Dry Brine For Turkey Recipes

Steps:

• Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside and outside of turkey with kosher salt, focusing on the breast and thighs. Place turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate turkey for about 2 days.
• Flip turkey breast-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 more day.
• Remove plastic wrap and place turkey on a rack over a baking sheet the night before you plan to roast. Allow turkey to air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Bring turkey to room temperature, 1 to 2 hours; pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey with black pepper and place onion and celery in the cavity.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place turkey, breast-side down, in a roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until skin is golden, about 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and flip to breast-side up. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours.
• Transfer turkey to a large platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil; allow turkey to rest about 30 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Unwrap the turkey and remove the neck and giblets (reserve for gravy). Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Combine 1/3 cup salt, the sugar and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Rub all over the turkey and inside the cavity. Put on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse well and pat dry. (A dry brine is a good choice if you're short on fridge space.)
• Mix the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper, the paprika and cloves until combined. Reserve 4 tablespoons of the butter, then rub the rest under the turkey skin on the breasts and legs. Rub 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter on the skin; chill and save the rest for your gravy. Let the turkey stand 30 minutes at room temperature before roasting.
• Put the oven rack in the lowest position; preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan, tucking the wing tips under. Tie the drumsticks together with twine. Roast until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes per pound. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving. Whisk the reserved 2 tablespoons flavored butter into your gravy just before serving, if desired.

Steps:

• The day before roasting the turkey, remove the neck and giblets and reserve for gravy (see below). Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and put on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Combine 1/4 cup salt, the sugar, 1 tablespoon each rosemary, sage and thyme, the celery seeds and 2 teaspoons pepper in a spice grinder. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and the salt is pale green. Rub the turkey inside and out with the salt mixture, rubbing some under the skin of the breasts. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F. Rinse the turkey well and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity of the turkey with the herb sprigs, carrot, celery and shallots. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack set in a large roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Pour the wine over the turkey, then brush all over with the melted butter. Roast the turkey 1 hour, then baste with the pan drippings, adding up to 1/2 cup water to the pan if the drippings are getting too dark. Continue to roast the turkey, basting every 30 minutes and adding more water to the pan if needed, until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 160 degrees F, 1 1/2 to 2 more hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy.

Steps:

• For a bird averaging 14-16 pounds, use a base of 1/3 cup kosher salt. Adjust the amount of salt proportionately for smaller or larger birds, ranging from 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
• Add the typical poultry seasoning herbs and spices. For 1/3 cup salt, I use 1 1/2 teaspoons each dried rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram, celery seed, and 2 well crumbled bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. You could also add lemon or orange zest, Sichuan peppercorns, or other spice.
• Remove the giblets, neck, and excess fat (near the tail area) from the turkey and refrigerate for another use. Sprinkle the salt mixture all over the turkey, inside and out.
• Place turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour per pound. This open refrigeration will dry out the skin a little, which is good because it helps the skin release more fat during roasting.
• Just before roasting, rinse the bird very well with lukewarm water. The lukewarm water will remove the salt, but also help the bird lose its chill.
• Pat the bird dry and cook it according to your favorite method and timing.
• No need to salt and pepper the skin, but I do still give it a rub with softened butter.

Steps:

• Arrange the turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet or in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle some salt in the cavity and then liberally all over the turkey, making sure to season the back, joints, legs, and thighs, as well as the breast. Loosely cover the turkey with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. (You can also place the salted turkey in a large plastic bag and seal with a twist tie.) If possible, leave the turkey uncovered for the last 6 hours, to dry out the skin (if not, just be sure to pat it dry before roasting). Remove the turkey from the refrigerator-don't rinse it-and let it sit at room temperature for an hour or so before roasting according to your favorite recipe.

Steps:

• Two days before serving, rinse turkey and pat dry.
• Rub all over with kosher salt, including under the skin, where possible, and in the cavities (use 1 tablespoon per 4 pounds of turkey).
• Wrap turkey in a large plastic bag and place in the refrigerator.
• On the second night, turn turkey over.
• Before cooking, remove turkey from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pat chicken dry and season the main cavity with half the pepper.
• Place thyme, parsley, half the onion and half the apples in the main cavity and truss legs with kitchen twine.
• Put remaining apples and onion in the neck opening.
• Rub butter under breast skin and onto thigh meat.
• Sprinkle turkey with remaining pepper.
• Roast for 30 minutes.
• Remove turkey from oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cover breast and wing tips with foil.
• Add a cup and a half of water or white wine to bottom of roasting pan and roast for another two hours, depending on size; about 12 minutes per pound.
• Remove foil in last half-hour so breast browns.
• A meat thermometer, inserted in the thigh, should register 160 degrees F when the turkey is done.
• Remover turkey to a serving platter or cutting board and cover with foil and a damp kitchen towel and let rest about 30 minutes.
• Pour fat and drippings from pan into a measuring cup. Deglaze pan with white wine or broth and pour that into same measuring cup. Fat and drippings can then be used to make gravy.