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whole turkey with dry brine

How To Dry Brine a Turkey

Learn the simple steps to dry brine a turkey with this easy recipe. It’s a deliciously moist and flavorful Thanksgiving centerpiece with the crispy skin thanks to the dry brine process.

Serves 6-8  people

Prep Time: 24 hours

Total Time:  28 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 frozen Young Whole Turkey
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 4 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 4 tbsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp black pepper

Tools Needed:

  • Large baking sheet
  • Large cooling rack
  • Tin foil
  • Plastic wrap
  • Roasting Pan
  • Basting brush

Instructions:

  1. Remove the thawed turkey from the packaging and remove the giblets and neck from the turkey.
  2. Place on a cutting board and pat completely dry with paper towels.
  3. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place a cooling rack on top.
  4. In a small dish combine the salt, pepper, and italian seasoning to create the dry rub.
  5. Add your dried turkey to the baking sheet and rub with the dry brine rub.
  6. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
  7. 8 hours before cooking, remove the plastic wrap to dry out the skin even further.
  8. 1 hour before cooking, remove the turkey from the fridge to bring to room temperature.
  9. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  10. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Brush the entire turkey with the melted butter. Reserve some of the butter for later.
  11. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes then remove from the oven and baste again with the remaining butter.
  12. Add the turkey back to the oven and turn the heat down to 325 degrees and cook for 15 minutes per lb. If your turkey skin is getting too browned, cover with a tent of tin foil.
  13.  After 1 hour, check the turkey temperature. And continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
  14. When completely cooked, remove the turkey and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

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