EmilyFabulous

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinner Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Sweet Baked Goods
    • Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
      • Instant Pot Recipes
      • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Homemade Syrups, Condiments, Sauces, etc.
  • Cocktails
    • Gin
    • Vodka
    • Tequila
    • Whiskey/Bourbon
    • Brandy/Pisco
  • Holiday Recipes
    • Christmas Recipes
    • Thanksgiving Recipes
    • Halloween Recipes
    • Patriotic Recipes
    • Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Easter Recipes
    • St. Patrick's Day Recipes
  • Easy Recipes, Cocktail Inspiration, and a little bit of fun!
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Index
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Appetizers & Salads
  • Recipes
  • Cocktails
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
×
Emily Fabulous » Recipes » Holiday Recipes

Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey

Published: Jan 24, 2020 · Modified: Jun 5, 2023 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links · 31 Comments

Jump to Recipe
dry-brined-turkey-pin.
dry brined turkey recipe.

This Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey recipe will result in a beautifully browned, moist, and delicious turkey every time. Although it takes a few days, it's easy, inexpensive, and full of flavor. You will never have to worry again if your turkey will be moist, flavorful, or brown.

dry brine roasted turkey
Jump to:
  • Key Ingredients For This Recipe
  • How to Make a Dry Brined Turkey
  • Notes and Tips for Making a Turkey with a Dry Brine
  • Don't Forget About the Leftovers!
  • More Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey

I've made Thanksgiving turkey a few times now and although I continue to get better at the process, I still had not found my favorite way to prepare and cook the bird to get the perfect results. Until now. I will always use this Perfect Dry-Brined Roasted Turkey recipe going forward.

Last year, I brined my turkey in a wet brine for a few days. The turkey turned out fine but here is what I did not like:

  1. We had to find a vessel big enough to hold a whole turkey and a ton of liquid for 3 days.
  2. I had to find space in my fridge for the said vessel.
  3. Every time I had to turn the turkey in the brine, I had to wrestle the cold heavy turkey a few times.
  4. My turkey turned out just ok after roasting it and did not brown as much as I wanted.

Whew. That was exhausting just typing that. So, this year I decided to come up with a dry brine and let me tell you, it was so much easier. And tastier. And browner... which is what I wanted. I looked through a bunch of recipes and ended up coming up with my own mix using all of the things I like. That's the great thing about a dry brine, you can basically put whatever you want in it.

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

  • fresh rosemary
  • fresh thyme
  • fresh sage
  • fresh orange
  • fresh lemon
  • 10-12 lb turkey

*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.

How to Make a Dry Brined Turkey

Dry Brine (3 days ahead of serving)

  • Day 1 (Monday before Thanksgiving)- Mix all of the dry brine ingredients in a large bowl. Rinse and dry the turkey. Place your turkey in a roasting pan and rub it all over with the brine mix. Wrap the entire pan with a large roasting bag or cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
dry brine herbs and salt

Day 2 (Tuesday before Thanksgiving)

  • Open the bag or uncover and flip the bird over. Rub any mix that fell off over the bird, re-wrap, and place back in the refrigerator.

Day 3 (Wednesday before Thanksgiving)

  • Take the bag or wrap off the turkey, flip one more time, and allow the turkey to dry out in the fridge uncovered.
perfect dry brined turkey before roasting

Day 4 (Thursday, Thanksgiving day!)

  • Remove the turkey from the fridge and pat dry removing any excess brine. Allow the turkey to warm up at room temp for at least an hour before cooking.
  • Preheat your oven to 425°F and move the rack all the way to the bottom of the oven. Pat turkey dry one more time and place lemon pieces, onion pieces, and fresh herbs inside the cavity. Tie legs together with twine and place on roasting rack breast side up. Make sure the legs are all tightly snug next to the turkey. Brush the turkey with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes at 425°F. This is how you get crispy skin!
  • Lower oven temp to 325°F and continue to cook for 2-2 ½ more hours. Check the internal temp at the thickest part of the thigh, it's ready at 165°F.
  • Remove the turkey from the oven and place the rack on a baking sheet (you can use drippings from the roasting pan for gravy). Cover the turkey with foil and allow it to rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving. This is the perfect amount of time to make the delicious Homemade Turkey Gravy From Drippings!

Notes and Tips for Making a Turkey with a Dry Brine

  • I strongly suggest using FRESH herbs and kosher salt.
  • This mix was enough for a 10 lb. turkey but could probably cover up to about 14 lbs.
  • Remember this is a recipe for a few days of brining and drying so plan ahead! For Thanksgiving, I started with a thawed-out turkey on Monday morning and everything was ready to go by Thursday morning.
perfect dry brined roasted turkey
Click on the image above to PIN for later!

Don't Forget About the Leftovers!

After you make this delicious Dry Brined Turkey, you will most likely have leftovers. Some people even think the leftovers from Thanksgiving or a turkey dinner are even better than the meal itself!

The last thing you will want to do is think about what to do with your leftovers after cooking such a large meal, but you are in luck...I've done the planning for you! Check out my post for Easy Turkey Leftover Recipes where I walk you through planning for leftovers and give you 3 recipe ideas for what to make with the leftovers so you aren't having the same meal over and over again.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

  • 13 Thanksgiving Recipes for Kids.
    13 Thanksgiving Desserts for Kids
  • 33 Homemade Bread Recipes.
    33 Easy Homemade Bread Recipes
  • chocolate coated straberries in turkey shapes.
    Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys
  • cranberry walnut salad in a bowl
    Cranberry Walnut Feta Salad

If you get a chance to make this Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.

dry brine roasted turkey

Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey

This Dry Brine Recipe for Roasted Turkey will result in a beautifully browned, moist, and delicious turkey every time.
5 from 28 votes
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Brine Time: 3 days days
Total Time: 3 days days 3 hours hours
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 559kcal
Author: Emily
Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

  • roasting pan with rack
  • meat thermometer
  • large brining plastic bag
  • cooking twine

Ingredients

Dry Brine

  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1 large orange, zested
  • 1 large lemon, zested

Roasted Turkey

  • 10-12 pound turkey, thawed completely
  • 1 large lemon, quartered
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into eighths
  • 1 handful fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, sage
  • kosher salt to taste
  • fresh ground pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Dry Brine- 3 days ahead of serving

    Day 1 (Monday before Thanksgiving)

    • Place all dry brine ingredients in a large bowl and combine them together.
    • Rinse and dry the turkey. Make sure you remove any giblets inside and get any leftover feathers that were missed. I use paper towels to dry the bird. Place your turkey in a roasting pan (you don't need the rack yet), and rub all over with brine mix. Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies and the inside too! Wrap the entire pan with a large roasting bag or cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator. I found a roasting bag at the dollar store and it worked perfectly!

    Day 2 (Tuesday before Thanksgiving)

    • Open the bag or uncover and flip the bird over. Rub any mix that fell off over the bird, re-wrap it, and place it back in the refrigerator.

    Day 3 (Wednesday before Thanksgiving)

    • Take the bag or wrap off the turkey, flip it one more time and allow the turkey to dry out in the fridge uncovered.

    Day 4 (Thanksgiving day!)

    • Remove the turkey from the fridge and pat dry removing any excess brine. Place on the counter and allow it to warm up for at least an hour before cooking.

    Roasting the Turkey

    • Preheat your oven to 425°F and move the rack all the way to the bottom of the oven. Pat turkey dry one more time and place lemon pieces, onion pieces, and fresh herbs inside the cavity. Tie legs together with twine and place on roasting rack breast side up. Make sure the legs are all tightly snug next to the turkey. Brush the turkey with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    • Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes at 425°F. This is how you get crispy skin!
    • Lower oven temp to 325°F and continue to cook for 2-2.5 more hours. Check the internal temp at the thickest part of the thigh, it's ready at 165°. My 10 lb. turkey took just 2 more hours to cook.
    • Remove the turkey from the oven and place the rack on a baking sheet (you are going to use drippings from the roasting pan for gravy). Cover with foil and allow it to rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving. This is the perfect amount of time to make the delicious gravy!

    Notes

    • I strongly suggest using FRESH herbs and kosher salt.
    • This mix was enough for a 10 lb. turkey but could probably cover up to about 14 lbs.
    • Remember this is a recipe for a few days of brining and drying so plan ahead! For Thanksgiving, I started with a thawed-out turkey on Monday morning and everything was ready to go by Thursday morning.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1lb | Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.8g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 28.1g | Saturated Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 209mg | Sodium: 11514mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 2.6g | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 5mg

    Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @EmilyFabulous_Blog or tag #emilyfabulous!
    QR Code

    More Holiday Recipes

    • 23 Easter Dessert Recipes.
      20+ Easy and Fun Easter Desserts
    • red chili tamales and side dishes.
      Red Chile Pork Tamales
    • prickly pear margarita with dried lime wedge garnish.
      Prickly Pear Margarita
    • Halloween Cocktail List PIN.
      Halloween Cocktail Recipes By Spirit

    Share it!

    650 shares
    • Facebook
    • Flipboard

    Comments

    1. Julia says

      July 19, 2021 at 7:41 am

      5 stars
      I've never tried this method before. I've always bought a turkey crown (there's just 2 of us) and baked it the same way. This time I'm going to try this, flavouring everything with the herbs sounds lovely.

      Reply
      • Emily says

        July 19, 2021 at 3:22 pm

        I think you will really enjoy the flavors this brine creates. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Ksenia says

      July 19, 2021 at 1:31 am

      5 stars
      I always wanted to know how to make a good roasted turkey!

      Reply
      • Emily says

        July 19, 2021 at 3:22 pm

        It definitely takes some practice but this method is perfect for beginners! Good luck!

        Reply
    « Older Comments
    5 from 28 votes (13 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    picture of the author and owner of emilyfabulous.com.

    Hi, I'm Emily! I'm excited to share my passions, experiments, and fun with you. I love to cook, bake, create recipes, mix cocktails and try new things!

    More about me →

    emilyfabulous.com has been featured In pinterest, parade, foodgawker, recipe lion, bon appetit, yummly, msn, foodtalk, flipboard, and more.

    Spring Cocktails

    • strawberry rhubarb cocktail on a tray.
      Strawberry Rhubarb Cocktail
    • lemon curd cocktail in a coupe glass.
      Lemon Curd Cocktail Recipe
    • blood orange margarita on the rocks.
      Blood Orange Margarita
    • lilac-cocktail
      Lilac Gin Sour

    Most Popular

    • poolish-pizza-dough-round
      Poolish Pizza Dough
    • sourdough bread on a cooling rack.
      Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread
    • baked-chile-rellenos
      Baked Chile Rellenos
    • ciabatta rolls on a plate and sliced in half.
      Easy Ciabatta Rolls Recipe
    • stack of pink crumbl copycat cookies
      Crumbl Cookie Copycat Recipe
    • chocolate peanut butter rice krispie treats
      Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About

    COPYRIGHT © 2025 EMILY FABULOUS, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.