping so much liquid inside that it can’t all evaporate during the cooking process.
Dry brine turkey works because the salt pulls out moisture from the meat, creating its own brine when it infuses with the meat’s juices. You’re not adding any excess liquid, so this method concentrates the turkey’s natural flavors. The process also allows the skin to dry out, creating a crispier exterior.
Dry Brine vs. Wet Brine
Many cooks find dry brining easier than wet brining because of space constraints. You don’t need to find a container large enough for gallons of liquid or make sure that there is enough space in the refrigerator to store that container. On the flip side, it is possible to accidentally over-salt a dry-brined turkey (especially since we don’t normally rinse it). It’s important to pay attention to the ratios and use the right amount of salt for your turkey’s weight.
Keep in mind that the turkey must be at least partially thawed before you get started. If you forgot to thaw the turkey, a wet brine is definitely the way to go. If the skin is thawed enough to rub in the salt, you should be fine.
How to Dry Brine Turkey
For starters, choose a turkey that isn’t already salted (kosher, enhanced or self-basting). These turkeys already contain a salt solution, so brining them would make them too salty.
You should dry brine turkey in the refrigerator, as coolers filled with ice rarely maintain a safe ambient temperature.
Tools You’ll Need
The best thing about dry brine turkey is that it doesn’t require any special equipment. You’ll need a rack that allows air to circulate around the whole bird. You’ll also want something to catch the juices that drip as the turkey brines. A roasting pan with a rack works well, as does a baking sheet lined a wire rack.
It’s also important to remember that since there’s no water involved, this method absolutely requires the refrigerator to finish thawing the turkey safely.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the turkey
Remove the turkey from the packaging and set aside the neck and giblets. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and set it on a rack over a roasting pan or baking sheet.
Step 2: Salt the turkey
You’ll need 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for every 3 to 4 pounds of turkey. You can mix the salt with other dry rub spices to create an herb-rubbed turkey or keep things simple by using salt only. Sprinkle the salt over the skin, lightly rubbing it in.
The turkey should be well-coated with salt (but it shouldn’t be caked on).
Step 3: Let the turkey rest
Let the turkey sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. You can dry brine with this amount of salt for an additional 24 hours, but the flavor will get saltier and more concentrated. Cover the turkey loosely with plastic wrap after the first 24 hours.
Step 4: Pat it dry
Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. It’s not necessary to wash off the dry brine, unless you think you may have used more salt than recommended. If you’re worried about the turkey being too salty, go ahead and rinse it. It won’t hurt anything. Just be sure to sanitize the sink and surrounding area, as raw poultry comes with a risk for foodborne illness.
Step 5: Cook the turkey
Roast, grill or smoke the turkey using your favorite recipe. If you need a refresher on how to cook your bird, we have all the best turkey tips to know for Thanksgiving.
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