Dry Brined Turkey

from ButterYum

makes one 12-14 pound turkey

INGREDIENTS

• 12-14 pound turkey (thawed if applicable)

• Kosher salt (see how much you'll nee in the “notes” section below)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• kosher salt and pepper for sprinkling

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 large carrot, sliced

• 1 large stalk celery, sliced

• 2 cups water

DIRECTIONS

• Remove neck, giblets, etc from inside turkey; reserve for gravy.

• Rinse turkey well and dry thoroughly with paper towels; place on half sheet pan.

• Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt, refrigerate uncovered for 24-72 hours.

• Preheat oven to 325F and place oven rack in the lower third position.

• Pat turkey well with paper towels to absorb any moisture that might be on the surface (pay close attention to nooks and crannies).

• Place a roasting rack into a large roasting pan; add sliced onion, carrot, celery and water.

• Smear softened butter all over turkey and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper; place on roasting rack.

• Place turkey in oven, uncovered, and roast for 15-18 minutes per pound or until the meat in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180F (165F in the thickest part of the breast).

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• Remove from oven and rest for 30-40 minutes. Strain pan drippings and use to make gravy.

NOTE

• Cook’s Illustrated suggests salt-brining a turkey for a maximum of 48 hours, while The New York Times says you can let it go for as long as 72 hours.

• To calculate how much Kosher salt you will need, use this formula:

  • Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - use 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons per pound of turkey.

  • Morton Kosher Salt - use 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons per pound of turkey.