Easy No Brine Turkey Recipe – juicy and perfectly seasoned and cooked whole turkey, that does not need to be wet or dry brined. Easy to prepare, perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas and NYE.
For over 15 years, since I made my first turkey, I’ve been either wet or dry brining every single turkey I cooked. I’ve always known, that cooking a whole turkey is no joke, so I never took the chance to skip the brine.
But as we all know, wet brining requited a large water filled container, where you store the turkey in the brine. You do need extra space in the fridge, which may become a problem, especially, if you are hosting a holiday party.
With dry brining, (see my Dry Brined Herb Roasted Turkey), you still need to refrigerate the salt covered raw turkey, which is not fun. While both situations are “doable”, this time I decided to bake a turkey without brining it. And it turned out amazing! Just make sure you follow the directions and pay attention to the extra tips I’m sharing below.
Cooking the perfect turkey can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With a few simple tricks, you can make a wonderfully moist and flavorful turkey without brining. As a food blogger and home cook, I’ve spent years perfecting my no-brine turkey technique. In this article, I’ll share all my secrets for how to cook a juicy turkey without brining it first.
Why Go No-Brine?
Traditionally, many cooks brine their turkeys before roasting. Brining, which involves soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution, helps prevent the meat from drying out. However, brining takes a lot of time, effort, and space in your fridge. My no-brine method delivers an equally moist turkey without the hassle.
I’ve tested my recipe extensively over multiple Thanksgivings Both my readers and I agree – you’d never know this turkey wasn’t brined! It turns out tender and juicy every time.
Tricks for a Moist No-Brine Turkey
Here are the techniques I use to keep my no-brine turkey super moist
Herb-Butter Under the Skin: Slipping flavorful herb butter underneath the skin helps keep the meat tender and adds tons of flavor.
Citrus in the Cavity: Stuffing the cavity with orange and lemon wedges perfumes the meat with bright, tangy flavors. The citrus juice also helps retain moisture.
Aromatic Veggies Inside: Placing vegetables like carrots, onions, and herbs in the cavity infuses the turkey with flavor.
Cheesecloth for Basting: Covering the turkey with a butter-soaked cheesecloth helps seal in moisture and promotes even browning.
Roasted in Broth: Roasting the turkey over chicken broth adds flavor to the meat while keeping it from drying out. The broth also makes an amazing base for gravy!
Step-By-Step Method
Follow these simple steps for juicy, flavorful turkey success:
1. Prep the bird. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
2. Loosen the skin. Gently separate the skin from the breast meat so you can slip butter underneath.
3. Make flavored butter. Blend softened butter with herbs, lemon, and garlic.
4. Stuff the butter. Rub the herb butter carefully under the turkey skin.
5. Stuff the cavity. Place citrus wedges, onions, garlic, and herbs in the cavity.
6. Soak the cheesecloth. Melt some herb butter and soak a sheet of cheesecloth in it.
7. Truss and drape. Tie the drumsticks together and lay cheesecloth over the breast.
8. Roast over broth. Add chicken broth to the roasting pan before placing the turkey inside.
9. Baste frequently. Use broth and pan drippings to baste the turkey often as it roasts.
10. Rest before carving. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes once it reaches 165°F.
Helpful Tips
Here are some extra pointers to ensure you nail the perfect no-brine turkey:
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For especially crispy skin, air dry the turkey overnight in the fridge, uncovered.
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Use a meat thermometer to check doneness – cook to 165°F in the thigh.
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Letting the bird rest after roasting allows juices to redistribute evenly.
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Add herbs, citrus, onions, or garlic to the cavity for extra flavor.
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Basting every 30 minutes keeps the skin from drying out as it roasts.
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Roasting over broth makes for flavorful gravy – just skim off the fat first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about no-brine turkey:
How do you keep a non-brined turkey moist? Stuffing flavored butter under the skin and roasting over broth prevents dry meat. Basting helps too.
What’s the best roasting temp for turkey? Start at a high temp (425°F) to brown the skin, then reduce to 350°F for the remainder.
How long should you cook a turkey? Estimate 15 minutes per pound at 350°F. A 15 lb turkey takes about 3 hours.
What’s the minimum resting time? Let the turkey rest at least 20-30 minutes before carving.
What temperature is turkey done? Cook until the thigh reaches 165°F and breast reaches 170°F.
Enjoy Your Best No-Brine Bird Yet
By following my simple no-brine turkey techniques, you’ll get incredibly moist, flavorful results every time. Ditch the inconvenient brining step and try my easy method this Thanksgiving – your family will be gobbling up juicy slices in no time. With aromatic herb butter under the skin, citrus in the cavity, and roasted over broth, you’ll get amazing turkey flavor without the fuss. Happy holidays from my kitchen to yours!
Whole turkey roasting time:
For this particular recipe:
This 12 pound turkey is roasted at 425 F for 30 minutes.
Then it is covered with butter soaked cheesecloth (or aluminum foil), the oven temperature is reduced to 350 F and you bake it for another 2-3 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the legs reads 165 F.
In this case it took about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The size of the oven, type of pan also are factors, that may speed up or slow down the cooking process.
If you roast the turkey at a constant temperature of 350 F (177 C):
Roast for 13 minutes per pound at 350°F for an unstuffed turkey, or 15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey.
How many pounds of turkey per person?
When cooking a whole turkey, plan for 1 to 1 1/2 lb of raw (uncooked) turkey per person. This way you have plenty of meat and some leftovers.