Garlic Brown Sugar Dry-Brined Turkey

Clock Icon 2 hours 40 minutes |
Servings: 12 |
Prep: 10 minutes |
Cook: 2 hours 30 minutes

Dry brining a turkey seasons the meat more deeply by drawing salt into the muscle fibers, resulting in juicier, more flavourful meat. It also helps achieve a crisper, more evenly browned skin because the salt dries the surface before roasting.

Ingredients

  • 12 lb (5.4 kg) whole turkey, thawed if frozen
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) kosher salt
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) garlic, minced, or 1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder
  • ½ tsp (2 mL) black pepper
  • ¼ cup (60 mL) butter melted
  • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
  • 1 tsp (4 mL) garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ cups (375 mL) water

Method

  1. Place turkey in a large baking dish or roasting pan.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine salt, sugar, garlic and pepper. Rub all over turkey and under the skin where possible, using a large spoon to loosen the skin if necessary.
  3. Place uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. It will dry out, but don’t worry — that is normal!
  4. Remove turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting.
  5. Place turkey in a roasting pan or on a large rimmed sheet pan on a roasting rack. Use cooking twine to tie the legs together.
  6. Combine melted butter, remaining brown sugar and minced garlic and brush over turkey.
  7. Heat oven to 425℉.
  8. Pour water into the bottom of the roasting pan and roast turkey at 425℉ for 20 minutes, until just starting to brown.
  9. Reduce oven heat to 350℉ and continue roasting until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 170℉ in the breast, about 2-2.5 hours more.
  10. Remove turkey from the oven and let rest for 30-60 minutes before slicing.

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