How to Dry Brine A Turkey for Smoking

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Dry brining is one of my favorite ways to prepare a turkey for the smoker because it is simple, it doesn't require a bucket or several gallons of liquid, and it gives the salt plenty of time to work its way into the meat before the turkey ever goes onto the smoker.

The process is about as simple as it gets. You apply salt directly to the turkey and let it rest in the refrigerator while the salt does its work. At first, the salt pulls moisture to the surface, but that moisture dissolves the salt and eventually gets pulled back into the meat. Given enough time, the salt moves deeper into the turkey, seasoning the meat instead of just the outside.

Dry brining also gives you an advantage when it comes to the skin. Since the turkey isn't sitting in water, you can leave it uncovered in the refrigerator while it brines, which helps dry the skin and gives you a much better chance of getting it crisp when you cook it.

If you've always wet brined your turkey, dry brining may feel almost too simple, but that's one of the things I like most about it.

What Is Dry Brining?

Dry brining is simply salting the turkey ahead of time and giving the salt enough time to work into the meat before cooking.

There is no water to mix, no bucket to find, and no turkey floating around in the refrigerator. The turkey itself supplies the small amount of moisture needed for the process.

Once you apply the salt, moisture begins moving toward the surface of the turkey and dissolves some of the salt. That salty liquid can then move back into the meat, and over time the salt works its way farther below the surface.

The end result is turkey that is seasoned more deeply than it would be if you simply sprinkled salt on it immediately before putting it on the smoker.

Why Dry Brine a Turkey?

The biggest reason I dry brine is flavor. Turkey is a large piece of meat, and seasoning only the outside right before cooking doesn't do much for the meat several inches below the surface.

Giving the salt time to work changes that.

Dry brining can also help the turkey retain moisture during cooking because salt changes the way some of the proteins in the meat behave. For the person eating the turkey, the important part is simply that a properly dry brined turkey is well seasoned and has a better chance of staying juicy during the cook.

There is also the convenience factor. A wet brine requires enough liquid to surround the turkey, a large food safe container, and enough refrigerator or cooler space to safely hold the whole thing. With a dry brine, the turkey can sit on a pan or rack in the refrigerator while the salt does its work.

For smoked turkey, I especially like what dry brining does for the skin. Leaving the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator allows the surface to dry, which is exactly what we want before it goes into the smoker.

What Kind of Salt Should You Use?

I use Morton kosher salt because that's what I've used for a couple of decades, but you don't have to use Morton. What matters more to me is choosing a kosher salt you like and using it consistently.

Different brands of kosher salt have different size and shape crystals, which means a tablespoon of one brand may contain quite a bit more salt than a tablespoon of another. That's why switching back and forth between brands while using the same volume measurement can give you different results.

After you've used the same salt long enough, you begin to learn what the right amount looks and feels like. I've used Morton for so many years that salting a steak or turkey for a dry brine is almost muscle memory. I don't normally need to measure it because I know how heavily I like to apply it and what that amount of Morton kosher salt looks like on the meat.

If you're new to dry brining, measure the salt at first and pay attention to the coverage. After you've done it enough times with the same salt, you'll start developing that same feel for it.

How Much Salt Do You Need to Dry Brine a Turkey?

If you're new to dry brining, I recommend measuring rather than trying to judge the amount by sight.

A good starting point is to use approximately 1/2 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt per pound of turkey. Because other kosher salts can have different crystal sizes and densities, don't assume that the same volume measurement will contain the same amount of salt if you change brands.

Turkey Weight	Morton Kosher Salt
8 pounds	4 teaspoons
10 pounds	5 teaspoons
12 pounds	6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons)
14 pounds	7 teaspoons
16 pounds	8 teaspoons (2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons)
18 pounds	9 teaspoons (3 tablespoons)
20 pounds	10 teaspoons (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon)

These amounts are a starting point rather than a rule that says every grain of salt has to be accounted for. Turkeys aren't perfectly shaped, some have more exposed skin than others, and the way you prepare the bird also changes the amount of surface area you're seasoning.

Once you've dry brined enough turkeys using the same salt, you'll probably find yourself relying less on the measuring spoon and more on what you've learned from experience.

What If the Turkey Already Contains a Salt Solution?

A lot of grocery store turkeys say something on the label such as “contains up to X% of a solution of water, salt and other ingredients.” You might assume that means the turkey has already been brined and adding more salt would make it too salty, but that hasn't been my experience.

I've cooked a lot of these turkeys over the years, and the added solution usually doesn't make the meat taste noticeably salty to me. In fact, I dry brine these turkeys the same way I dry brine a turkey that doesn't have an added solution, and I've had excellent results.

Whatever process is being used at the factory simply doesn't produce the same result that I get from properly dry brining the turkey myself. I want the meat seasoned well enough that you can actually taste it, and I don't rely on the added solution to do that for me.

I still recommend reading the label so you know what you're working with, but I wouldn't automatically skip the dry brine just because the turkey contains an added salt solution. I dry brine it as usual and season it based on the results I know I like.

The exception would be a turkey that is specifically sold as heavily brined, cured, or otherwise seasoned to the point that the meat already tastes salty. In that situation, adding a normal dry brine could be too much.

Should You Dry Brine a Frozen Turkey?

The turkey should be thawed before you dry brine it.

Salt needs access to the surface of the meat, and trying to dry brine a rock solid frozen turkey doesn't give you the control you need. It also makes it difficult to get salt into places such as under the skin of the breast.

Plan your thawing time separately from your dry brining time so the turkey is completely thawed and ready for seasoning before your dry brining window begins.

Prepare the Turkey for Dry Brining

Remove the turkey from its packaging and take the neck and giblets out of the cavities. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels, then place it on a wire rack set inside a rimmed sheet pan or roasting pan.

The rack isn't absolutely required, but I prefer it because it allows air to move around more of the turkey while it sits in the refrigerator and keeps the bottom of the bird from sitting in any liquid that collects in the pan.

At this point you can leave the turkey whole, or you can spatchcock it before dry brining if that's how you plan to cook it. In fact, spatchcocking first makes it easier to season the bird evenly and exposes more surface area to the dry air in the refrigerator.

Apply the Salt

Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the turkey rather than concentrating a lot of it in one area.

Make sure you season the breast, legs, thighs, wings, and the areas around the joints. You can apply some salt inside the cavity as well, although the majority should go where it can season the meat you will actually be eating.

I also like to carefully loosen the skin over the breast and apply some of the salt directly to the meat underneath. You don't need to completely remove the skin or fight with it. Just work your fingers underneath it carefully enough to create some space and distribute a little salt directly over the breast meat.

This gives the salt a shorter trip to the meat instead of requiring all of it to work through the skin first.

How Long Should You Dry Brine a Turkey?

For most turkeys, I like to give the dry brine at least 24 hours, and 24 to 48 hours is an excellent window.

A larger turkey benefits from having plenty of time because the salt has farther to travel, but there isn't a need to turn this into a week long process. If I were preparing a typical Thanksgiving turkey, I would plan to get the salt onto it a day or two before I intended to cook it.

If you only have overnight, that's still worth doing. Even 12 hours gives the salt more time to work than seasoning the turkey immediately before cooking.

Dry Brining Time	What to Expect
Less than 12 hours	Some benefit, but mostly surface seasoning
12 to 24 hours	Good if you're short on time
24 to 48 hours	My preferred range for most turkeys
More than 48 hours	Usually unnecessary

You don't need to turn the turkey or continually reapply salt during this time. Put it in the refrigerator and leave it alone.

Leave the Turkey Uncovered in the Refrigerator

Once the salt has been applied, place the turkey in the refrigerator uncovered.

This isn't just about convenience. The dry refrigerator air helps remove moisture from the surface of the skin, and dry skin is much easier to crisp than wet skin.

At first you may notice moisture forming on the turkey after the salt is applied. Don't panic and don't wipe it off. That's part of the process.

As the dry brine continues to work and the turkey sits uncovered in the refrigerator, the surface will eventually become noticeably drier.

By the time you're ready to cook, the skin may even look a little tight or leathery. That's exactly what I want to see.

Should You Rinse the Turkey After Dry Brining?

No. I don't recommend rinsing the turkey after dry brining.

The salt has already done its job, and rinsing the turkey puts water right back onto the surface after you spent a day or two drying the skin. It can also splash raw turkey juices around the sink and nearby surfaces.

If you used the proper amount of salt, there shouldn't be a layer of excess salt that needs to be washed away.

Take the turkey out of the refrigerator, make any final preparations you need to make, and get it ready for the smoker.

What About Rub After Dry Brining?

This is where you need to pay attention to how much salt is in your seasoning.

You have already salted the turkey during the dry brine, so applying a heavily salted rub afterward can push the final salt level higher than you intended.

If you're using a rub that contains salt, take that salt into account when deciding how much additional seasoning to apply.

Another option is to use a low salt or salt free seasoning after the dry brine so you can add herbs, spices, sweetness, and other flavors without adding much more salt.

The important thing is to think of the dry brine and the final seasoning as parts of the same process rather than treating them as completely separate layers of salt.

Dry Brining and Crispy Turkey Skin

Dry brining can give you a head start on better turkey skin, but it can't overcome a smoker temperature that is too low.

Leaving the turkey uncovered in the refrigerator removes surface moisture, which is exactly what we want, but the skin still needs enough heat during cooking for the fat underneath it to render and for the skin itself to crisp.

If you smoke poultry at low temperatures for the entire cook, you can still end up with rubbery skin even if you dry brined it perfectly.

This is why I generally prefer cooking turkey hotter than I would a pork butt or brisket. Poultry doesn't need hours and hours of low temperature cooking to become tender, and the higher heat is much friendlier to the skin.

You can also add a small amount of aluminum free baking powder to your rub if you want additional help with browning and crisping. The important thing is to use baking powder, not baking soda.

You can read more about this in my article that covers Why Turkey Skin Turns Rubbery (And How to Fix It).

Can You Add Herbs or Seasonings to a Dry Brine?

You can, but I tend to think of the salt as the part doing the actual dry brining.

Herbs, pepper, garlic, and other seasonings can certainly be added at the same time, but most of their flavor is going to stay near the surface. Salt is the ingredient that is doing the important work deeper in the meat.

For that reason, I don't think you need to turn a dry brine into a complicated mixture.

Kosher salt can do the dry brining, then you can build the rest of the flavor with your rub and other seasonings before the turkey goes onto the smoker.

Can You Dry Brine a Spatchcocked Turkey?

Absolutely, and this is actually one of my favorite ways to prepare a turkey.

Spatchcocking removes the backbone and allows the turkey to lay relatively flat, which helps it cook more evenly and usually reduces the cooking time. Doing it before the dry brine also exposes more of the bird, making it easy to apply the salt evenly and allowing more of the skin to be exposed to the dry refrigerator air.

If you're planning to spatchcock the turkey anyway, I recommend doing that first and then applying the dry brine.

Can You Dry Brine a Turkey Breast?

Yes. The same process works well for turkey breast, but because you're dealing with a smaller piece of meat, you don't need as much salt.

Use the same measured starting point based on weight rather than using the amount intended for an entire turkey.

A turkey breast also doesn't need as much time as a large whole bird for the salt to do its work, although an overnight dry brine is still a great way to prepare it.

Common Dry Brining Mistakes

Dry brining isn't difficult, but most problems come down to salt and timing.

Using too much salt is the obvious mistake, especially when someone uses a measurement intended for one brand of kosher salt with a different salt that weighs considerably more by volume. This is why I recommend picking a salt and becoming familiar with it.

Dry brining a turkey that was already injected or enhanced is another easy way to end up with too much salt. Read the package before you start.

Covering the turkey tightly while it dry brines won't necessarily ruin the meat, but you lose one of the big advantages of the process because the skin doesn't get as much exposure to the dry refrigerator air.

Rinsing the turkey afterward is another unnecessary step that puts moisture back onto the skin.

Finally, don't assume dry brining alone guarantees crispy skin. It gets you headed in the right direction, but cooking temperature still matters.

Dry Brining vs. Wet Brining a Turkey

Both methods work, and I've used both.

A wet brine surrounds the turkey with a saltwater solution, while a dry brine uses the turkey's own moisture to dissolve the salt at the surface. Both methods can season the meat and help you end up with a juicy turkey when they're done correctly.

The biggest practical difference for me is convenience.

Wet brining requires a large container, quite a bit of liquid, and enough cold space to keep the entire turkey and brine safely refrigerated. Dry brining requires a pan, a rack if you have one, kosher salt, and some refrigerator space.

Dry brining also has the advantage when I'm shooting for crisp skin because the turkey can spend the entire brining period uncovered and drying in the refrigerator.

I don't consider wet brining wrong by any means. In fact, I've used wet brines for turkey for years and have several favorite turkey brines that work extremely well.

They're simply two different ways of getting salt into the turkey, and I think it's worth understanding both so you can choose the one that works best for the turkey you're cooking and the amount of time and refrigerator space you have available.

Final Thoughts

Dry brining a turkey doesn't need to be complicated. Apply the right amount of salt, give it enough time in the refrigerator, leave the turkey uncovered so the skin can dry, and then cook it using a method that gives the skin enough heat to finish the job.

If you're new to dry brining, measure your salt carefully at first. Once you've done it enough times using the same kosher salt, you'll start recognizing what the right amount looks like, and eventually you may not need the measuring spoon at all.

That's where I've ended up after using Morton kosher salt for a couple of decades. I know the salt, I know what the coverage should look like, and salting a turkey or steak has become almost automatic.

The brand itself isn't the important part. Pick a good kosher salt, learn how it behaves, and stick with it long enough that using the right amount becomes second nature.