If you’re looking for turkey with beautiful crisp skin and tender, juicy meat that’s seasoned all the way through, try a dry brine. All you do is coat the bird with a mixture of salt, sugar, and spices, and then chill it two to three days for the rub to penetrate the meat. To put it over the top for flavor, we’ve added a garlic-sage butter. Be sure your turkey is thawed before applying the dry brine to the skin; otherwise, as the turkey thaws, the seasoning blend will weep.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this easy-to-make recipe for Dry-Brined Roast Turkey with Garlic Sage Butter.
1. Info for Dry-Brined Roast Turkey with Garlic Sage Butter
- Cook Time: 3 hr 20 min
- Total Time: 3 hr 20 min
- Servings: 10
2. Ingredients for Dry-Brined Roast Turkey with Garlic Sage Butter
- 16 lb. turkey (fresh or thawed frozen)
- 5 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. dried sage
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 garlic cloves (finely grated or pressed)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage (chopped, for rub)
- 2 cup water (or unsalted chicken broth)
- Fresh sage sprigs (optional, for serving)
3. Directions:
3.1 Prep
Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels. Combine the salt, sugar, dried sage, black pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Rub the mixture over outside of entire turkey (top, bottom, sides) and inside the cavity.
Set the turkey on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, for 48-72 hours.
3.2 Preheat
Remove turkey from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3.3 Prep
Meanwhile, combine the butter, garlic, and chopped sage in a bowl. Rub the butter mixture all over turkey, including inside the cavity.
Tuck the wing tips back under breasts and tie legs together with twine. Set the turkey back on the rack in the roasting pan with the breast side up.
Pour the water or broth into bottom of roasting pan.
3.4 Oven
Place the turkey on rack in lower third of oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 170°F, 2 3/4 to 3 hours.
3.5 Check
Check to see that turkey is done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.
3.6 Serve
Set the turkey on a platter and let stand for 30 minutes before carving. Tuck fresh sage sprigs around turkey for serving, if desired.