The simple secret to a truly juicy roast turkey is to season the turkey with a rub a couple of days before roasting. This is called dry brining and it makes the flesh beautifully moist, and you can even do it while the turkey is still FROZEN!
It cooks faster, has crispy golden buttery skin, and your turkey is going to be so amazing it’s going to be remembered for years to come!!!
🍁 2020 Thanksgiving timeline🍁
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Start Thaw Fridge Thaw turkey 24 hrs per 2 kg / 4 lb (or quick thaw in water)
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Tuesday 24th Nov: Rub turkey with seasoning, wrap and refrigerate upside down
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Wednesday 25th Nov: Turn so turkey is right side up
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Thursday 26th Nov: THANKSGIVING! Roast for lunch or dinner
What you need to know
10 years ago, dry brining was still relatively unknown but these days it’s a pretty broadly known fact that dry brining yields superior results to wet brining as well as being far more practical.
Because I want to arm you with everything you need to make the ultimate perfect roast turkey, this is a fairly long post, covering off on (hopefully!) all your questions. So starting off with a summary:
Summary:
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Brining is the path to moist turkey flesh
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Dry brining is far more practical and easier than wet brining
- Partially thawed turkey can be dry brined – handy!
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Brine time:
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1 (bare minimum)
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2 – 3 days (ideal)
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4 days (extra day adds nothing)
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Works with turkey breast (2 days)
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Start turkey roast upside down for extra juicy breast
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Roast turkey cook time 12 minutes per 500g / 1 lb (brined turkey cooks faster)
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75°C / 165°F using a meat thermometer inserted between leg and thigh
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30 minutes resting essential!
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Served with turkey gravy or Cranberry Sauce
Juicy Roast Turkey Guide!
This is a long post, to arm those who are new to roasting turkey with all the information they need. For the experienced, you can skip straight to the recipe or the section you are interested in!
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Internal temperature of cooked turkey (and how to do it)
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Jump to Recipe
Brining = JUICY Roast Turkey
I think we can all agree that there is nothing more devastating than labouring for hours over the Thanksgiving or Christmas table centrepiece only to find that it’s dry – especially the breast meat. Even drowning it in gravy can’t completely compensate.
And in this day and age, there’s pretty much full consensus amongst all the greatest food authorities of the world that brining is the path to Juicy Roast Turkey. It doesn’t matter how much butter you use, whether you roast upside down, spin it around, baste 50 times – if you don’t brine, your turkey won’t be as moist.
Full stop. End of story!!
Take a close look at the turkey slice below – look how juicy it is!!!
What is brining?
Brining is the method whereby meat (turkey, in this case) is soaked in a salty water mixed with aromatics like bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic for a couple of days. This has the effect of trapping moisture in the flesh while it roasts, yielding super juicy turkey.
The method of soaking turkey in a giant bucket of salty water is called wet brining. Dry brining has the same effect, but is done by rubbing the turkey with a seasoned salt then left to “marinate” for a couple of days before roasting.
Dry brining is easier, more effective and tastier than wet brining!
Why dry brining is best
Wet Brining is more well known than Dry Brining. While both methods will yield a juicy roast turkey, there are a number of very important advantages of dry brining:
1. No mopping – I guarantee if you’re manhandling a bucket large enough for a 6 kg / 12 lb turkey AND bringing solution, there will be mopping involved at some stage…. Not to mention the question of whether your fridge has space for said bucket!! (Note: If you’re determined to wet brine, use your vegetable crisper! Genius idea from TheKitchn.)
2. The turkey tastes like turkey. Not water. One of the grievances of wet brining is that while the turkey is moist, the moisture tastes bland – not like turkey. Which makes sense, right? The turkey sucks in the brine and unless it is heavily flavoured with broth, the turkey is sucking in largely flavourless liquid. Whereas with dry brining, the turkey releases its own juices then sucks its own juices back in. Turkey on turkey flavour!
3. The roasting juices aren’t too salty to use for gravy. Another problem many people have with wet brined turkey is that the roasting juices can be too salty to use for gravy. You can compensate by plonking in raw potatoes into the gravy to suck out the salt, but….it’s just one more thing you can avoid by using dry brining!
4. You can start brining while the turkey is still partially frozen. It takes 3 days – yes, 3 WHOLE days – to defrost a 10 pound / 5kg turkey in the fridge. Whereas with this recipe I’m sharing, I accelerate the partial defrosting of the turkey in cold water then it finishes defrosting WHILE it is brining.
5. It roasts faster. It takes 1 hour 45 minutes to roast a 5.5 kg / 10 lb turkey. Compared to 2 1/2 hours for un-brined turkey.
Before we roast, we brine. And before we brine, we must thaw!
Turkey THAWING
A frozen turkey is a formidable block of ice that takes days to thaw. So you must factor this into your turkey-feasting timeline!
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Thaw in fridge (long thaw) – allow 24 hours for every 1.5 – 2 kg / 3 – 4 lb of turkey (my 5.5 kg/11 lb turkey took 3 days)
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Fast thaw in water – 30 minutes per 500g / 1 lb. Turkey needs to be in a leak proof bag / wrapping. Submerge in large sink of water, keep it submerged. Change water every 30 minutes.
Partially frozen turkey can be brined!
DRY BRINE CAN BE APPLIED WITH PARTIALLY THAWED TURKEY. You just need the turkey skin to be thawed enough to rub the salt in. Then brining + thawing will occur at the same time.
Cook times for turkey in the oven
How long to cook turkey in the oven:
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5kg / 10 lb: 1 hr 45 min – 2 hrs
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6 kg / 12 lb: 2 hrs 15 min
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7kg / 14 lb: 2 hrs 30 min
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8 kg / 16 lb: 2 hrs 45min
These are the cook times for a dry brined turkey (loosely stuffed with herbs and garlic) which cooks faster than un-brined turkey. Add an extra 15 – 20 minutes if your turkey is stuffed.
This is the total roasting time, including initial 30 minutes at high temperature. It works out at around 12 minutes per 500g / 1 lb.
Internal temperature of cooked turkey
75C / 165F using a meat thermometer inserted between the leg and the breast (see photo below for point to insert). This is the USDA recommended internal cooked temperature of turkey.
How to take the internal temperature?
Take the temperature of the turkey straight out of the oven. Insert the thermometer between the leg and the breast. Insert straight down until you hit bone, then pull back a bit. Hold still until the temperature registers on your thermometer and stays at the internal temperatures specified above.
How to make juicy roast turkey
I promised you easy, and easy you shall have! Here’s a rundown on the recipe:
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Rub with a simple seasoned salt mixture – salt, thyme, paprika, garlic powder and pepper;
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Wrap like a mummy in cling wrap (holds in all those juices!) and refrigerate for 2 days;
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Stuff with herbs, garlic and pour in a good slosh of butter;
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Slather with butter then roast upside down for 30 minutes (get those juices pooling in the breast);
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Roast right side up for 45 minutes;
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Baste with Garlic Herb Butter then roast for a further 30 minutes. (I do this at this stage to avoid burnt garlic-herb bits on the turkey)
When the internal temperature is reached (see section above), the most important thing to do is to rest the turkey for 30 minutes. This gives the turkey a chance to relax the fibres (ie more tender meat) and even more importantly, the juices get sucked back into the flesh (equals even juicier meat!).
Styling the turkey platter
Even if the turkey is only on the platter for a fleeting moment before being whisked away to be carved, I still feel like it’s worth making a wee bit of an effort so the turkey can have it’s moment spotlight.
While many opt for herb garnishes, I have a thing about making everything on a platter edible. So I create a bed of green leafage – watercress in this case (cheap, right shape, nice to “fan out” around edges) – with pops of colour from orange wedges (also for those creatures who like fruit with meat) and cranberries (thawed frozen ones).
How to Carve Turkey
I had ambitions to include a video of how to carve turkey, but doing such a video by yourself proved to be somewhat of a challenge. Turkey juice squirting everywhere, greasy hands, the challenge of new cameras and most frustrating, the hot breath of a fur ball under the table panting with excitement at the mere experience of being so close to such a giant hunk of meat.
Said video was a total fail. Will attempt again next year. In the meantime – this video is a good tutorial. 🙂
To Stuff or Not to Stuff?
This turkey is not stuffed with stuffing, just with garlic, herbs and a good slosh of melted butter (which does all sorts of good things to the breast when roasted upside down).
I do not stuff turkey because in order for the stuffing to be safe to eat, it needs to reach 75C / 165F – the same internal temperature of the turkey. The stuffing cooks last, so that means in order for the stuffing to be cooked enough to be safe enough to eat, the turkey is overcooked.
No thanks! Besides, stuffing baked separately SO much more delicious – here’s my all time favourite Stuffing recipe!
Cranberry Sauce or Gravy?
Why choose? Serve BOTH! Cranberry Sauce keeps for ages – make it well in advance.
As for gravy…. it’s not an option around these parts. My view is that it’s criminal to to waste those pan juices and NOT make a gravy!
What to serve with Turkey
A classic centrepiece for holiday occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas, here are my favourite sides to serve with turkey!
Thanksgiving sides for Turkey
Christmas sides for Turkey
So here’s my recipe for the Juicy Roast Turkey made by dry brining. It is based on this recipe from the LA Times which has a cult following – with good reason! I’ve added extra tips and tricks to help make this a breeze for you.
I have a feeling this Thanksgiving is going to be your BEST EVER!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Here’s the recipe video for the Juicy Roast Turkey. See below for gravy!
And here’s the video for the turkey gravy:
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Juicy Roast Turkey
Ingredients
- 10 lb / 5kg whole turkey , thawed (plain not pre brined) (Note 1)
Dry Brine Rub:
- 2.5 tbsp salt (Note 2)
- 2 tsp dried thyme , or other herb of choice
- 1 tsp paprika , sweet or ordinary
- 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For Roasting
- 150g / 10 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tbsp (in total) sage, rosemary and thyme , finely chopped (Note 3)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 heads of garlic , halved horizontally
- 1 onion , halved (brown, yellow, white)
- 2 small bunch mixed herbs , sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley (optional, Note 3)
- 1.5 cups / 375 ml dry white wine , or water (Note 4)
- Salt & pepper
Gravy (~ 4 cups/1L)
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken broth / stock , low sodium
- 5 tbsp (60g) flour , plain / all purpose
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Dry Brining Preparation.
- Rub: Mix together the Rub.
- Prep Turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels., inside and out. Remove giblets or anything else inside the turkey. (Note 5)
- Sprinkle: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt inside and use you hand to spread it (roughly is fine). Turn the turkey upside down, then rub 1 teaspoon of the salt mixture on the underside.
- Turn the turkey upright and rub the remaining salt on the turkey, using most on the breast - even some under the skin if you can.
- Wrap turkey mummy-like in lots of cling wrap or place the turkey in a sealable plastic bag (Note 6).
Brining (Note 7):
- Place turkey upside down in baking pan. Refrigerate.
- 24 hours later: Flip turkey so it's right side up.
- 24 (to 48 hours) later: unwrap turkey. The skin should be moist but not wet. If wet, pat dry. Leave out for 30 min before roasting.
Prepare for roasting:
- Preheat oven to 220C/425F (standard) or 200C/390F (fan).
- Place the onions and garlic in a roasting pan. Place a roasting rack on top - if you have one (Note 8 for sub).
- Stuff bunch of herbs + 2 garlic halves + 3 tbsp butter (45g) inside the turkey. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine (optional).
- Place turkey UPSIDE DOWN on the rack. Twist the wings so they are on top - see video. Brush with a bit of melted butter. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
- Pour wine in roasting pan.
Roasting:
- Roast for 30 minutes.
- Use a tea towel to turn the turkey over. Brush with butter, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
- Turn oven down to 165C/325F (standard) or 150C/300F (fan). Roast turkey 45 minutes.
- Mix remaining butter with garlic and herbs. Brush turkey generously with butter.
- Roast turkey for a further 30 minutes or until a) the thermometer that comes with the turkey pops up (America) b) a thermometer inserted between the breast and leg reads 165F/75C. (Notes 9, 10). Cover loosely with foil if browning too much.
- Remove turkey onto serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes before transferring to platter for presentation and carving (see in post for styling idea).
- Serve turkey with gravy and/or Cranberry Sauce.
Turkey Gravy
- Place roasting pan (with garlic, onion etc still in it) on the stove over medium high heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add broth and use a potato masher to mash the onion and garlic into the mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrap the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Strain into a bowl, pressing down to extract all the flavour out of the onion and garlic. Transfer to gravy boat.
Recipe Notes:
* Fast thaw in water – 30 minutes per 500g / 1 lb. Turkey needs to be in a leak proof bag / wrapping. Submerge in large sink of water, keep it submerged. Change water every 30 minutes. Rub can be applied to partially thawed turkey as long as skin is pliable enough to rub salt in. Add 1 tsp extra salt. Expect lots of juices from the thaw/brining process - ensure turkey is patted dry before roasting. As it brines, liquid may be red from blood from the inside of the turkey thawing - do not worry. Won't affect end result at all. Do not rinse, just pat dry with paper towels. DO NOT:
* Use this recipe for "self basting" or pre marinated turkeys, will be too salty. Check ingredients or nutrition - if there's salt or flavourings, the turkey has already been brined. Typically these include boxed and frozen turkeys at the supermarkets in Australia. **See HOW TO COOK PRE-BRINED TURKEY box below recipe.** 2. SALT - Use 1 tbsp salt for every 2 kg / 4 lb turkey. Use kosher / cooking salt. If using fine grain table salt, reduce by 1/4 tsp PER 1 tbsp of salt called for in the recipe. Do not use salt flakes (too hard to measure equivalent). 3. HERBS - I used an equal mix of sage, rosemary and thyme to make up 1 tbsp in total for basting partway through cooking. Can also use dried herbs of choice - use 2 tsp. Doesn't sound like much but we don't want to put herbs on the skin until partway though cooking otherwise it just burns. So by the time we baste with the herb butter, there's not much butter left. Just imparts a subtle fragrance more than anything, could even be skipped. Need one bunch to stuff inside the turkey, the other for the pan. 4. WINE - I use sauvignon blanc, pinot gris (I get discount wine for cooking). Any white wine is fine as long as it's not too sweet or woody / oaky. 5. Giblets are a parcel of turkey offcuts that are usually stuffed inside the turkey and are used to make the gravy. It usually comprises of: neck, heart and liver. Use the neck and heart for turkey gravy. 6. BAG - you can get resealable bags in America that are big enough for turkey. But I've found that cling wrap is the most effective - keeps the brine right up against the turkey skin. 7. BRINE TIME: 48 hours (2 days) is my base recipe, 3 days also great (a bit more seasoned). Even overnight is better than not brining at all! I even did 4 days last year and it not any different to 3 days, from what I could tell. 8. RACK SUB: Need to keep turkey skin elevated out of liquid in pan. Get a long strip of foil, scrunch to make a thick "rope". Loop to make a circle and secure. Place on top of onion, place turkey on top. Just need something to keep turkey a bit elevated off base of pan and the onion. If skin is in contact with onion when upside down, the skin will brown unevenly once you flip. 9. ROASTING TIME:
- 5kg / 10 lb: 1 hr 45 min – 2 hrs
- 6 kg / 12 lb: 2 hrs 15 min
- 7kg / 14 lb: 2 hrs 30 min
- 8 kg / 16 lb: 2 hrs 45min
How to cook pre-brined turkey
If you went to use this recipe only to realise you have a pre-brined turkey (see Note 1 in recipe), do not use this recipe as the brining will make your turkey too salty. Instead, make this recipe as follows:
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Add better flavour – Make the Herb Garlic Butter in this Roasted Turkey Breast but only use 1/4 of the salt. Scale the recipe to your turkey weight – click on servings and slide until the turkey weight changes to the weight of your turkey. (Yeah, it’ll be a lot of butter! You can scale down if you want 🙂 ). Watch the video to see how I loosen the skin, then slather about 2/3 of the butter under the skin.
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Flip turkey then rub just a bit of butter on the underside sprinkle with salt and pepper,. Roast per this recipe for 30 minutes on higher temp.
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Flip turkey right side up then slather skin with 1/2 of the remaining butter sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast per this recipe for 45 min, then slather with remaining butter. Roast to finish cooking per this recipe. ,Voila!
Life of Dozer
That turkey leg is the size of his head!
Susan says
Hands down best Thanksgiving turkey ever. My extended family was already expecting a lot (not many attentive cooks in the family), but they were blown away. I knew you wouldn’t steer me wrong because you are the only food blogger who has more than 10 recipes in my “can’t fail-amazing” file! Keep it up, you are making a real impact.
Nagi says
Woah what a great compliment Susan! N x
Kelly says
I’m making a 20lb turkey for Christmas this year. Are the times still the same for when to flip over and add garlic butter or should I add time to each section? So nervous as I’ve never brined, never unstuffed, never cooked it upside down, and I’ve always covered it with foil for the first 1/2 of cooking! I hope this works 🙂
Jules Sims says
Can’t wait to try these
Linda says
Tried this receip for our Thanksgiving and honestly, it turned out to be the best turkey I’ve ever cooked, and I’ve cooked a lot of turkeys – good turkey, I might add, over the years. Hands down the most delicious, moist breast of turkey. My new way of cooking. I’ve always been a firm believer in brining, but always the messy bucket of water way. Soooo much easier this way, too. I’ll do this to my chicken next time I want to make roasted chicken.
Nagi says
Woah what a great compliment, so glad it worked for you!!!
Juliette says
Hi Nagi! I accidently bought a self basting turkey so I am using the linked herb butter recipe.
Can I still stuff the turkey even if it’s self basting?? Do I need to reduce any salt requirements? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Juliette, my only concern would be the salt level in the turkey already, leave out any added salt just in case. You could stuff the turkey as per usual. Let me know how it turns out!
Cynthia says
Hi Nagi! Regarding the minced garlic used for roasting later….do you find that it can get over-cooked and burn? I know you have it written to add the MINCED garlic and herbs to the butter at the last 30 minutes but if the bird isn’t done, will the garlic burn if the turkey is kept in longer? What has been your experience with this?
Also, when you rest the turkey after roasting, do you leave it on the rack or put directly on the cutting board? Thanks!
Nagi Maehashi says
Yes if the bird isn’t done, hold off on the herb butter as you don’t want burnt bitter garlic. I usually put my meat on a chopping board to rest ☺️
Tg says
I followed the dry brine recipe and it came out so juicy and flavourful. Your recipes are always incredible andI just wanted to say THANK YOU for being generous and sharing it with us.
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Tg!! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this! N xx
Kandy says
Would it be ok the add just a small amount of Wild mushroom / Sage Olive Oil drizzled on before going into oven?
Nagi says
It will be extra amazing Kandy! 🙂 N x
Joe says
Dumb question, Do you peel any on the onions or garlic.? In the video I noticed that they were not peeled.
Nagi says
No such thing as dumb questions around here Joe! 🙂 Unpeeled is fine, but if you peeled that’s ok too. I keep them peeled so they hold together better when cooking then squeeze out all the flavour later into the gravy 🙂 N x
Ana says
Hi Nagi, is the Farmwood turkey from ALdi already brined? If yes, do I need to wash my dry brine mixture off? Thank you.
Nagi says
Hi Ana! Yes it is pre brined, I just looked it up and it’s self basting. So follow the directions in the box UNDER the recipe card called “How to cook Pre Brined Turkey” 🙂 It’s going to be delicious, don’t worry! N x
Heidy says
Is Saxa Iodised Cooking salt ok?
Nagi says
That will be just fine Heidy! N x
HEIDY says
Thank you! OK doing this tomorrow and praying it works out. I’m still unsure of the best oven setting to use. I can use Fan Grill (Mode 6), Fan Asisst (Mode 7) or Fan Forced (Mode 8). Help. It’s an ILVE 2017 model.
Noorah says
Hi Nagi,
Should I roast at 390 degrees for a convection oven and then turn down to 300 degrees
only if I’m using a convection oven correct ?
Nagi says
Nope! Please turn oven down whatever type you are using: To 165C/325F (standard) or 150C/300F (fan). N x
Phyllis Brusca says
I am dry brining. Do I rinse it when I begin to roast?
Nagi says
No definitely not!!! Pat dry if it’s wet (but if yours was properly thawed the skin should just be a tad moist not wet in which case don’t pat dry) then roast! N x
Farah says
Hi Nagi,
I’m sort of freaking out here .. today is Day 2 so when I came to flip over the turkey it was bloody inside the cling wrap .. it wasnt 100% defrosted when I rubbed it with the salt but I read here that it’s okay .. do I rinse it off tomorrow before roasting? Please help
Farah says
It just occurred to me that it could be paprika with moisture from the turkey .. not necessarily blood? I’m confused :/
Nagi says
Hi Farah! It’s probably blood, from the inside of the turkey. It’s the thawing. But honestly, DON’T WORRY! It’s fine, it will not affect the end result at all. It just looks a bit messy during the brining process. Trust me, it’s exactly what happens to me when I dry brine when still partially frozen inside. 🙂 N x
Nagi says
It’s ok! Don’t freak out that’s just the liquid from the thawing from the inside 🙂 Definitely DO NOT rinse before roasting but instead, shake out all that water and then pat dry with paper towels. You’ll be all good. It’s just coming from the inside of the turkey and the recipe only requires a bit of salt to go on the inside. N x
Farah says
Thank you so much Nagi! Ur a lifesaver 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!!
H says
Hi Nagi,
I love your recipes!, and I was excited to read this post, however I just realized the turkey I bought was “ self-saucing “… sigh… is there any way to enhance the flavor of this super market bought frozen turkey? Appreciate any tips.
Thanks!
H
Nagi says
Hi H! No problems – just skip the brining because it’s already done. Then use the garlic herb butter in this recipe https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/ Scale the recipe (click on servings and slide) to your turkey weight – ingredients will change. BUT reduce the salt by about 75% (because your turkey is already salted all through). Then, slather the butter under the skin and some on the underside (watch the video in the Garlic Herb Turkey Breast recipe for how to do this). Hold back about 1/3 of the butter for later. Turn the turkey upside down and roast for 30 minutes per this recipe. Then flip, use most of the remaining butter to slather the skin, roast again for 45 minutes per this recipe. Then baste again with remaining butter and continue roasting. 🙂 Hope that helps! N x
H says
Thank you Nagi, you are truly a lifesaver! So reduce the salt of garlic butter recipe, right? My turkey is thawing in fridge at the moment and I have 2 days till I need to cook. Would it be worth dry brining without the salt, ie, only with paprika and herbs and wrap it with plastic films? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi H! Yes that’s right, reduce the salt in the garlic butter by about 75% ie only use 1/4 of the salt. Without salt, it’s not brining so there’s no need to do the paprika etc – salt is how flavour is carried into the flesh. If you want to get ahead, you can slather the butter under the skin at anytime between now and turkey day. 🙂 N x
Adrienne says
So, I have started the brining process, but my turkey was not thawed all the way. The outside was soft enough, but now a day later there is a lot of moisture in the bottom of my pan. So much for patting the turkey dry. Should start the process over? There just seems to be too much moisture. Not sure how dry “dry” should be.
Ellen says
I’m sure you’ve already answered this question, but I can’t find it. Sorry.
How long do you cover the bird during the baking process? And uncovered time? Thank you!
P.S. Nagi, we’re having your carnitas for dinner tonight (two days before Thanksgiving). Lots of yummy leftovers. Yea!
Nagi says
Hi Ellen! No covered time at all 🙂 Though thank you for the reminder to add that tip in case your turkey browns too much. YUM to Carnitas!!! N xx
Jen says
Omg, I think I really messed up my turkey with the dry brine! I didn’t see your notes until this morning and I dry brined it yesterday. I think it was brined already, I didn’t check the package before I threw it out- it never occurred to me that they ore-brine turkeys for you. I also used Table salt and didn’t realize it should be reduced. I am freaking out! I cannot serve over salty turkey. If I go get another turkey today it won’t be thawed in time. What can I do? Can I tinse it?
Nagi says
PS And after that, pop the turkey back in the fridge and make the Garlic Herb Butter from this recipe -> https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-herb-butter-roasted-turkey-breast/ Scale the butter recipe up to your turkey weight (click on servings then slide) BUT only use 25% of the salt called for in the garlic butter. Just before roasting, slather 2/3 butter under the skin and a bit on the underside, then roast it per this recipe ie upside first then right side up (your pre brined turkey will also benefit from this method). Then flip, slather most of the remaining butter on top of the skin, roast 45 min per recipe, then baste again with remaining butter. YUM!! N x
Ana says
Nagi, should we still use the salt in the butter if this has happened.
Nagi says
Hi Ana! Only use 1/4 of the salt in the garlic-herb-butter recipe. There’s a box under the recipe card called “HOW TO COOK PRE-BRINED TURKEY” where I detail the steps. 🙂 I hope you find it useful! N x
Jen says
I rinsed it and then after I calmed down (teehee), I used a small amount of the correct kosher salt and some aromatics, Spatchcocked it and put it in the refrigerator like that. I did the butter rub under skin and rubbed olive oil on skin right before I put in the oven. Girl, best turkey I’ve ever made! It came out better than perfect! So juicy and tender! It was delicious! I also made your macaroni and cheese and OhhhhhMmmmmmGeeeeeee, it was sinfully good! So creamy and delicious! Love your recipes!
Nagi says
Hi Jen – it’s ok, don’t stress! Quick – go give it a quick rinse and pat it dry really well. It will be totally fine!
Cynthia says
Hi Nagi,
Thanks for being there to answer questions!
I have a 14.5 pound frozen turkey that I’ve been thawing since Saturday night.
I am going to dry brine it on Tuesday. I’m a little confused about some things. Here are my questions:
Q1. I am using a 14.5 pound frozen Butterball turkey. Can I dry brine this type of turkey? (I googled this but it refers to “wet brining”). If yes, please answer my other questions)
Q2. When I am brining the turkey, am I using the salt mixture (kosher salt, thyme, etc.) on the inside as well as underneath and on top? I ask because you say to salt the inside with “salt,” not salt mixture. I just want to confirm whether I am using plain salt for the inside or the salt mixture. Salt mixture (not plain salt) everywhere, right?
Q3. Can I substitute wine with water? Chicken broth?
Q4. Roasting time. OK, so I roast at 425° breast-side down for 30 minutes. Then, flip breast-side up, turn temp down to 325° and roast for 45 minutes. Then Baste. Then another 30 minutes. This is where I get stuck.
How much longer do I cook it for a 14.5 pound turkey? You mentioned that the first 30 minutes are included in the TOTAL cooking time. So according to your instructions, for a “14 pound” turkey, you said to roast for 2hr 30 mins. So that first 30 minutes is part of the 2.5 hrs OR is that in addition to the 2.5 hrs for a total of 3 hrs?
Here’s the thing though…you also mentioned that the turkey should roast about 12 minutes per pound. For a 14.5 pound turkey, that comes out to exactly 174 minutes, or 2.9 hours. Is that my total cooking time (initial 30 + 45 + 30 + 69 = 174 mins)??? Ps- I can’t totally rely on my meat thermometer because it’s a crappy one.
Please help! Thank youuuu. And have a very happy Thanksgiving 😊
Nagi says
Hi Cynthia! Happy to help 🙂 So, I googled and Butterball is a brand of turkey that is pre-brined. So no, you do not want to use this recipe for your turkey because it will make it too salty. The good news is the brining has already been done for you, so all you need to do is rub with flavour then roast. What I would do is as follows: DO NOT use the salt rub in this recipe, use a garlic herb butter slather instead. So, go to my Garlic Herb Butter ROAST Turkey Breast recipe. Click on servings and slide to scale up the recipe until the breast weight is 14.5 lb. It will change all the other ingredients for you. But Do NOT use the salt in the butter (your turkey will end up too salty). Use the butter, herbs and garlic per the recipe. Then slather it under the skin all over the whole turkey, then on the underside of the turkey. Hold back 1/2 cup of butter or so for the upper side for later. Stuff the turkey with garlic and herbs per this Roast Turkey recipe. Then cook it per this recipe. So I’ll answer Q3 onwards now: Q3) Don’t sub with chicken broth, use water. Broth might make your pan drippings too salty for gravy. If you aren’t making gravy, then definitely don’t use broth, it’s a waste! Q4) For a 14.5 lb turkey, roast as follows: 30 minutes at 425F breast side down. Then flip and use some of the reserved butter on the skin. Turn oven down to 325F and roast for a further 2 hours in total (2.5 hours including initial 30 minutes). Baste it twice during this time with the reserved butter or, if you run out, use the liquid in the pan. The 12 minutes per pound is a rough guide, it’s not a straight line formula. Typically, the larger the turkey gets, the less time it takes per pound. That’s why the formula comes out at 2.9 hours, but my cook time guide is 2.5 hours. If you can’t trust your thermometer, the safest way to check is to cut between the leg and breast, pry it open and check – that’s the thickest / deepest part, if it’s cooked there, then everything else is cooked. And don’t worry, Butterball Turkey is pre brined so it will come out juicy even if it goes a bit over. Once cooked, follow my recipe for the turkey gravy! N x
Cynthia says
Thank you so much for your speedy reply, Nagi. And it’s a good thing you did because I would’ve had a very salty turkey!
I am still curious about Q2 and the salt/salt mixture question. I have a second turkey (not Butterball) that I am going to make on another day and I want to be prepared. You mean the salt mixture, not plain salt, throughout, right?
Sorry about making you repeat yourself regarding Q3. I knew I read somewhere in your instructions that you can, in fact, use water (and not broth) instead of wine! I wrote my post after finishing all the wine and that’s why I need to use water 😉
Regarding Q4 and roasting times… does the 2.5 hr time frame still pertain to my pre-brined turkey? OR are you referring to your dry brine recipe? I have to ask because according to Butterball’s instructions, I’m supposed to roast an unstuffed turkey (10-18 lbs) for 3.75-4.5 hrs. This is what I have done in the past for this type of turkey.
A new question about dry brining, Q5: if the turkey is still frozen on the day I dry brine… and I can’t get the bag of “insides” out of the cavity, should I force-defrost in water or just leave until day of roasting? I ask because I know you want the inside rubbed with salt mixture and that’s part of the whole process, right? So can I skip the inside of the bird if it isn’t accessible at the moment or is that a critical part of the dry brining process?
Thanks again 🙏🏻 😊
Nagi says
Hi Cynthia! Yes I mean the salt mixture as per this recipe 🙂 For the pre brined turkey, the 2.5 hr cook time is for a home brined turkey so possibly store bought is different but to be honest, in my experience, store bought always tends to err on the side of caution with cook times which can lead to overcooked turkey. They can afford to do that because their turkey is brined! I would start checking the internal temp early – always 🙂 New question Q5: That’s fine to leave the insides in the cavity, I only use a small amount of salt inside the turkey because the inside flesh of the turkey is the juiciest because it cooks last. So it’s fine if you don’t salt the inside, the most important are the thick plump breasts! So then remove the giblets when you can, and tip the turkey on it’s side to drain out thawing liquid from inside the turkey before you roast. 🙂 N x
Cynthia says
Hi Nagi! So I made my Butterball turkey. I had my sister take out the innards and neck from the bird because I’m too “chicken” to do it. After buttering and seasoning the bird, I proceeded with the roasting. I took it out of the oven when it registered between 165 and 170° but when I set it on the cutting board to rest, there were clear juices coming out on one side and pink juices coming out on the other side. So I put it back in the oven for another 25+ minutes but I had the same problem when I took it out again. Now the temperature was reading 180°. I didn’t want to dry out the breast anymore so I took it out and let it rest with tented foil over it. Finally, I began to carve. Then guess what I found? Another bag of innards in the rear end! I looked at my sister who assured me she got everything out but apparently she hadn’t (I will leave out the expletives). Anyway, that was the reason there were still pink juices coming out of one side (gross!). The funny thing is, this seems to happen every year (is this a tradition now??). Remember folks, they stuff the cavity AND the rear end with the extra parts so be sure to get that out before roasting. And by the way, you were right…it didn’t take the almost 4 hours that Butterball suggested… more like 2.75-3.0 hrs.
All that aside, your amazing turkey gravy recipe saved the day. Hope you and your family had a good one!
PS – looking forward to your ideas for Christmas dinner!
Nagi says
Te he he! I’m sorry, I HAD to giggle! I remember that happened to me for one of the first turkeys I ever made!! I’m so glad it worked out though. I should add a reminder to shove your hand RIGHT UP that turkey, eh…?? 😜
Karen says
Hi Nagi,
For the herbs used in the roasting part (referring to Note 3), is it 2 tsp total of dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, and sage…or is it 2 tsp of each dried herb?
This recipe sounds wonderful, I am so looking forward to this turkey dinner!!
Nagi says
HI Karen! It’s 1 tbsp in total 🙂 Doesn’t sound like much and it’s not – it just adds a subtle fragrance. Any more and it makes the butter too thick for basting. Thanks for the question, will clarify in the recipe! N x