Thanksgiving has a reputation for endless brining methods, divisive side dishes, and argumentative relatives. It’s no wonder hosting can be stressful. Unless you’ve got The Right Stuffing, that is. This series is devoted to all things related to the Thanksgiving meal, and it will help you create dishes that appear on your table year after year—even if it can’t help you manage your relatives.
Turkey needs salt. It is a something you cannot skip or skimp on. Salt doesn’t just make the meat taste salty, it makes the meat taste good, and breaks down the tougher parts of the bird for a more tender bite. Dry brining—also known as “salting”—is a popular way to add flavor and tenderize the big bird, and for good reason: It’s easy, effective, and requires less space in your fridge than the traditional “wet brine.” The amount of salt you use for a dry brine is based on the mass of your Butterball, which is why I rely on ratios, rather than strict recipes, when brining my turkey.
What is a dry brine?
Dry brining is the simple act of sprinkling a food (usually meat) with a solute (usually salt, but sometimes a mixture of salt and sugar) to flavor it. The salt draws moisture out of the meat, then the moisture dissolves the salt, allowing it to penetrate into the flesh, seasoning it and keeping it juicy while tenderizing the meat by breaking down some of the proteins. It’s great for people with smaller fridges (wet brining takes up a lot more room), and results in tasty birds every time. It also reduces the amount of moisture on your turkey's skin, leading to crispy skin after roasting. It is, however, hard to find clear guidelines for how much salt your should use.
How much salt should you use when dry brining a turkey?
According to Serious Eats, which recommends preparing a mixture of half a cup of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or six tablespoons Morton’s kosher salt) and two tablespoons of baking powder, the application should be “generous,” but generosity can be hard to measure:
Generously sprinkle the salt mixture on all surfaces by picking up the mixture between your thumb and fingers, holding it six to 10 inches above the bird, and letting the mixture shower down over the surface of the turkey for even coverage. The turkey should be well coated with salt, though not completely encrusted.
These instructions are fine if you’re comfortable with cooking and seasoning, but it can give newbies and the precise a little trouble (especially if you are more of a baker, and used to the precision of baking recipes). Luckily, Food & Wine magazine has shared a salt-to-meat ratio in the November 2022 issue of their print magazine:
Plan on 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of Diamond Kosher salt per pound for larger cuts of meat like beef chuck and any cut of pork or poultry. (This adds up to 3 to 4 tablespoons for a 12-pound turkey.
That may seem like a lot of salt, but when you take stock of how many times you’ve had over-seasoned turkey, versus how many times you’ve had under-seasoned turkey, I think you will find the latter is far more common.
It should also be noted that Diamond Kosher salt has a larger crystal structure than other kinds of Kosher salt, so be careful when switching brands. It’s worth getting Diamond, however, as it is the perfect salt for beginning briners. The larger grain size makes it easier to distribute evenly, and it is much harder to over-salt when using a salt with such a large, fluffy crystal structure. (Measure out a tablespoon of Diamond and a tablespoon of some of the salt. Weigh them; the Diamond will be much lighter.)
Easy dry brine recipe for turkey
Ingredients:
Diamond Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon per pound of turkey
Optional: Baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon per pound of turkey
1 turkey (fully thawed, giblets removed, ideally spatchcocked)
Mix salt and baking powder (if using) together in a small bowl. Sprinkle and rub salt all over the entire bird, making sure to get under the skin so the salt makes direct contact with the breast. The turkey should be glittering with salt, but not completely encrusted. If there are bare spots, add a little more salt. Allow to brine on a wire rack, uncovered, in the fridge for 24-48 hours. Before roasting, dust off excess salt if desired. Roast as usual.