Get started now
All recipes

Dry-Brined Whole Turkey

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 American High-Protein 💪Low-CarbLow-SodiumSugar-FreeHeart-Healthy ❤️Diabetic-FriendlyGluten-FreeWhole30Anti-InflammatoryPaleo 🦴Carnivore 🥩Halal 🕌Clean Eating

Dry-Brined Whole Turkey delivers deeply seasoned meat with tender, juicy texture and crisp, bronze skin throughout. The salt works its magic ahead of time, drawing in flavor while keeping the bird moist, so every slice tastes well-seasoned from edge to center. It’s an excellent choice for a Thanksgiving centerpiece or any holiday feast when you want impressive results with minimal fuss.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook2 hrs 30 mins
  • Serves15
  • DifficultyMedium
Dry-Brined Whole Turkey
  1. 1

    Assemble all the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Season the inside and outside of the turkey with kosher salt, concentrating on the breast and thighs. Set the turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 2 days.

  3. 3

    Turn the turkey breast-side down, cover again with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 more day.

  4. 4

    The night before roasting, remove the plastic wrap and set the turkey on a rack over a baking sheet. Let the turkey air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. This helps the skin crisp well during roasting.

  5. 5

    Let the turkey come to room temperature for 1 to 2 hours; pat it dry with paper towels. Season the turkey with black pepper and put the onion and celery in the cavity.

  6. 6

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the turkey, breast-side down, in a roasting pan.

  7. 7

    Roast in the preheated oven until the skin is golden, about 30 minutes. Take the turkey out of the oven and turn it breast-side up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C); keep roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 2 hours.

  8. 8

    Move the turkey to a large platter and loosely tent it with aluminum foil; let it rest for about 30 minutes before carving.