Dry brining, or pre-salting, is the easiest way to get a moist and flavorful turkey on the table for your Thanksgiving dinner. Plan ahead, you'll need a few days to get the most flavor. I found that salt and pepper was enough for me, but feel free to season with other aromatics before roasting.
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey , 15 pound
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 onion , cut into wedges
- 4 stalks celery , halved
Instructions
-
1
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Season inside and outside of turkey with kosher salt, focusing on breast and thighs. Place turkey, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate turkey for about 2 days.
-
2
Flip turkey breast-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 more day.
-
3
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.
-
4
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.
-
5
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place turkey, breast-side down, in a roasting pan.
-
6
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.
-
7
Transfer turkey to a large platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil; allow turkey to rest about 30 minutes before carving.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
Want to cook this?
Open in the PantryLink app to scale servings, check your pantry stock, and generate a shopping list.
Sign In to Save Recipe Create Free AccountSuggest an Edit
Help improve this recipe's categorization, image, or dietary info. Earn points and badges!
Suggest Changes in AppPrefer a printed copy? Use our print-friendly view with adjustable servings and font size.
Open Print ViewMore Unknown Recipes
Chickpeas and Chorizo
Chickpea chorizo is a popular Spanish dish served as tapas — and sometimes as a full stew. This recipe includes potatoes to make the dish heartier. Serve with a citrus and fennel salad and some crusty bread for a complete meal. I like to leave the garlic cloves whole and spread them on bread during the meal. If you don't care to do this, reduce the amount of garlic and chop before adding with the sherry.
Creamy Pork Stew
This creamy pork stew recipe is one of my favorite cold-weather dishes of all time. You can add squash, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms, or root vegetables — the recipe is quite versatile. Serve over steamed rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles.
Newfoundland Jigg's Dinner
Jigg's dinner is a traditional Newfoundland meal, comparable to corned beef and cabbage. Newfoundland is Canada's easternmost province and is also an island in the Atlantic. Make sure that the split peas are securely tied into a cloth bag (pudding bag), a dish towel, or cheesecloth. If they escape you will not have dinner — you will have pea soup!