Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

For Dry Brining:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the salt, herbs, garlic, white pepper and brown sugar.
2. Remove the turkey from the packaging. Remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity and discard or save for another use. Remove or discard any plastic or metal cages or pop-up thermometers. Rinse turkey under cold water. Pat the turkey dry, inside and out with paper towels.
3. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the meat around the breast and legs.
4. Season the inside of the turkey cavity with 2 teaspoons of the dry brine mixture.
5. Rub the reminder of the dry brine between the skin and meat and over the top of the skin evenly.
6. Bend the wings back and tuck under the breast to secure.
7. Place the turkey breast-side up in a roasting pan and refrigerate covered for 2-4 days. Check daily for pooling liquid, discarding as needed. On the last day, remove cover and allow to air dry.
8. Do not rinse before cooking. From here follow any recipe you like or use the instructions for roasting below.

For Roasting:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In the bottom of a clean roasting pan add the roughly cut celery, onions, garlic, carrots and 1 cup of liquid- either chicken stock, water or white wine.
3. Place the turkey upside down (breast side down) on a rack in a roasting pan. Juices will run down preventing the turkey breast from getting dry, so you don't have to baste and potentially hydrate the skin and prevent it from being crispy.  
4. Brush the bottom of the turkey with half of the melted unsalted butter.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Roast for 1 hour.
6. Remove turkey and carefully turn over, breast side up. Baste with remaining unsalted butter.
7. Return to the oven and roast for an additional 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the meaty part of the thigh and not near a bone. This will vary greatly depending on the size and shape of your turkey. Check often using a digital thermometer.
8. Remove turkey and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Carving too soon will release all of the juices. Turkey will hold heat fairly well, but you can tent with aluminum foil or return to the oven on the servin tray for 3-4 minutes to reheat.
9. If you do make turkey gravy, test drippings for saltiness before adding any additional salt to the gravy.
10. We hope you enjoyed this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!