What To Serve With Dry-Brined Turkey
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It goes without saying: A roast turkey is the signature dish at Thanksgiving dinner. While prepping this centerpiece may seem like an intimidating task, don’t let it stress you out—the secret to the perfect turkey is all about a few important steps in the prep work. If you want a foolproof way to ensure your bird stays juicy and doesn't dry out in the oven—brine it! While it does require a little bit of forethought, a proper brine will set you up for serious success, resulting in a bird that's juicy and flavorful with extra-crispy skin. Follow our top tips, and you'll have the best-ever Thanksgiving turkey worthy of being the center of your holiday spread:
Making a dry-brined turkey takes time and planning. If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure you follow the chart linked above to allow proper time for it to thaw in the fridge before beginning. Two days before you begin cooking, with a fully thawed bird, begin by removing the giblets from the cavity of the turkey—don’t throw these away! While they may look unappetizing, you can make a delicious giblet gravy that will blow away any basic gravy you have had before. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry.
Then, in a small bowl, prepare the brine by mixing the salt and sugar. Rub this mixture generously all over the turkey, focusing especially on the thicker parts of the meat—think the breast and things—they will need extra brine to properly soak in. Once the whole turkey is coated, place the bird in a large roasting pan and return it, uncovered, to the fridge to sit for 2 full days.
On the day that you plan to serve the bird, one hour before cooking, drain any liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. You don’t need to worry about scrubbing the brine off, we are just trying to get rid of any excess moisture. Allow the turkey to sit out at room temperature for 1 hour until ready to cook. This will ensure that the turkey cooks evenly.
To roast the turkey, preheat the oven to 425°, and while it heats, combine garlic, butter, thyme, red pepper, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Brush this butter mixture over the turkey, making sure to hit every dip and curve.
Then use kitchen twine to tie the two legs of the turkey together—this will also help ensure even cooking—and place the turkey on a roasting rack inside of the roasting pan.
Cook the turkey for 45 minutes, brushing more garlic butter on and turning halfway through. If you notice that the skin of the turkey is browning too quickly, make a tent with foil and cover the bird before continuing to cook. Drop the oven temperature down to 375° and continue to roast for another 45 minutes until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 160°.
Carefully remove the turkey from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Full list of ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe below.
Your cooked and cut turkey can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days and is perfect for any number of leftover turkey recipes.
(8-lb.) whole turkey
kosher salt
granulated sugar
cloves garlic, finely chopped
unsalted butter, melted
fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
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