Simple dry brine delivers flavorful turkey

For years, I was all about the wet brine.

I bought a 5-gallon plastic bucket that I referred to as “The Turkey Bucket” and only used for wet brining the bird every Thanksgiving. I’d haul the 22-pounder into the thing, pack it with ice and salt and water and herbs and let it sit overnight, outdoors, when temperatures in mid-November in Eastern Washington dipped between 35 to 38 degrees.

There was never enough room in the refrigerator for the Turkey Bucket. But it was always cold enough to safely let the bird soak outside.

I swore by the bucket for its abilities to make turkey plump and juicy. I also tried desperately not to make a huge mess.

I took care not slop what I was sure was salmonella-infested water all over kitchen and bleached the bucket and kitchen surfaces right after use to kill whatever bacteria might have been lurking after possible contact with thawed poultry. Still, I worried that I didn’t manage to kill all of them. And I thought: There must be a better way to ensure a moist and tender turkey.

There’s the rub

I tried dry brining a bird for the first time last Thanksgiving. Now I see why it makes so much sense. Dry brining a turkey is so much simpler.

There’s none of the drippy mess, less of the salmonella-spreading worry, fewer things to clean up afterward.

Not only is the method less labor intensive, it produces a better texture of meat. My dry-brined turkey was firmer and less spongy than my wet-brined birds and – I think – even more flavorful. Soaking the bird in water seems to dilute the “turkey” flavor, something I didn’t notice until I stopped doing it.

Before making the switch, I consulted a few recipes online, some of which called only for salt or salt and pepper. Others recommended combinations of fresh and dried herbs and seasonings, like rosemary, parsley, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves and coriander, fennel seeds, orange slices and red pepper flakes. Still others suggested using your own favorite aromatics.

I ended up using my own somewhat basic combination of kosher salt, herbs, spices and citrus based on what I had on hand.

Goodbye bucket

I patted on the herbed salt mixture then put the turkey in the refrigerator and forgot about it for a day. In a roasting pan instead of a bucket, the bird fit perfectly fine in the fridge.

I let the bird dry brine for 24 hours, but some recipes suggested leaving it up to two, even three days. This might be the only drawback: dry-brining a turkey seems to take a bit longer.

Still, I was pleased with my results. As it rests in the refrigerator, the salt draws out the meat’s juices, then reabsorbs and begins to break down muscle proteins.

Just before cooking, I tossed some garlic cloves and lemon wedges into the cavity, and covered the bird with zest and a drizzle of lemon juice.

I also used a couple of long, skinny sheets of parchment paper to line the sides of the roasting pan and keep from burning the edges of my large bird. To prevent over-drying or scorching of the skin, I cooked the turkey under a tent of aluminum foil for the first half of the roasting time, removing it to crisp up the skin during the second half.

This year, I’m looking forward to trying another combination of salt, herbs and spices – and even more in the years to come. I think I might be saying goodbye to the Turkey Bucket for good.

Dry Brine

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried ground Dalmatian sage

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

5 to 6 cloves garlic

Zest, juice and wedges of 1 lemon

Combine first five ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Rub mixture directly onto all sides of turkey and sprinkle some inside the cavity as well. Let sit, covered, in refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 3 days. Before roasting, add garlic to cavity and sprinkle with lemon zest and juice, to taste. Place wedges inside cavity. Tent bird with aluminum foil. Roast in 350-degree oven until thickest part of bird registers 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, basting every 30 or 40 minutes and removing the foil half way through cooking time. Let turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving.

Cooking times: 2 ¾ to 3 hours for 8 to 12 pounds, 3 to 3 ¾ hours for 12 to 14 pounds, 3 ¾ to 4 ¼ hours for 14 to 18 pounds, 4 ¼ to 4 ½ hours for 18 to 20 pounds, and 4 ½ to 5 hours for 20 to 24 pounds (Source: Food Safety Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Note: As a general rule, use 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 pounds of turkey. (I used slightly more than that ratio for my 22-pound turkey.)

Turkey Neck and Giblet Gravy

Adapted from Alton Brown

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 turkey neck, reserved from turkey

1 set of giblets, reserved from turkey

1 small onion, quartered

1 celery stalk, quartered

1 medium carrot, quartered

7 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon dried ground Dalmatian sage

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons flour

1 to 2 tablespoons roasting pan juices, to taste

Heat oil in a large and deep skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the neck and saute 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Add the giblets, onion, celery, carrot and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Pour in water and add herbs and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Remove neck and shred as much meat off the bone as possible. Return neck meat and neck bone to skillet and simmer for about 1 hour or until stock reduces to about 3 cups.

Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer and cool slightly. Discard solids except giblets and, if desired, neck meat. Finely chop giblets (and neck meat, if desired) and set aside.

Place flour in a jar with a tightly fitted lid, like a canning jar. Pour 1 cup stock through a funnel into jar, secure lid, and shake vigorously until flour dissolves and no lumps are visible, then set aside. Return 2 cups of stock to skillet. Add flour mixture and pan juices gradually, constantly whisking. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until mixture has thickened. Add giblets and, if desired, neck meat, and stir to combine. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Note: Use only a small amount of pan juices – about 2 tablespoons – for flavor. They will be extremely salty from the dry brine. If you overdo it – like I did the first time – you can make the gravy less salty by thinning the mixture with a little low-sodium chicken stock or water. You might need to add another ½ to 1 tablespoon of flour – cornstarch works, too – to adjust the thickness.