Citrus Dry Brined Turkey

This Citrus Dry Brined Turkey is the only recipe I’ve used to roast a whole turkey for the last several years. It’s so incredibly simple to make and yields a crazy delicious, juicy and flavorful turkey.

I love the combination of the citrus and sage notes in this turkey, but it’s so easy to change up the flavor profile based on your taste preferences!

What is Dry Brining?

Dry brining is pre-salting the protein (in this case turkey) without the addition of water. The salt, sugar and seasonings are rubbed directly onto the meat and placed in the refrigerator (a baking sheet topped with a cooling rack or roasting pan works best for storing in the refrigerator), uncovered for a period of time, before it is gently rubbed off and the protein is roasted.

Dry Brine vs Wet Brine

Both types of brining are great methods of tenderizing and flavoring turkey, but dry brining is my favorite kind of brine for a turkey. Not only does it break down the protein fibers and implement a ton of great flavor into the turkey, but it also makes the prep much easier. There’s no need to find a giant, sterile bucket to fill with ice water to submerge your turkey into and it takes up much less fridge space.

How to Make Citrus Dry Brined Turkey?

Ingredients

Process

1. Combine all brine ingredients.
2. Mix together.

3. Rub brine all over turkey, including in the cavity and place onto a baking sheet, topped with a cooling rack. This will allow any excess liquid to drip onto the baking sheet and allow the skin to dry out, which will result in a moist turkey with deliciously crispy skin. Refrigerate turkey for 2 days. You can brine the turkey for as little as 24 hours and for up to 72 hours (turkey will be on the saltier side with a three day brine!). We do 48 hours because we think it yields the best results overall.

4. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Transfer turkey to a clean sheet pan lined with parchment.
5. Completely rub brine off turkey.

6. Pat turkey completely dry. Tie turkey legs together with twine, fold wing tips behind turkey.
7. Rub butter evenly over entire turkey.

8. Transfer to a roasting pan. Cover breast with foil and place turkey in oven and roast for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 350˚F and continue to roast for an additional 2 to 2 ½ hours (about 12 minutes a pound, for an internal temperature of 160˚F).
9. In the last 40 to 50 minutes of roasting, uncover breast to allow browning and skin crisping.

10. Remove turkey from oven and rest for 20 to 30 minutes, loosely covered. Carve and serve.

Tips and Tricks for Success

• Use the foil shield to cover breast. Since light meat cooks faster than dark meat it’s really beneficial to cover the breast for a duration of the roasting to prevent the breast meat from drying out.
• If you’re short on time, use a frozen turkey to dry brine! While we like to use a fresh or thawed turkey to be able to separate the skin from the meat, you can definitely add the dry brine to a frozen turkey with just a little more effort. Gently rinse frozen turkey with water and pat dry. Rub dry brine all over turkey and place in a large dish with taller sides (to account for the liquid that will accumulate from defrosting the turkey). You’ll still need about 2-3 days for a 12-14 pound turkey to thaw completely.
• Brine turkey for around 48 hours for best results. We mentioned before that you can dry brine your bird for 24-72 hours. We think the sweet spot is around 48 hours, but if you want a less citrus and salty flavor you can brine for 24 hours. If you chose to brine for 72 hours your turkey may be on the saltier side. So brine for as long as you prefer based on your taste!

Variations

• Mix things up with the herbs by adding some thyme or rosemary to the brine to change the flavor profile.
• Use a flavored salt (such as sel de provence)
• Mix up the different amounts of citrus zest or just stick to one type of citrus like all orange zest, etc.

What to serve with our Citrus Dry Brined Turkey?

There are so many delicious dishes to serve along with this turkey, but some of our favorites are:

Salads

• Chickpea Kale Apple and Goat Cheese Salad
• Everyday Simple Side Salad
• Classic Caesar Salad
• Watercress Salad with Green Apple Vinaigrette
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Side Dishes

• Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin
• Cheesy Garlic Potato Gratin
• Cheesy Potato Casserole with Caramelized Onions
• Butternut Squash Puree with Browned Butter
• Mushroom and Sage Stuffing
• Mini Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
• Cauliflower, Parsnip and Roasted Garlic Mash
• Roasted Radishes
• Maple Glazed Roasted Acorn Squash
• Fig Herb and Sausage Stuffing
• Apple and Fennel Stuffing
• Citrus Sautéed Beet Stems

More Delicious Thanksgiving Recipe You Will Love!