Brining A Turkey

A Word About Brining A  Turkey

To achieve a moist, delicious, well cooked turkey I strongly recommend you brine the bird. In the past I have brined my turkey with a wet brine. I almost always bought a turkey brine mixture at Williams-Sonoma or at the local butcher shop. These brines are always wet brines. Wet meaning you have to have a container large enough to hold your turkey submerged in water in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Although this is my preferred way to brine a turkey this year I am going to go with Dry Brining. It’s the easiest way to brine a turkey and takes up less room in the refrigerator. This is the recipe I recommend for a Dry Brined Turkey.

4       Tablespoon Kosher Salt (Salt Proportion is 1 Tablespoon of Kosher Salt for Every 5 Pounds of Turkey)
2      Teaspoons Dried Herbs, Such as Thyme, Sage, and Rosemary, or a Blend of Poultry Seasoning
1       Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1       18-to-20 Pound Thawed Whole Organic or Heritage Turkey (Not Kosher or Pre-Salted)

In a bowl mix the brining ingredients together. Remove the turkey from the plastic packaging and take out the neck and giblets from the neck and cavity of the turkey. Pat it dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin from the meat with your hands keeping the skin intact. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the cavity of the turkey. Rub another 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of the legs (under the skin). Rub 4 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of the breasts (under the skin). Sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over all the skin of both the breasts and legs. Bend the wings back and tuck under the breast. Place the turkey breast-side up in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 day but ideally 3 days. You do not need to pat it dry before cooking — it’s ready to cook.

Cook your turkey the way you normally would. Brining does not change cooking time. I like to use a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. Be careful to not hit a bone. Roast until the temperature reads 175°F at the thigh, 165°F at the breast and 165°F in the stuffing if you so choose to stuff the bird.