How to Dry Brine a Turkey for Maximum Flavor and Juiciness, Alison Roman Style

Brining a turkey before roasting is one of the best ways to ensure it stays moist and flavorful. But wet brining requires finding space in your fridge for a large container of salty water and turkey. Enter dry brining – it delivers all the benefits of a traditional brine but without the mess and hassle. Alison Roman’s simple dry brine technique infuses the turkey with seasoning while keeping the skin crispy. Here’s how to dry brine a turkey for a flavorful and foolproof holiday centerpiece.

What is Dry Brining?

Dry brining also known as dry salt-rubbing is the process of rubbing salt, spices, and herbs directly onto the turkey’s surface. The salt penetrates deep into the meat, helping it retain moisture as it cooks. A small amount of sugar is also used to help the skin caramelize to a beautiful mahogany brown.

Unlike a wet brine where the turkey soaks in a saltwater solution, the dry brine doesn’t add any extra liquid This allows the skin to get ultra crispy in the oven. The seasoned salt also gives great flavor to the meat without needing to submerge it in buckets of liquid.

Why Dry Brine a Turkey?

Brining makes the turkey more flavorful, tender and moist. The salt penetrates the meat, dissolving some of the proteins. This allows the turkey to hold on to more moisture as it cooks, ensuring a juicy interior. The seasoning also adds tons of flavor throughout.

Dry brining achieves all the same benefits of wet brining, but with way less work and mess. Here are some of the benefits of dry brining over other methods:

• Requires no special equipment – just a baking sheet and some seasoning
• No need to submerge turkey in liquid for hours
• Allows the skin to get crispy and brown vs. soggy skin from wet brining
• Infuses seasoning throughout meat for more flavor
• Retains moisture extremely well for a tender, juicy interior
• Adds flavor with herbs and spices, not just salt water
• Easy cleanup – no buckets of brine liquid to drain

Alison Roman’s Dry Brine Recipe

Alison Roman’s popular dry brine recipe uses just a few ingredients – salt, pepper, thyme and brown sugar:

• 1⁄3 cup kosher salt
• 1⁄3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped

The salt deeply seasons the meat and helps it retain moisture. Cracked black pepper adds spice flavor throughout. Chopped thyme leaves provide herbal notes while also aiding in moisture retention. And the brown sugar helps the skin caramelize to a beautiful golden brown.

How to Dry Brine a Turkey Step-By-Step

With just a simple salt rub, you can infuse big flavor into the turkey and ensure it stays juicy. Here is a step-by-step guide to dry brining a turkey Alison Roman style:

1. Mix Together Dry Brine

In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, light brown sugar, coarsely ground black pepper and chopped thyme leaves. Mix until well incorporated.

Tip: Grind whole peppercorns for the freshest flavor. Use a mortar and pestle, pepper mill, or spice grinder to coarsely crack the pepper.

2. Pat Turkey Dry

Remove turkey from packaging and pat dry all over with paper towels, both inside cavity and on the outside. Make sure it’s as dry as possible so the seasoning will stick.

3. Generously Season Turkey

Rub the salt mixture all over the turkey, making sure to distribute it evenly both inside cavity and on the exterior. Really massage it into the meat, especially the thighs and breasts.

4. Chill Turkey Uncovered

Place turkey on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Transfer to the fridge uncovered and let sit for 8-24 hours. The longer time will allow the salt to deeply penetrate.

5. Roast Turkey

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 325°F. Place turkey back on wire rack-lined baking sheet, tenting breast loosely with foil if needed to prevent over-browning. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 165°F, about 3 1⁄2 to 4 hours depending on size. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.

The dry brine will leave you with a seasoned, moist turkey with crispy brown skin. Easy and no mess!

Dry Brine Turkey Tips

Here are some extra tips for getting the best results when dry brining a turkey:

• Use kosher salt – The larger crystals distribute better on the surface than fine table salt.

• Refrigerate uncovered – Leaving it uncovered allows the skin to fully dry out so it will crisp up better.

• Pat very dry first – Be sure to remove any moisture on the surface so the rub adheres.

• Apply rub evenly – Spreading it evenly is key to distributing salt and flavor throughout.

• Brine up to 2 days – For maximum effect, dry brine for 24-48 hours before roasting.

• Cook to 165°F – Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the thighs reach 165°F.

• Rest before carving – Letting it rest allows juices to redistribute for more moist meat.

• Make gravy from drippings – Use the flavorful pan drippings to make an amazing gravy.

Dry Brine Times

For best results, dry brine the turkey for a minimum of 8 hours and up to 2 days:

• 8-12 hours – Provides some seasoning and moisture retention.

• 12-24 hours – Good penetration of seasoning and moisture.

• 24-48 hours – Maximal flavor and juiciness throughout meat.

If short on time, even just 4-6 hours of dry brining will boost the flavor versus an unbrined turkey. But for truly seasoned, tender meat, go for the full 24-48 hours in the fridge uncovered.

Dry Brined Turkey Recipe

Here is Alison Roman’s full recipe for dry brined turkey with gravy made from the flavorful pan drippings:

Ingredients

• 1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey
• 1⁄3 cup kosher salt
• 1⁄3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves chopped
• Olive oil
• Unsalted butter
• Onions, garlic, lemons, herbs (for roasting)

Instructions

1. Mix together dry brine ingredients. Pat turkey dry and rub seasoned salt all over. Refrigerate uncovered 8-24 hours.
2. Heat oven to 325°F. Place turkey on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Scatter onions, garlic, lemons and herbs around turkey.
3. Roast 3 1⁄2 to 4 hours until 165°F. Let rest 30 minutes before carving.
4. Make gravy by deglazing pan drippings with broth. Whisk in butter-flour roux and simmer until thickened.

The dry brine helps the turkey stay incredibly moist and seasoned, while the veg and pan drippings add lots of flavor. Serve with tangy thyme-roasted shallots and rich homemade gravy.

Perfect Turkey Every Time

Take the guesswork out of roast turkey with Alison Roman’s simple dry brine technique. With just salt, sugar and pepper, you can make a show-stopping turkey with crispy skin, ultra-juicy meat and tons of flavor. Dry brining is the easy, mess-free way to get a succulent and delicious holiday centerpiece. Ditch the wet brine and try this method for your next perfect turkey!