Dry Brined Brown Butter and Sage Roasted Turkey
Um guys...Thanksgiving is two weeks away. What the what? How did this happen because just yesterday it was Halloween. Every year without fail after Halloween rolls around and then the year seems to disappear right in front of my eyes. It is actually kind of sad because this is absolutely my most favorite time of the year. For real, I live for the holiday season! I would already have my tree up if my hubby would allow it, and if we were going to be in town for Thanksgiving to enjoy it! I will tell you that whatever your plans happen to be for Thanksgiving this year, you should put this dry brined brown butter and sage roasted turkey on your list of things to make!
A roasted turkey might sound intimidating, but honestly it really shouldn't be! It's all about cooking it at the right temperature, giving it a ton of flavor, and not leaving it in the oven too long which makes for a super dry turkey! Brining to me makes a huge difference in the moisture level of your turkey, but if you are like me you don't have the room in your fridge to house a bird sitting in a large container for a couple of days! That's why dry brining will be your new best friend this Thanksgiving! It essentially does the same thing that a wet brine will do for your turkey but you can do it on a sheet pan and it takes up way less space in your refrigerator!
This turkey not only is super moist and flavorful from the dry brine, but the grand finale is that the cooked turkey gets brushed with the most delicious sage infused brown butter that really sends it to a whole other level! I cannot wait for y'all to try this bird out for the big day! You are going to love it!
Ingredients:
1 Whole Turkey
1/2 Cup of Kosher Salt + more for seasoning
3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Rosemary + extra sprigs for stuffing the bird
3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Thyme+ extra sprigs for stuffing the bird
3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Sage+ extra leaves for stuffing the bird
1 Tbsp. Black Pepper
1 Onion
1 Whole Head of Garlic
2 Lemons
2 Cups of Chicken, Turkey, or Veggie Stock
For the Brown Butter Sauce-
1 Stick Salted Butter
6 Fresh Sage Leaves
Directions:
At least 24 hours in advance combine 1/2 cup kosher salt, 3 tbsp rosemary, 3 tbsp. thyme, and 3 tbsp sage and muddle it together.
Dry your thawed turkey with paper towels so there is no moisture on the skin and then separate the skin from the meat by using your fingers and gently separating the two.
Rub the salt and herb mixture under the skin of the turkey onto the meat and also on top of the skin on the top and bottom of the bird.
Place onto a baking sheet and leave uncovered in your refrigerator for at least 24 hours but up to three days for the dry brining process to occur. (you can tent it, but the key to dry brining is to leave it uncovered so the skin can dry some!)
After brining remove the bird from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for an hour before placing to the oven.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Re-season the bird with a little more salt and the pepper and then stuff it with the onion, garlic, and lemons along with a few sprigs of each herb in the cavity of the bird.
Place the turkey onto a roasting rack and pour 2 cups of stock in the bottom of the pan.
Place into the oven and roast for 2-3 hours depending on the size of your bird.
Baste the bird with the juices that are released after an hour a few times to keep the bird extra moist. Cook until the the internal temperature of the turkey is around 165 degrees. Let the bird rest for one hour before slicing to ensure you don't lose any of it's juices!
When your turkey comes out of the oven, heat the stick of butter over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes stirring occasionally until it is browned slightly. Add the sage leaves and continue browning for another couple of minutes until sage has infused the butter.
Brush the sage brown butter over top of the turkey right before slicing and serving.
***NOTE: If using a frozen bird, double check that it hasn't already been salt brined or injected with salt! If so, you may want to skip the dry brining step in this recipe (to prevent an overly salty bird) and simply rub the herbs under the skin the night before roasting and then proceed with the sage butter at the end! I would however still season the bird with salt and pepper before roasting, you just don't need the extra infusion of salt from the brine!
Garnish that gorgeously golden bird with extra herbs and be prepared to taste one of the most delicious turkey's you've ever tasted!