Dry-Brined Turkey Recipe

Curated Recipes with Nutritional Values for Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes

INGREDIENTS:

16 pound turkey, defrosted, giblets removed (just adjust salt if using a different weight turkey)
3 tablespoons kosher salt (1 tablespoon for each 5 pounds of turkey)
Herbs, optional (I used rosemary, thyme and bay leaves)
6 tablespoons melted butter, to baste

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse and dry turkey. In a food processor, process salt plus about a tablespoon of any herbs you’d like to use (rosemary, thyme, bay).
Lightly salt the inside of the turkey, then sprinkle the breast side with a bit more than a tablespoon of the herbed salt, and each side with a bit less than a tablespoon of salt. Place the turkey in an oven bag and remove the air before closing it with a twist tie. Place on rimmed baking sheet.
Refrigerate for 3 days, starting breast side up, rubbing the skin through the bag once a day. Flip on day 3, then remove from bag to let skin dry 8 hours before roasting.
Let sit at room temperature for one hour before roasting. Place on rack in roasting pan.
Preheat oven to 425º, brush with melted butter and roast for 30 minutes. Decrease oven temperature to 325º, cover top with foil if browning too fast and cook till turkey reaches desired temperature, basting as needed. May add some wine and chicken broth to bottom of roaster as needed.

Pro-Tips:

Cook time varies depending on size of turkey.

Do not use a turkey that has already been brined or injected (like a Butterball) or your results will be too salty.