The Best Thanksgiving Turkey Ever

This page was last edited on October 25, 2023

Shoutout to the amazing Sohla El-Waylly, from whom much of the this recipe is adapted, (the dry brine ratio, the cook times) with some of my own tweaks. 

You will need:
Hardware

• One (1) baking sheet big enough to lay your turkey when cooking

• One (1) wire rack that fits your aforementioned baking sheet

• One (1) disposable aluminum tray in which to dry brine your turkey

• A pair of kitchen shears

• A pastry or silicone basting brush

• 2 containers - one for mixing your dry brine and one for holding oil/ghee for brushing

• Plastic gloves

Ingredients

• One (1) 12-14 lb. turkey (my personal preference is organic, but it's entirely up to you!)

• The Dry Brine: These amounts are for a 12-14 pound turkey but see the recipe for the ratio if adjusting:

  • 1/3 to 1/4 cup Kosher salt (I prefer Diamond Kosher, but if all you have is table salt, use half)

  • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1.5 Tablespoons black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons of MSG

• Vegetable oil or Ghee for brushing

• 1 to 1.5 cups of water

Optional

For a little extra flavor, halve some garlic bulbs (skin-on), quarter some onions (skin off), and arrange some thyme sprigs atop the wire rack before you lay your turkey on it.

The Recipe:

0. Thaw the turkey

Allow the turkey to thaw in the refrigerator for at least 1 day for every 4 pounds of bird; LET IT THAW COMPLETELY! I cannot emphasize how important this part is, please give yourself plenty of time to allow the turkey to thaw.

1. Remove the backbone and flatten the bird (spatchcock)

Put on some plastic gloves if you so desire (it especially helps when it comes to step 2)

Remove the turkey from the fridge, and remove any giblets or neckbones from inside if they're there (you can stash these back in the fridge for gravy later). Place the turkey on your work surface breast-side down. You can find the backbone by following the tail upwards - using your kitchen shears, starting about an inch on either side of the backbone, begin cutting toward the top of the bird. If you are struggling to cut through bone, try adjusting your position to the left or the right away from the backbone. Once you cut all the way to the neck on both sides, pull the backbone out (you can stash this back in the fridge for stock later).

Once the backbone is removed, flip the bird over (breast-side up). You'll notice the legs and arms on either side want to kind of splay out, and just let them do their thing. Using the heel of your hand, apply pressure to the breastbone - you should hear it crack a little. If you do this enough, you'll notice the bird will remain flat when you stop pushing on it. Congratulations, you've spatchcocked a turkey!

2. Apply the dry brine

Depending on the size of your bird, you may need to increase or decrease the amount of dry brine you use. The proportions are as follows:

4 parts Kosher salt : 2 parts sugar : 1 part black pepper : 0.5 part MSG

Once you've assembled your brine, begin rubbing it into every nook and cranny on the turkey. I find sprinkling some over the breast and arms and legs first, spreading it around, then flipping it over and doing the same on the insides works best. Make sure you pull the leg and arm joints to get some in those crevices too! Place the bird back into the fridge, uncovered, for no less than 36 hours.

3. Cook the turkey

On the day-of, pull your turkey out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before you intend to cook it and let it come closer to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 375°F, and transfer the bird breast-side up to your baking sheet with a wire rack (on your bed of onion/garlic/thyme if you've decided to do it). Add the water to the bottom of the sheet pan, then brush the bird with your vegetable oil or ghee.

Roast for 2 hours - the bird is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 180°F in the thigh, and around 160°F in the breast  - then remove from the oven. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Science (for the nerds)

This recipe relies on a bit of science in order to create both crispy skin AND juicy, flavorful white and dark meat. First, dry brining your turkey is one of the best things you can do to enhance flavor and promote browning. While it initially draws moisture out of the bird (water naturally moves TOWARD salt), the muscle proteins will ultimately reabsorb that salty water - which is why we let the brine sit for no less than 36 hours in the fridge. The salt helps to soften the muscle proteins, and they will in turn expel less moisture when exposed to the heat of cooking, resulting in tender, juicier meat.

Another quirk about the brining process is that the atmospheric conditions of a refrigerator helps drive out moisture from the skin. Because the turkey is exposed, rather than covered up, the skin will naturally desiccate as the moisture evaporates from the (cold, dry) conditions inside the fridge. You can see what I mean if you check your turkey every day while brining it - you'll see the skin starting to pull away from the legs, arms, and even the sides as the muscle fibers appear to be bursting from underneath. But this means when heat is applied during the cooking process, there won't be much moisture in the skin, meaning what little moisture is there evaporates quickly, promoting browning and leaving behind crispy skin!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and I that you have a happy Thanksgiving!