Ready for the easy way to cook moist turkey? Make Dry Brine Turkey! It’s the best, most foolproof way to cook Thanksgiving Turkey that’s perfectly juicy and will wow at the holidays.
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The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Starts with Brining
Brining is the process of salting meat prior to cooking.
It is the key to the juiciest meat, and it is EASY and foolproof!
For turkey, plan on 24 hours of dry brining.
Have less than 24 hours or prefer a traditional wet brine? Check out our wet Turkey Brine recipe.
5 Star Review
“I have tried many brines – wet and dry – but this is THE BEST! My 3rd year making it and turned out perfect!”
— Holly —
Why Brine a Turkey?
During brining, the structure of the meat transforms.
- Salt draws out the meat’s juices, dissolves into them, and then is reabsorbed.
- Once reabsorbed, it breaks down the meat, making it more tender.
- Brining seasons the meat from within so it has flavor all the way through, not just on the outside.
- Brined meat can better retain moisture.
Result: an ultra juicy, tender turkey with succulent flavor throughout.
If your turkey has dried out in the past, likely you did not brine it (or did not brine it for long enough or did not use enough salt)—or you overcooked the turkey (165°F is the number for poultry but removing a few degrees early—around 155°F to 165°F—will leave you buffer, because the turkey’s temperature rises as it rests; see How Long to Cook Turkey for details).
Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you to brine, let’s talk.
Wet vs. Dry Brine
For a brine, you have two choices, a wet brine and a dry brine.
- A wet brine involves submerging the turkey in a saltwater solution that is flavored with spices, herbs, and other aromatics like citrus peels for 12 to 24 hours. (This is the best wet brine turkey recipe).
- For a dry brine, a mixture of kosher salt and other herbs/spices is rubbed on the outside of the turkey, then allowed to sit on the skin for 24 to 36 hours.
Why Do a Dry Brine?
Each brining method has its pros and cons.
Nine times out of 10, I prefer a dry brine over a wet brine.
- A dry brine is easier than a wet brine. All you do is mix up the brine, then rub it on the turkey with the brine. There’s no worry about boiling, submerging, etc.
- A dry brine is less messy than a wet brine. You don’t need to pour gallons of liquid in or out of a stock pot and bucket.
- No special equipment. You can brine the turkey right on a regular rimmed baking sheet; no bucket or bag required.
- No need to rinse. Unlike a wet brine, you don’t need to rinse dry brine off of the turkey, saving you a messy step.
The downsides to a dry brine are that it takes longer than a wet brine, and some argue that dry brine turkey is not *as* plump and moist as wet brine turkey.
- Plan for at least 24 hours of dry brining time. If you only have 12 hours, do a wet brine instead.
- As far as moisture goes, dry brine and wet brine both make EXCELLENT juicy, moist turkeys.
- Wet brine is a little more moist and plump; it’s up to you to decide if the extra fuss is worth it.
Tip!
For a visual of dry brine vs. wet brine, see this Baked Chicken Breast post. I tested both brining methods and took a photo of each so you can compare them side by side.
Dry Brine Ingredients
- Turkey. Because you will be salting the turkey yourself, make sure you start with a bird that is not salted or seasoned in any way. Avoid kosher turkeys, which are pre-salted, and self-basting turkeys, which are injected with a salt solution.
- Kosher Salt. Yes, the type of salt you use does matter. I used Morton kosher salt. Using kosher salt is non-negotiable, as table salt isn’t coarse enough and will make your turkey taste metallic. If you use Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt, add an extra 1 ½ teaspoons per tablespoon of Morton’s.
- Rosemary. One of the best herbs with turkey! Chopped fresh rosemary gives the turkey skin a cozy, earthy flavor that is perfect for the season.
- Lemon Zest. To give the turkey brightness. Lemon pairs well with rosemary.
Tip!
If you aren’t sure if your turkey has been salted, just check the ingredients. You shouldn’t see salt listed.
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
Prepare. Thaw your turkey (see How Long to Cook a Turkey for tips).
Make the Brine. Mix all the dry brine ingredients in a small bowl.
Brine the Turkey. Pat the turkey dry. Add some of the brine to the inside of the cavity, then rub the remaining brine on the outside.
Refrigerate. Cover the turkey with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
Get Ready to Cook. Uncover the turkey 1 day before cooking, allowing the skin to dry. Let the turkey come to room temperature 1 hour before cooking. ENJOY!
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day before brining the turkey, prepare the brine mixture as directed. Cover and refrigerate the brine until you’re ready to use it.
Leftover Ideas
This dry brine works well with other cuts of meat, especially pork and poultry. Try it with Baked Chicken Breast, Grilled Pork Chops, Baked Pork Tenderloin, or Baked Chicken Thighs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use 1 tablespoon Morton’s kosher salt for every 5 pounds of turkey. If using Diamond Crystal, use 1 tablespoon, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons per 5 pounds.
I recommend dry brining a turkey for at least 24 hours. If you have less time, do a wet brine, which works in as few as 12 hours. If you want to brine a turkey in 1 day, do a wet brine.
Thawed is best when brining a turkey, because you know it will be fully thawed before it goes in the oven, but if your turkey is close and you still have 24 hours to go (which you should since you are doing a dry brine), you can certainly brine a frozen turkey.
No, dry brine does not need to be rinsed off of the turkey. It’s another reason this dry-brined turkey recipe is easy! The salt you use for the brine will also flavor the turkey as it cooks.
Absolutely! Simply scale down the amount of brine to suit your piece of meat. This dry brine works well with other cuts of meat too.
Any you like! Use this dry brine for roast turkey, smoked turkey, grilled turkey, or however you and your family enjoy preparing it.
Dry Brine Turkey
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 14- to 16-pound turkey* thawed (see step 1 for guidance)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt** I use Morton’s
- 1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
- Zest of 2 small or 1 large lemon Reserve the zested lemons for stuffing the turkey if desired
Instructions
- 4 to 6 Days Before Cooking (depending upon weight) – Thaw Your Turkey (if needed): Place the turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey (that's 3 days thawing for a 15-pound bird). For faster thawing, place the turkey in a cold water bath and change the water every 30 minutes. This will take about 8 hours for a 15-pound turkey.
- 1 to 2 Days Before Cooking – Brine the Turkey: In a small bowl, combine the salt, rosemary, and lemon zest. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and discard or keep for gravy. With paper towels, pat very dry (you do not need to rinse the turkey; this has a greater chance of spreading bacteria than removing it). Transfer the turkey to a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture inside the cavity.
- Rub the rest all over the outside of the turkey, including under the wings and the legs, and concentrating especially on the breast (no need to salt the very backside of the bird that is touching the pan).
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, until either the day before or morning of cooking the turkey (the length will depend upon how early you started.)
- 1 Day Before or the Morning of Cooking – Let the Skin Dry Out: Uncover the turkey, then return it to the refrigerator. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours, or until 1 hour before cooking. This step dries the skin, which is important in order for it to crisp. The skin will turn somewhat translucent.
- 1 Hour Before Cooking – Let Come to Room Temperature: Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature (do not brush off the brine). If you haven't removed the plastic "carrier" attached to the legs, do so now. Cook as desired. See How to Cook a Turkey and Spatchcock Turkey, and Smoked Turkey for methods.
Notes
- IF YOUR TURKEY IS FROZEN: Flash-thaw the turkey in an ice-water bath. Submerge the turkey in water, ensuring the water always stays between 33 degrees F and 38 degrees F. This process will still take about 8 hours for a 15-pound turkey.
- *MAKE SURE YOUR TURKEY IS NOT PRE-SALTED: Kosher turkeys (which are already salted) and pre-brined or pre-salted turkeys will be far too salty if dry-brined. Look for a natural or heritage turkey; if you aren’t sure, check the ingredient list—you should not see added salt. If your turkey is pre-brined, you can still dry out the skin for 24 hours and use the lemon zest and rosemary (Butterball turkeys, I do still add some salt to the outside for good measure, but it’s a light sprinkling).
- **USE KOSHER SALT: I used Morton’s kosher salt, which is coarser than table salt and has a much cleaner flavor. Do not use table salt, as it tastes metallic. If using Diamond Crystal, use an additional 1 ½ teaspoons, as it is coarser than Morton’s. If you use a fine salt, use ¾ of the amount called for.
- SCALING THE BRINE FOR A LARGER OR SMALLER TURKEY: If your bird is smaller than 14 pounds or larger than 16 pounds, follow these guidelines: For every 5 pounds of turkey, use 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 ½ to 2- teaspoons fresh herbs, and the zest of ½ a small lemon.
- FRESH VS. DRIED HERBS: I absolutely recommend using fresh herbs for turkey brine and roasting. They have far superior flavor and will make a big difference in your results; plus you need the sprigs for the cavity anyway. If you must substitute dried, use one-third the amount.
- Nutrition information was calculated for a 14-pound turkey.
- The total time for this recipe can vary based on the size of your turkey and whether or not it was fully thawed.
Hello this will be my first time brining a turkey, I usually just buy store bought typically butterball turkey which I believe are usually pre-brined I think do you think this matters or no? Also I plan on getting one that’s larger then what the recipe calls for what would you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Whitnie! If using a pre-brined, I still recommend brining but reduce the amount of salt. If your bird is smaller than 14 pounds or larger than 16 pounds, follow these guidelines: For every 5 pounds of turkey, use 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 ½ to 2- teaspoons fresh herbs, the zest of ½ a small lemon, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Hope this helps!
Looking forward to trying this! I need to feed 16 and I want leftovers so I think I will do 2 turkeys approx 14 lb each. Sometimes really big turnkeys are hard to deal with. Do you think it would work to cook one the day before and one the day of? If so, how do you recommend I reheat the turkey from the day before? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Hi Shelly! Two turkeys sounds good. It’s typically 1 1/2 pounds to 2 pounds per person if wanting leftovers. Timing wise, you’ll have to do whatever works best for you to manage. For reheating and storage tips we’ve listed them here in this post: https://www.wellplated.com/thanksgiving-leftover-recipes/ Hope it all goes welL!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Thank you Elisha!
I have kosher turkey. Day before could I coat with rosemary and lemon zest (without the salt) to season?
Yes, that should work Heidi!
Hello! Can I just do the dry brine for 24 hours or do I have to do the part where it’s also wrapped for 24 -48 hours prior? Thank you
Hi Sara! In a nutshell there are two parts, dry brining for 24 hours covered (up to 48 hours) and then uncovering for 24 hours to let the skin dry out. You can skip the second part, but highly recommend it!
I’ve never brined a turkey before, but I want to try your recipe because of the great reviews. We put our 22-pound frozen turkey in the fridge to thaw on Monday the 17th. Chat GPT suggested starting the dry brine last night or this morning (11/24) since it should be thawed by now. Since neither of us has cooked a turkey before, we’re double-checking everything. Do you agree that we should start the brine this morning rather than Tues-Wed.? Thank you!
Hi Karen, I have the details specifically spelled out here in the post and recipe. You can start up to 48 hours from when you want to cook it, but as close as 24 hours. Hope this helps!
Does this same technique and recipie work for just turkey parts instead of whole turkey?
Yes!
I’ve never dry brined a bird before but for sake of fridge space am planning to do it this year. I have a 23 pound bird. I’m nervous to not brush off the brine but will obeyt because of the high ratings of this recipe LOL. My question – to baste with butter or not to baste? Thanks so much!
Hi Diane! Hope you enjoy the use of the brine, I would not spend time basting. Here are my tips and trick on the turkey once you have brined it: https://www.wellplated.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey/ Enjoy!
Two questions: Would using a grey sea salt result in a saltier taste? Also I was surprised to see that the brine/herb mixture isn’t rubbed under the skin of the turkey breast, additionally. Can I do this, or do you advise atop the skin of the turkey only? Thank you in advance, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jeni, I’d suggest using less salt if using grey sea salt. I would not advise to put it under the skin. Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
Just wondering why you include black pepper in the instructions for smaller/larger turkeys, but not in the original recipe?
Hi Carol! That was a typo, we will fix that! Thank you!
I made this recipe for our small Friendsgiving dinner. The flavor was great and not too salty, just enough to taste seasoned all the way through. The skin came out nice and crispy too. Will definitely do this again next year.
Yay! So glad too hear, Victoria! Thank you!
My turkey is
“butterball fresh all natural premium whole young turkey”
It says – contains upto 4% of a solution of water, salt, spices for tenderness and juiciness
Can I do the dry brine on this?
Hi Ninu, I would just reduce the salt to make sure the turkey is not too salty. Let me know how it goes!
Getting ready to brine right now! Planning on following the recipe but using the whole poultry bouquet. You made this soo easy!! Thank you!!
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Jenn!
So far so good!
It’s looking great!!
I’m trying a dry brine for the first time for this Thursday. I have a question about your directions. When you say to wrap tightly in plastic wrap do you mean only the turkey itself or the whole roasting pan with the turkey?
Hi Gloria, check out our step by step photos in the blog post! Step 3 shows us wrapping everything in the wrap just to make it a little easier! Thank you!
I tried this for the first time this Thanksgiving and it actually turned out way better than I expected. I was nervous because I’ve never done dry brine before, but it made the turkey so juicy. Even the breast part wasn’t dry, which never happens for me. Definitely doing this again next year.
I have a 14# fresh turkey, dry brined, followed directions carefully. I am now very concerned after 36 hours there is water/juices that have seeped out, not reabsorbed. I will use herbed butter under & on skin… what else can I do to keep moist?
Hi Marjorie! Definitely don’t stress, that’s totally normal. Herbed butter under the skin isn’t necessary but it is delicious, so go for it if you like. The biggest thing you need to do now is not overcook the turkey, and it will be plenty moist. I also like to tent the breast with foil about 90 min or so in (I leave the rest of the turkey uncovered). Happy Thanksgiving!
This recipe was a lifesaver! I didn’t have a ton of fridge space for a wet brine, so this dry brine was perfect. It made the turkey moist and flavorful without any weird saltiness. I was scared it would be too plain, but it wasn’t at all. My family already asked me to make it again for Christmas.
Love to hear that, Aurelia! Thank you!
This was so delicious! Family said it was my best turkey yet! I did two turkey breast and adjusted recipe. Turned out perfect. Also, I purchased (and used) the ThermoPro digital meat thermometer you suggested and I love it.
Yay! So glad to hear, Alicia!
My large family always has 2 turkeys, one fried and one in the oven (cooked by me). Everyone is polite and drowns mine in gravy but it’s always dry and I’m always making excuses because I’ve tried everything! Until yesterday. I used your dry brine recipe and it was delicious!! So many compliments. Thanks!
This makes me so happy to hear, Gloria! Thank you and glad it was a hit!
What’s the temperature and how long to bake for please ?
Hi! You’ll find all baking instructions here: https://www.wellplated.com/how-to-cook-a-turkey/ Enjou!