Comments on: A Turkey You’ll Want to Gobble — Dry Brined Roast Turkey

By: Our Thanksgiving Menu

Our Thanksgiving Menu — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:38:57 +0000

[...] Sticks, Watermelon Radish, OlivesBaguette ToastsSweet Pickle ChunksPickled Red OnionSauerkrautDry Brined, Roast TurkeyWhat We Call Stuffing – Vegetarian Challah, Mushroom, Onion, CeleryWhat We Call Dressing [...]

By: vicki

vicki — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:18:49 +0000

just put my 24 lb into the oven, unstuffed, thinking it will take 3 hours. audience concern is that the skin will char and the turkey will be dried out. of course, I’ll watch it but just confirming the oven does not get turned down anytime in this process? and I don’t need to cover it? experienced guidance would be appreciated.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:33:33 +0000

Hi Kate,

typed my question incorrectly, meant is it okay to put butter under the skin right before I put into oven – after the dry brine completed. Do I need to rinse and pat again before putting butter ( assume use unsalted) under the skin. Thanks.

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:07:34 +0000

Hi Kate,

I think I am going to try this and will be picking up a fresh bird in the morning. I typically use butter under the skin and also paprika on the bird, can I do this with the dry-brine? Can I put the butter on ahead of time or just do this before I put in the oven. Thanks!

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:22:52 +0000

Gina, I leave the sage leaves in to flavor the bird. You can take them out when you carve it. As for gravy, I’d recommend buying a couple of turkey wings, browning them, and making a stock from the wings to make your gravy. Saveur Magazine had a great recommended method on their website. My mother is the gravy queen in our family — I bow to her expertise and never attempt it myself!

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:01:55 +0000

This sounds great and I am definitely trying it (its my first time cooking the infamous Thanksgiving turkey). Do you leave the sage leaves in it when you cook it and after? Do you have any links or recommend any gravy recipes? My mother in law insist I make their family recipe but it requires cooking the turkey in a bag to get the juices and I’m not about to give up my first time cooking a turkey to a broil in a bag!

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:22:36 +0000

Hi Tracy. I actually recommend against rinsing. By the time the salt has worked it’s magic, there’s no more grains of salt left on the skin, and a drier skin is crispier, so rinsing would hurt that. If you’re judicious in your use of salt to begin with, it shouldn’t be too salty.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:27:09 +0000

I’m trying this technique for our turkey this year. Some recipes I’ve read say to rinse the turkey after brining before roasting. Did/do you rinse yours? Thanks!

By: susan

susan — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:37:06 +0000

Hi there!

A little late, but I wanted to thank you for all your Thanksgiving help – the turkey turned out GREAT! I actually covered it for about 30 minutes and then just turned it down to 325 so I could leave for close to an hour. WHEW…absolutely delicious.

Covering it did ruin a crispy skin, but that saved us from the temptation of eating it all anyway, so it’ s okay.

next year my goal will be to make sure I do not have to leave the house while it is cooking!

Happy Holidays to you!

By: katy

katy — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 22:07:30 +0000

Thank you so much for developing and posting this recipe! I can’t wait to try it. I’m going to use it for roast chicken which I love, but which is sometimes a little bland. Great instructions!