This is the easiest method of brining I’ve ever tried. Just rub the dry brine all over your bird and let it sit uncovered in the refrigerator for one to two days to dry out and infuse all that flavor into the turkey — easy peasy. Tender and juicy inside with crispy herbed skin outside, this Herb Brined Turkey will be as delicious on Thanksgiving Day as it is in your leftovers all weekend long!
Even though my father-in-law declares in his charming New York accent that my wet brined turkey is “the best turkey ever,” I just wasn’t sure if I could deal this year with the over-sized stock pot filled with brine and a 16 pound bird. Last year, I nearly threw out my back lugging the pot around, and the year before, 1/2 of the turkey brine poured out ALL over the floor when I tripped over it trying to answer the phone. I thought I would never do a brine again, but alas, brining turkey so delicious I can’t resist. Enter: Herb Brined Turkey! No water necessary!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy & Foolproof: This herb brine is super simple to make and practically guarantees a perfect turkey every time. It’s a great way to take the stress out of holiday cooking and focus on enjoying the feast! Looking for sides to pair with this turkey? Explore my Easy Thanksgiving Sides post!
- Space Saver: Ok, you do still need room for the turkey in the fridge, but you’d need that anyway for thawing. This way you just have the turkey and not a large pot of brine too!
- Juicy & Tender: Whether you wet brine a turkey or dry brine like this recipe, brining keeps the meat juicy and tender, so every slice is deliciously moist and packed with flavor—perfect for impressing guests at Thanksgiving.
The Ingredients
- Turkey: I like to do a 12-14 pound bird with this method. I find it fits nicely in the fridge and serves our amount of guests perfectly.
- Herbs: Dried herbs stick to the skin better than fresh herbs, in my opinion. They also combine nicely so you have an even mixture across the entire turkey.
- Broth: This adds some moisture and steam to the oven, ensuring the meat doesn’t dry out.
How to Make Herb Brined Turkey
Step 1: Set aside giblets to make Turkey Gravy.
Step 2: Whisk herbs and salt in a bowl to combine.
Step 3: Pat turkey dry with paper towel and rub herbs inside and out.
Step 4: After refrigerating 1-2 days, remove from fridge and set on a rack in a roasting dish.
Step 5: Add broth to the baking dish and roast in the oven at 450°F for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Turn down the heat to 350°F and rotate the pan. Roast the turkey an additional 2 hours – 2 hours and 15 minutes, basting every 30 minutes.
Step 7: Place a meat thermometer in the deepest part of thigh, but being careful not to touch the bone, until you have an internal temperature of 165°F-170°F.
Tips and Tricks
- Size matters: You can use this method for any size turkey. You might need to increase the herbs if yours is much larger. The general rule of thumb for cooking is 13-15 minutes of roasting time per pound of turkey.
- Don’t let it burn: Tuck the wings in behind the neck so they don’t burn in the oven! If the breast starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
- Keep it safe: Make sure you have the raw turkey on its own shelf in the fridge, and set inside a large baking tray to catch any juice.
FAQs
I provide cooking times in the recipe card for a 12-14 pound turkey, so you can follow that if your turkey is within that range. You can always roast a smaller or larger turkey – just note that the cooking time is generally 13-15 minutes per pound of turkey. You can then calculate when to pop it in the oven to be ready alongside all of your side dishes.
The rule of thumb for safely cooked poultry is 165°F. Keep in mind that the temperature of the turkey will continue to rise even after removed from the oven, as it finishes cooking from residual heat. You should be safe to remove the turkey from the oven when it reaches 160°F. Always check in the thickest part, generally the thigh. Also don’t hit the bone with the probe or you will register a higher temp than the meat really is.
More Favorite Turkey Recipes
A perfectly juicy turkey is the star of any Thanksgiving feast, and this dry herb brine recipe is here to make that happen! Try this dry-brined turkey for your holiday dinner, and you might never cook turkey any other way. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you—leave a comment and rating below to let me know!
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out these posts: Easy Thanksgiving Sides: The Ultimate List, Thanksgiving Menu and a Step-by-Step Prep Schedule, and Thanksgiving Turkey: 6 Ways!
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Herb Brined Turkey
Equipment
- roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1 12-14 pound whole turkey
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 2 cups turkey or chicken stock
Instructions
- Remove the giblets from the turkey (to save for the turkey gravy), pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Whisk the salt and herbs in a bowl until combined.
- Rub the salt/herb mixture all over the turkey, inside and out.
- Place the turkey on a rack on a large plate or baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered, for 24-48 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1-2 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Tuck the wings behind the neck to avoid burning and place the turkey on a roasting rack, breast side up, pour 2 cups of chicken or turkey stock into the roasting pan. Cook the turkey for 30 minutes.
- Reduce the cooking temperature to 350°F.
- Rotate the roasting pan 90 degrees (this helps cook evenly) and roast the turkey an additional 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes, basting every 30 minutes. If the breast becomes too dark cover with foil.
- Place a meat thermometer in the deepest part of thigh, but being careful not to touch the bone, until you have an internal temperature of 165°F-170°F.
- Allow the turkey to rest for 30 minutes before slicing (this allows the juices to redistribute, making the turkey super juicy).
- Serve.
Notes
- For a Larger/Smaller Bird: You can use this method for any size turkey. You might need to increase the herbs if yours is much larger. The general rule of thumb for cooking is 13-15 minutes of roasting time per pound of turkey.
- Don’t let it burn: Tuck the wings in behind the neck so they don’t burn in the oven! If the breast starts to get too dark, cover it with foil.
- Food Safety: Make sure you have the raw turkey on its own shelf in the fridge, and set inside a large baking tray to catch any juice.
Yes, this one is a dry brine! Let me know how you like it!
No water needed? I’m trying this!
No, if you’re turkey is already brined, I would just let it come to room temp and then rub it with the herbs before baking.
I bought a pre brined turkey from the store (not frozen) can i still follow your recipe sans the salt? It’s 22lbs and this is my first time cooking a turkey! Help!
Never mind I saw your reply above about the herbs… I was wondering the same as someone above about using only a turkey breast… Should I alter the amount of salt/herbs used if its only 7 lbs? Also do you know up to what temperature to cook the breast? Thank you again!