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Dry Brine Turkey

Dry brine turkey gets deeply seasoned with kosher salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme before roasting until the skin is crisp and the meat reaches 165°F. Refrigerating it uncovered helps dry the skin for a beautifully browned roast.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 23 minutes
Brining and resting 1 day 30 minutes
Total Time 1 day 4 hours 13 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 turkey 12- to 14-pound, fully thawed, unbrined
  • 2 tbsp Morton kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tbsp canola oil

Equipment

  • 1 16-inch roasting pan

Method
 

  1. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey, then pat it dry with paper towels; do not rinse it.
  2. Mix the salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
  3. Rub the herb mixture over the turkey, including inside the cavity and under the breast and thigh skin.
  4. Set the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
  5. Uncover the turkey for the final 8 to 24 hours so the skin dries.
  6. Heat the oven to 325°F and remove the plastic wrap from the turkey.
  7. Rub the canola oil over the turkey skin and tuck the wing tips under the body.
  8. Roast breast side up in a 16-inch roasting pan for 3 to 3 3/4 hours, tenting loosely with foil if it browns too quickly, until a thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and innermost part of the thigh without touching bone.
  9. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 30 minutes before carving.

Notes

For crispier skin, leave the turkey uncovered for the full final 8 to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Refrigerate leftover turkey for 3 to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. For a lower-sodium variation, reduce the kosher salt to taste.