Best Traditional Turkey
There are so many turkey recipes, but why add so much to a turkey when you have all the other flavors you add like cranberries, sweet potatoes, etc.? This is a delicious, JUICY, traditional turkey.
I found the original two recipes online, but I made my own adjustments.
Ingredients
Scale
10 pound whole turkey, thawed
Dry Brine Rub
- 2.5 Tbs Kosher salt
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For Roasting
- Turkey Butter (separate recipe) https://www.kitchenkreative.com/2382-2/
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- 1.5 cups (or more to your preference) dry white wine or chicken stock
- salt & pepper
Instructions
Dry Brining Preparation (Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving – 2 or 3 days before you are going to roast the turkey)
- Mix the Brine Rub ingredients together
- Rinse the turkey and pat dry with paper towels, inside and out. Remove giblets or anything else inside the turkey
- Sprinkle 1 tsp of the dry rub inside the turkey and use your hand to spread it (roughly is fine).
- Turn the turkey upside down, then rub 1 tsp of the brine rub mixture on the underside.
- Turn the turkey upright and rub the remaining mixture on the turnkey, using mostly on the breast.
- Wrap the turkey mummy-like in lots of cling wrap.
Brining
- Once all the brining rub is on and it is wrapped in cling wrap, place turkey UPSIDE DOWN in a baking pan and place in the refrigerator.
- 24 hours later flip turkey so it’s right side up
- 24-48 hours later unwrap the turkey. The skin should be moist but not wet. If wet, pat dry. Leave out for 30 minutes before roasting.
- Set out Thangsgiving Butter out early enough that it is soft and room temperature
Prepare for Roasting
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the onions in a roasting pat. Place a roasting rack on top
- Place 2 Tbsp Thankgsgiving butter inside the turkey
- Place 1 Tbsp Thanksgiving butter under the skin of each leg (2 Tbsp total)
- Place 2 Tbsp Thanksgiving butter under the skin of each side of breasts (4 Tbsp total)
- Melt the other stick of Thanksgiving butter
- Place turkey UPSIDE DOWN on the rack.
- Pour wine or chicken stock in roasting pan, making sure the bottom of the pan is covered.
Roasting
- Roast for 30 minutes UPSIDE DOWN
- Use a tea towel or oven mitts to turn the turkey over. Brush with the other stick of melted Thanksgiving butter.
- TURN OVEN DOWN TO 325 degrees. Roast turkey 45 minutes
- Baste turkey with melted butter/wine or stock from the bottom of the pan
- Roast turkey for another 30 minutes or until the thermometer that comes with the turkey pops up or a thermometer inserted between the breast and leg reads 165 degrees F. Cover loosely with foil if browning too much
- Remove turkey, cover loosely with foil, and rest for at least 30 minutes before tranferring to a platter