Dry-Brined Turkey

I cooked my very first turkey this year. I am rather proud now to be a real adult person. And I am very proud to say that my turkey was a total triumph, following (sort-of) this recipe courtesy of the NYTimes Thanksgiving section this year.

Ingredients:

1 12- to 16-pound turkey, preferably a heritage or pasture raised bird

1/2 cup kosher salt, more if needed

1 tablespoon black pepper

10 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley

2 small onions, halved

2 small apples, cored and halved

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white wine (optional)

Directions:

1. Two days before serving, rinse turkey and pat dry. Rub all over with kosher salt, slipping salt under skin where possible and rubbing some into cavities. Use about 1 tablespoon per four pounds of bird.

2. Wrap bird in a large plastic bag and place in refrigerator. On second night, turn turkey over. A couple of hours before cooking, remove turkey from bag and pat dry. Place in roasting pan and allow to come to room temperature.

3. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle half the pepper into main cavity of turkey; add thyme, parsley, half the onions and half the apples. Truss legs with kitchen twine. Put remaining apples and onions in neck opening and tuck neck skin under bird.

4. Rub butter under breast skin and onto thigh meat. Sprinkle bird with remaining pepper.

5. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees and cover breast of bird and wing tips with foil. Add a cup and a half of water or white wine to bottom of roasting pan and roast bird for another two hours, depending on size; figure 12 minutes a pound for an unstuffed bird. Remove foil in last half-hour so breast browns.

6. When turkey has roasted for two hours, begin to test for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer (digital is best) into two places in thigh, making sure not to touch bone. It should be at about 160 degrees.

7. When roasting is done, tip turkey so interior juices run back into pan. Remove turkey to a separate baking sheet or serving platter, cover with foil and then a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.

8. Pour fat and drippings from pan into a measuring cup. Deglaze pan with white wine or broth and pour that into same measuring cup. Fat and drippings can then be used to make gravy.

Things I did differently:

I didn't make the onion/apple stuffing, but I did use some pepper. thyme, and parsley on the outside of my bird & did rub the bird with butter. I used half water with the other half portioned with white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar-- the apple cider vinegar gave a sweet flavor to the turkey but ruined the gravy apparently, so I don't know if it is the wisest thing to try again, maybe just use the apples. I was inspired to try this recipe after eating a dry-brined bird at my sister's this year, and this recipe did not disappoint, producing a turkey that was This recipe makes a turkey that is just the right amount of salty and just the right amount of moist.