How to Make Citrus Dry-Brined Turkey for Thanksgiving

Have you ever been in charge of making the turkey for your Thanksgiving Day feast? If so, I bet you might've been a little stressed, especially if it was your first go. Theres a lot at stake! Turkeys aren't the cheapest; everyone is starving and excited; and we hardly ever cook turkeys throughout the year so there's no time to practice!

That's why I figured I'd do some of the work for you this year. Today I'm sharing this recipe for a Citrus Dry-Brined Turkey. A lot of people swear about a wet-brine (and there have been years where I've loved them), but recently there's been a lot of talk about the dry-brine, so I wanted to give it a proper go.

I followed the some of the rules and salt ratio from Russ Parson's Judy Bird. I, of course, added some things that I think compliment a turkey very well: fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage and other additions like dried bay leaf, coriander and zest from a lemon and half of an orange. It's a citrus-infused bird that I think looks and tastes wonderfully. Here are some big-time pros when it comes to dry-brining:

1. No need for a big bucket to fit the bird. I used a very sturdy brining bag (I used this one specifically). Butchers often times have bags for meat that are sturdy, too; feel free to ask for one.
2. It takes a lot less fridge space, which is crucial in the few days leading up to Thanksgiving.
3. There have been numerous studies, proving that all a wet-brine does is make the turkey wetter, not necessarily more flavorful. This post from Serious Eats is very helpful.
4. It takes less prep time. I dry-brined for about 24 hours (pretty much overnight) and it came out amazingly tasty!

Please note that these ratios below are for a 13-pound bird. If yours is larger, scale up. The salt ratio is 1 tablespoon per five pounds. So if it's a 15-pound bird, use 3 tablespoons of salt. And of course, be sure to add and subtract the spices as you see fit.

As for supplies, I wanted to share a few things I used. If you're looking for an affordable roasting pan, I used this one from Chicago Metallic. It did a fine job, though since I purchased just a few weeks ago, so I'm unsure of its lasting power. (I'll report back in a few years!) I have this digital thermometer from Taylor - I think its fantastic. You can set an alarm and it will alert you when the turkey has hit the correct temperature.

I love a lot of things about this recipe: its ease, the lack of effort it takes, but mostly the thing I love the most is the crispy skin. If someone served me a plate of crispy turkey skin and no turkey, I'd be really happy. (This should not happen but if it did I wouldn't complain.) If you like crispy skin, this is the recipe for you. It's flavorful, properly seasoned with lots of citrus and herbaceous notes.

I think making a turkey should be a family affair. Get people to work! Ask them to help you lift the turkey, chop the herbs and zest the lemons. And lastly, a glass of wine and music blasting help, too. This shouldn't be stressful - this should be fun. Feel free to leave any questions below and if you've tried different dry-brines, I'd love to hear about them.