Dry Brine Turkey: Salt per Pound and Time

A dry brine for a turkey is salt applied to the bird with no water. The calculator's default is 0.37% of the turkey's weight, about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 5 pounds. For a 14 lb (6.35 kg) turkey that is 23.5 g (0.83 oz) of salt, and the turkey rests 1 day to 2 days in the refrigerator.

A turkey is large, so a dry brine saves the refrigerator space that a bucket of liquid would take. The whole turkey wet brine guide covers the soaking method, and wet versus dry brine compares the two.

Salt amount

The calculator has two amounts for a whole turkey, both a percentage of the thawed turkey's weight.

• Light, 0.37%: about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per 5 pounds, 1 to 2 days. The Kitchn gives 3 tablespoons for a 14 to 16 pound turkey and LSU AgCenter gives 1 tablespoon per 5 pounds. This is the default.
• Standard, 0.62%: 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound, 1 to 2 days. ATK gives this amount in its turkey articles.

The sources differ on the amount. ATK's 1 teaspoon per pound is about 1.7 times the Kitchn and LSU amount, which is why the calculator offers both and does not pick one as correct. None of the sources names a salt brand in the light amount, so the calculator reads "kosher salt" as Diamond Crystal, the lightest of the three common salts.

Salt and time by weight

Weigh the thawed turkey before salting. Volumes below are for each salt type, and a teaspoon of Diamond Crystal weighs 2.8 g, Morton kosher 4.8 g and table salt 6 g. Weighing the salt is the reliable way to measure it, and the kosher versus table salt guide explains why the volumes differ.

Light, 0.37% (default)

Standard, 0.62%

How to dry brine a turkey

1. Thaw the turkey completely, then weigh it and find your weight and salt type in the table.
2. Measure the salt, preferably by weight. ATK rubs it inside the cavity and under the skin of the breasts and legs.
3. Refrigerate the turkey at 40°F (4°C) or below for 1 to 2 days. The Kitchn sets it on a wire rack in a rimmed pan, and LSU AgCenter massages the salt into the skin every 8 to 12 hours.
4. Cook the turkey to a safe temperature. FoodSafety.gov lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum for poultry, and The Kitchn checks the breast, outer thigh and inner thigh.

Covered or uncovered

The sources differ on covering. The Kitchn refrigerates the turkey uncovered, saying the uncovered rest dries out the skin. LSU AgCenter seals the turkey in a food-grade plastic bag. ATK wraps the turkey tightly in plastic unless the recipe calls for air-drying at the same time.

The calculator gives the same time window for each method. Pick one and keep the turkey at 40°F (4°C) or below. The USDA FSIS poultry brining page describes dry brining in a sealed bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Time window and why 24 hours is the shortest time

The Kitchn refrigerates the turkey at least 1 day and ideally 3 days, while LSU AgCenter says up to two days. The calculator uses the shorter maximum of 2 days for both amounts.

Cook's Illustrated measured the salt in turkey meat after salting. At 1 hour the outer 5 mm was far too salty at 1.82 percent while the rest stayed bland. At 12 hours the salt was still mostly in the outer layers. At 24 hours much of the meat was near the 0.5 percent level that tasters liked, and at 48 hours the salt was more even still.

The calculator lists 24 hours as the minimum for a whole turkey, unlike the 2 hour minimum for a chicken in the dry brine chicken guide.

Dry brine compared with a wet brine

ATK says salting changes the muscle proteins so the meat holds more of its own juices, while a wet brine works faster and can make lean cuts juicier because it adds moisture. ATK also says salting does not interfere with crisp, browned skin, and that a brined bird needs very dry skin before cooking. ATK also says salting takes longer than brining and leaves more refrigerator space. The wet versus dry brine guide lays out the trade-offs for other foods.

Turkey breast

The calculator's turkey amounts are for a whole bird. For a turkey breast, ATK uses 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound between the skin and the meat for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours, and wraps it if salting for more than 12 hours. The turkey breast wet brine guide covers the soaking method for that cut, and the turkey brine time chart lists wet brine times.

Practical problems

• The turkey is too salty: Check the salt type. The same volume of Morton kosher or table salt weighs more than Diamond Crystal. Weigh the salt and count salt in any rub, stuffing or gravy.
• The salt feels uneven: Massage the salt into the skin as LSU AgCenter does, every 8 to 12 hours.
• The cavity juices taste strong: The Kitchn notes the cavity juices are quite salty if they go into gravy.
• A frozen turkey: Thaw it first. The calculator's weight is for the thawed turkey.

Safety and sodium

The turkey stays at 40°F (4°C) or below for the whole salting time. The brining food safety guide covers refrigerator handling, and the calculator takes any weight from 8 lb (3.63 kg) to 24 lb (10.89 kg).