Recipe video above. This is still the only way I roast a whole turkey - dry brined with a seasoned salt. Start it in a hot oven upside down, then finish in a lower oven right side up. Brush with lots of butter, but only add minced garlic and fresh herbs towards the end else it burns. The turkey flesh is juicy, the skin is crisply golden, it's simple, practical and foolproof. No buckets of liquid brine! You can even start it while the turkey is still partially frozen - it will brine as it thaws. Dry brined meats also cook faster - a 5kg/10lb turkey takes under 2 hours. Useful, when there's lots of oven demand!Start this recipe two days before cooking. You can brine up to 3 days, but 4 days doesn't add anything and I worry about food safety. Use the RECIPE SCALER to change ingredients to the weight of your turkey (click/tap on servings and slide!).
Recipe by Nagi | RecipeTin Eats on November 14, 2018
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT120M
Total time: PT140M
4.96 stars (150 reviews)
Roast Turkey, turkey brine
- Rub turkey with the Salt Rub, wrap mummy-like in cling wrap. Fridge 48 hrs, flipping halfway. Stuff, roast upside down 30min in hot 220°C/425°F (200°C fan) oven, flip, garlic-herb-butter baste, finish roasting in lower oven 165°C/325°F (150°C fan).
- Salt Rub: Mix together the Rub ingredients.
- Prep Turkey: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels, inside and out. Remove giblets or anything else inside the turkey. (Note 5)
- Sprinkle: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the Salt Rub inside the turkey and use you hand to spread it (roughly is fine). Turn the turkey upside down, then rub 1 teaspoon of the Salt Rub on the underside.
- Turn the turkey upright and rub the remaining Salt Rub on the turkey, using most on the breast - even some under the skin if you can.
- Wrap turkey mummy-like in lots of cling wrap (works best, I find) or place the turkey in a sealable plastic bag (Note 6).
- Place turkey upside down in baking pan. Refrigerate 2 days (minimum) up to 3 days (4 days adds nothing, I find).
- 24 hours later: Flip turkey so it's right side up.
- 24 (to 48 hours) later: unwrap turkey. The skin should be moist but not wet. If wet, pat dry. Leave out for 30 min before roasting.
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan-forced)
- Prep for roasting: Place the onions and garlic in a roasting pan. Place a roasting rack on top - if you have one (Note 8 for sub).
- Stuff bunch of herbs + 2 garlic halves + 3 tbsp butter (45g) inside the turkey. Tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine (optional).
- Place turkey UPSIDE DOWN on the rack. Twist the wings so they are on top - see video. Brush with a bit of melted butter. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
- Wine - Pour wine in roasting pan.
- Roast for 30 minutes.
- Flip & brush - Use a tea towel to turn the turkey over so it's right side up. Brush with butter, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper.
- Turn oven down to 165°C/325°F (150°C fan).
- Roast turkey 45 minutes.
- Garlic herb butter: Mix remaining butter with garlic and herbs. Brush turkey generously with butter.
- Roast turkey for a further 30 minutes or until a) the thermometer that comes with the turkey pops up; or b) a thermometer inserted between the breast and leg reads 165°F/75°C. (Notes 9, 10). Cover loosely with foil if browning too much.
- Rest: Remove turkey onto serving plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 30 minutes before transferring to platter for presentation and carving (see in post for styling idea).
- Serve turkey with gravy and/or Cranberry Sauce.
- Place roasting pan (with garlic, onion etc still in it) on the stove over medium high heat. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add broth and use a potato masher to mash the onion and garlic into the mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrap the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Strain into a bowl, pressing down to extract all the flavour out of the onion and garlic. Transfer to gravy boat.