dry-brined turkey with roasted onions (2024)

Anna

The “Wide Leg Mom Jeans Hunch”…
Thank you for the laugh! And the recipe.

Susan

Sally Weitzen

Can you use this basic recipe – with obvious time adjustments – for just a turkey breast?

teamhartford

It’s too late for Canadian Thanksgiving, but I’ve made a note in my calendar to review this post in October 2020. This is one of the sanest-looking turkey recipes I’ve ever seen. Your “single, not big, not great oven” comment reassures me.

Fran

Looks delicious! If one does not wish to use butter (to keep the meal completely non-dairy), what would you recommend for the bird instead? Chicken fat, margarine, olive oil, neutral oil? Thank you!

yslwl

How did you get your slices to look so great?

bylinemjf

This looks fab. How much detectible heat does the chili paste impart, would you say? I’m a big spice fan but my mother-in-law is sensitive and we’re hosting, so am curious if even this small amount will be too much for her.

Beth

Will the dry brine work with a kosher turkey or will it be too salty?

I have an odd urge to put apples inside my turkey… do you think that would be a good idea?

Vr

Would this be ok to spatchco*ck?

Ruth Lorbert

This looks amazing! Do you think this method of prep & cooking would work with a stuffed bird? Our fav stuffing is bread-based with leeks & dried fruit.

Colleen

I love the idea of onions. Last year I put a couple of bags of pearl onions in the bottom of the roasting pan the last 45 minutes or so with the turkey up on a roasting rack. I was going to put in an extra bag or two this year as they were the best thing on the table and made delicious leftovers. (Same trick works well with chicken.)
I have to disagree on not stuffing the bird. In my world, a turkey is just an expensive, single use container for cooking stuffing. That is why I invite guests who like turkey.

Frances

Ok I have to share my gravy tip, which I learned from my mom. I use a make ahead gravy recipe the day before, but then also deglaze the pan and add the juices to the gravy. It’s the best of both worlds!

Sharon

Yum! I like to spatchco*ck the bird. Don’t think the onions would cook enough though. Maybe I’ll try the chili/maple though!

meagan greene

Can you please provide a link or photo of the specific gochuchang chili sauce? There are many different kinds on Amazon. Thank you!

Patricia Dellas

Did you roast turkey on a bed of the onions or was the turkey in the rack that you show with the pan you used?

EK

I would also love to spatchco*ck my turkey or cook in parts and am curious if you could achieve the same thing with onions!

Jill

You almost make me wish I was hosting and cooking a turkey. My least favorite thing to cook (it’s so intimidating) but love to have this recipe for the future!

Anya Poukchanski

I’m a vegetarian, and I still read this recipe. You might have me reconsider my vegetarianism.

kristi perkins

I have a 21lb bird. Would you increase the paste ingredients? Double or 1.5?

Erin

Does it come out spicy with the chile? My Jewish relatives are spice adverse….!

susanfried5419

Does Morton’s kosher salt come in different grinds (fine, medium & coarse)? I can only find the coarse salt, which I use very sparingly. What grind are you using for your recipes?

Ashley

I’d like to try to make it dairy free. I noticed you replied to a previous comment about using a Chicken fat or neutral oil. I have no idea where to get chicken fat. What neutral oil would be your suggestion?

Lou Ann B Brown

I’ve always roasted my turkey atop onions, which I then blend into the gravy with an immersion blender. So good you could eat it as a dish unto itself. Thank you for this clear and refreshingly easy turkey tutorial!

Patty McMillan

Looks fabulous. Onions 💕
Re the gravy – I save turkey fat from pre-gaming the stock and use that instead of butter.

Catherine K

There is nothing but love and joy in my heart when reading your recipes Deb. You’re the best. 👏💕🍗

J Woessner

Will the pan drippings from the brined turkey be too salty to use in the gravy? I’ve read warnings to be cautious with them, enough so to make my gravy ahead by browning and simmering turkey wings and a leg the day before to get some great broth.

Cindy Williamson

Put your cutting board inside a 1/4 or 1/2 sheet pan and you won’t have to worry about the drippings getting everywhere :)

Yozhik

Finally! I have been searching so long for a turkey that shines as if it was lacqured, but doesn’t involve complicated steps or ingredients. Also, I smiled when I saw the “and roasted onions” part of the title, given your known preference for steakhouse and thanksgiving side dishes. Cannot wait to put the jammy onions on my slices of cornbread!

Jaimie

Annie

Deb, how spicy does rub make the skin? Little kids at our table who aren’t heat-spice fans.
And does rub play well with traditional sage/thyme-forward bread dressing?

Welie

I love the idea of using onion instead of other veggie (which I agree as side dishes)! Prefer to use big chunk of onion because it’s my favourite!!! Thanks for the recipe! I’m going to try it. I do found a great application on google play sorting all kind of plants with their benefits it’s called Herbs Encyclopedia.
You can read about onion here https://herbs.page.link/Onion

paulamartinelli

PERFECT! Very close to Thanksgiving holiday, this recipe is very handy and it looks amazing and delicious, I will need to try it! I am in ketogenic diet now, but hey…it is Thanksgiving, and turkey is a great lean protein ;-)

Dave

Please publish the slow-roasted whole chicken with gochujang chili paste recipe!

KatieK

I’m a little concerned that the onions roasted under the turkey might be greasy; not so? At Thanksgiving I serve green beans with oven roasted onions in a butter sauce so I’m thinking of using the onions roasted with the bird instead. Any thoughts?

Do you think substituting olive oil for butter would work? I understand it will taste different….

Mino

All these onions cooking with turkey….does that not make the turkey juices taste more like onion soup…making the gravy also onion soup like flavor?

Becky Turner

Got a question!!! What If I use the basting mix as part of the “dry rub” inside and out, between the skin and the meat? Going to happen here I think . I use a lot of onions for under the turkey. Makes a great side dish if I do share it…going to be great with this basting sauce!

Sharon

When you tried this with a chicken, did you also first cook at high heat then reduced temperature? Also may do this with a turkey breast. Do you recommend specific times for either? And, dare I ask, how about subbing the butter with olive oil? For both cholesterol issues and just can’t quite bring myself to cook meat or poultry with butter…..thanks.

Cy

I’m with you, I’m all about the sides and maybe a turkey sandwich the next day. I usually think the best thing about turkey is making turkey tetrazzini with the leftovers ( as my mom did every year) and it would be exceptional with the lovely added flavors here. This recipe looks great and I would readily dive in if I was hosting this year. I love the addition of the onions. It’s Friendsgiving for me and my onion gratin with sage and Gorgonzola. I think I will try this with chicken. Yum!

Cait

Alright it’s dumb question time! I tried a dry brine a few years ago and a LOT of juice came out of my bird. And it ended up being really dry after roasting. I’m afraid to try again, because it’s not like you can put the juice back in…what did I do wrong?

Sara

Amateur question – but where do the onions go exactly? Under the roasting rack, or on top of it with the turkey?

chanface

As a result of the chili paste, does the gravy turn out spicy? Wondering how kid-friendly this recipe is (I’m guessing it’s kid friendly, from you!)

Susan Barton

I always tuck the wings under. It stops them from burning. You have to manhandle the bird a bit (womanhandle?) but the result is nice and tidy, and the wings don’t splay out, which always looks a little scary to me. Maybe one could practice on the roast chicken?

Katy

Refer to the Cooks Illustrated explanation about roasting a stuffed turkey: the secret to having food-safe stuffing AND moist turkey, is to stuff the turkey with HOT (too hot to handle) stuffing, then roast straight away. It doesn’t extend the roasting time very much, & the added turkey flavour in the stuffing … I love it.

Keapdx

Do the onions sit on the rack with the turkey or in the bottom of the pan?

Lindsey Chance

When roasting the turkey, do you leave uncovered the entire time? and just loosely apply the foil when it gets to dark? So excited to try this recipe this weekend!

Robin

To deal with the juices dripping when you carve, I put my whole cutting board on top of a cookie sheet when I carve. At the end I pour all the drippings back into my roasting pan and make my gravy. I’m not wasting any delicious juices and my counter stays a little cleaner.

Alyssa

Deb! Thank you so much! I’m going to give this a try on my unsuspecting guests next week. Also, thank you for all you do – I’ve been loving your blog, books, and witty banter since 2009 and have never been led astray. You are a true culinary gem.

Shirley

Are you putting the salt under the skin ? I have found the salt and seasonings are often not very discernible if not put under the skin.

comilona

I’ve done a dry salt brine for years now (after a wet brine – NEVER AGAIN) and it’s always resulted in a gorgeous, delicious bird. I think I got the “recipe” from Saveur magazine, it’s more of a method than a recipe since you quite literally only use salt and nothing else on the bird itself. Per this method, my turkey is hanging out in my fridge for 1-2 days completely *uncovered*. Doing so ensures the skin sort of dries out, resulting in a lovely crispy skin after cooking. You’ll think your bird is ruined after a few hours of this, but don’t worry! Keep it simple, keep it uncovered. I’m excited to add Deb’s onions and rub to my turkey this year.

Pauline

I clicked on this article once I had stopped drooling/ licking that turkey photo!
Quick Q. For the paste, I’ve not seen any of the options in my local supermarket could I get away with adding white pepper?
Also re: gravy… Sounds alot like hard work and tad stressful
Do you not have Bisto gravy granules in the states?? You get all flavours from Veggie to Chicken to Beef and Turkey. Few tablespoons add hot water or water from the veggies stir and mix. I like to do it on the hob til bubbling then pour into gravy boat. Ta da 3min gravy. Ahhh Bisto!

Sarah in Vancouver

Yes there are 20,000 recipes on the internet, but I trust YOU, 20,000x more!Perfect timing, I am volunteering again this year to cook a turkey and gravy for my Co-op holiday party in early Dec. Last year I did some internet research and dry-brined in the fridge while it was defrosting. This year I will do it your way. Need to work on my carving though.

Wendy

How would you recommend making this without butter? (Kosher style) thanks !

Amy

Meghan

Welp, I was so excited about this recipe, I went ahead and ordered an organic 14lb turkey from Amazon Prime Now. It arrived deeply chilled — which means it was not frozen, but I don’t think it ever got anywhere close to room temp. I put it immediately in the freezer because I didn’t have any other options, did I? I just assumed all birds from the grocery store would be frozen! My questions are 1) this is okay from a food safety issue, right? Most sources I’ve found suggest yes, but you’re more suspicious of salmonella and I trust you and 2) will this turkey taste alright?

Thank you Deb! My uncle always cooks our birds on the grill after I prep them. Though I hate to miss the onions — which sound AMAZING — we are going to use your brine and rub method this year, which I’m imagining can only be complemented by the smokiness we usually get on the grill. Will report back.

Alexa

I don’t own a roasting pan and rarely cook meat. We will have a small turkey and a GIANT Dutch oven- do you think roasting in the Dutch oven would work? I could rest the metal rack from the Instant Pot inside, if having a little lift is the essential part.

Lynn

This looks amazing!
Could I do this with a turkey breast? How long would you cook a 12lb turkey breast and same temp as a whole turkey?

Econogal

Thanks for the information on the salt brands and adjusting the amounts.

Mary

My store only sells fresh “Butterball” turkeys. Can they be dry brined? The label says a natural water/salt mixture has been injected into turkey. I would love to try your recipe but I am concerned about the bird becoming too salty.

Alex

Adrienne

I always cooked my turkeys to 165 degrees, and you recommend 150-155 degrees. Why is that? Does it continue cooking as it sits and results in a moister turkey? Thank you

britiney

Hey, Deb. I usually use a turkey roasting bag. I know I won’t be able to baste, but is there any other reason you think this wouldn’t work in the bag? I’m terrified to try a turkey without the bag to keep the bird moist. I’m frantically printing off all of your t-day recipe ideas. Thanks for keeping us all cooking! xo

Elizabeth Moss

Roasted onions are always my favorite part of roasted poultry. One way that you can share those delicious roasted onions with others is to make them into a gravy. Put them in a blender with the drippings and some chicken broth to thin out as much as you wish. No need to add flour. Super easy.

Carrie

I’m making a tiny thanksgiving for two and therefore only roasting a turkey breast- do you think this recipe/method would work on a breast (with adjusted cooking time of course)?

Steph

I made this last night for a Friendsgiving. It was amazing! I had a 20lb turkey so i did 2tbsp more butter and a little more maple and Chile paste. Plus the lemon/garlic/herbs. It was perfect. So many complements!

Sheryl

I bought two smaller turkeys that I am going to have butterflied. One will be traditional herbs, dry brine and oven roast to make kick-ass gravy. The second I think I will do this combo on the grill. I am with you and don’t love turkey but would take a bath in gravy so need those pan drippings but excited about some flavor!

CEN

What’s the wweetness factor with the maple syrup? We want a savory bird, not at all sweet. Love appropriately salty, savory skin. I’m hoping the syrup gives just the slightest hint of sweetness rather than announcing maple, along with the subtle spice of the paste. Wondering if I could cut back on the syrup a bit, esp. since my turkey will be on the smaller end of your weight scale.

rachelmaskin

Should I use the same gravy recipe with duck? Any suggestions?

Amy

I made this for my first-ever hosted Friendsgiving (meaning it was also my first turkey!) last night and it turned out wonderfully! I was surprised by the lack of drippings, but this could be user error rather than the recipe itself. I also only had the brine on the bird for about 18 hours, so next year I’ll time this out to ensure I have a whole 2 days of brining. Thank you, Deb, for your clear instructions and inspiring confidence in this fledgling turkey chef. Have a great Thanksgiving!

This is great, look forward to trying this out this year!

V.J.

Stephania Photography

Can I make the first simple gravy like way ahead of time? Maybe on Tuesday to just get that part done for the big day? Cooking in our small nyc kitchen so hoping to do as much prep as possible!

Melaura

My friend, who has never cooked a bird before, made an 11 pound turkey and it turned out great. No roasting pan, sitting in a glass dish, forgot to take out the giblet bag, never turned it over . . . still juicy, flavorful and lovely. Don’t be scared of the glaze being spicy, it isn’t at all, just yummy.

Quinn

Re: chipotle chili sauce – is this the sauce in a can of chipotles in adobo? Sorry if it’s a dumb question!

Lisa

Would sriracha – for rooster sauce lovers – be an acceptable chili paste in this instance? Or is it too liquid?

Sara Duke Biscoe

Happy Thanksgiving! I ordered the mama gochujang hot sauce accidentally instead of a paste- how should I change the amount to the sauce mix without it being too hot spicy? I like that this option is more of a sweet hot rather than a chipotle or harassa taste. I am cooking for an early wed thanksgiving dinner so don’t have enough time to order paste. Thank you!

Hailly

Can’t wait to try this! Just curious if you need to add any liquid to the roasting pan while cooking? Worried that the juices will burn and will have nothing left for gravy. Or do the onions on the bottom of the pan keep this from happening? Thanks!

Hankins

Allie

Mona

Anyone read that article in the NYTimes a few weeks ago about mayonnaise being the secret ingredient for cooking any/all meat? I’m tempted…

I’m doing this turkey; it sounds so easy. I’m cutting up the turkey to make the cooking time faster. Question: how spicy is this turkey? I have 2 picky kids who don’t do spicy. I know 1 T gochujang isn’t much for a whole bird but just wondering. Thanks!

Sara

The oven should preheat at 450 for 2 1/2 hours? Just want to make sure I read that right.

Hedy

Oh, my goodness, Deb! For the longest time I’ve been screen printing the recipe section because I didn’t see a print button or using my phone to follow the recipe. I just found out today that if I just use the browser print function, you’ve set it so that only the recipe prints! Am I the only one who didn’t know?

JM

If my turkey is already wet brined how would that change the recipe?

casey longo

Deb, you have never failed me, but…I am nervous about the maple syrup….
Can someone promise me it doesn’t make the turkey taste like a pancake?

Thank you for sharing this recipe! I made this today for a local family, and I am excited that I get to make it twice this year. :D The sweetness of the syrup was just enough and the gochujang added a subtle flavor. Happy Thanksgiving!

Keith

In searching the internet for cooking times for a turkey many have substantially longer cooking times (https://www.epicurious.com/holidays-events/the-easiest-way-to-cook-turkey-article). I love your recipe but with cooking for many people timing is always concern. I know I can always wait for the turkey but getting every thing out together always seems to be my challenge.

Natalie Gaston

I made your turkey and gravy (and apple pie) for thanksgiving and GOOD GOD. Those onions! My family thinks I can walk on water. It was so delicious. Seriously. These will be staples for all future Thanksgivings. Thank you. There’s a reason you’re my favorite cookbook author and food blogger.

Being extraordinarily thrifty, I always use the string from basmati rice bags to truss a turkey. Circle of life. Whatever that means. Happy Thanksgiving to my American neighbours.

Mary Beth

I am a passionate home cook and have been following you since you began your blog. In fact, many of your earlier posts on recipes you tried I had already made myself—I tweaked them differently, but I knew you and I thought alike about skill level, desired result, and time management. For the first time in over 25 years, I am not hosting Thanksgiving, and I was relieved. My guests were always complimentary, but I really felt the main event, the Turkey, was never up to snuff. So today, I find myself alone (non un-happy—I’ll have MORE than enough family and friends over next few weeks). I made this turkey, just for me, just to experiment. Hands down, BEST TURKEY I EVER MADE. I didn’t change a thing from your post. You weren’t kidding when you said the bird will get dark, but I soldiered on and waited with my meat thermometer to get where I needed. This turkey was so delicious! Salt brining really works. And for those who feared the chili paste—not remotely an issue. This will be my future turkey recipe, and I will take up the reigns again soon and proudly serve this. Thank you Deb, thank you for taking the time, the science, the expense, to perfect something for us home cooks. In my mind, you are a national treasure.

Sandie

Oh my! I made this for Thanksgiving. Used gochujang and it turned out great. Nice and dark and crisp, and the gravy was delicious. Will do a whole chicken next.

Melissa

Hands down the best turkey ever. Thanks Deb. You made me a rock star thanksgiving 2019!!

K

Just did this to a 4.8 pound turkey breast and cooked it first for 20 min then down for 1 hour and no basting and it was great!

Fredda Ferris

I was nervous about this being too salty or to spicy but decided we were going with it…so glad we did! It was absolutely perfect. Used chipotle chili paste with the maple syrup and it was just delicious. Used the drippings for gravy and yum…followed exactly as written and it was a winner!

Venetia

What a disaster! I followed the directions exactly. When I checked the turkey at 20 minutes to baste and turn down the oven temp, most of the breast skin was burned black, definitely not brown, BLACK. Everyone in the house (neighborhood?) heard me yell OH NOOOO! and were concerned that I had hurt myself, but fortunately just my pride and reputation were injured (along with the turkey).

Heritage Classical Academy

Made this as my first ever Thanksgiving turkey for my large, opinionated Italian family… with the anxious hovering of both my grandmother and mother resting on my shoulders… and it was dubbed “the best turkey in years!” Deb, you are my go-to for so many recipes– your instructions are clear, your writing is a little irreverent and unpretentious, and once again you made me look like a brilliant chef! THANK YOU!

Adam Barr

Made it. Crushed it. Crowned Thanksgiving Master. I followed this exactly as written, only I spatchco*cked my bird, and it came out phenomenally! I had a 13 lb turkey, which I cooked at 450 for 25 minutes, then at 400 for another 50 minutes. An hour fifteen for a 13 lb turkey! And even with that, I could’ve pulled it out of the oven a few minutes earlier. It was SO tasty. Thanks, Deb.

Karen Obermiller

Holey Thanksgiving success Deb! This recipe produced the best turkey I have ever roasted — including my home raised hen. It was that good!!!!
But! For a 14 pound turkey I did the 450 for thirty minutes and then 2 hours at 350 and Then 1 1/2 hours at 300. It was moist falling off the bone delicious!!!

Jenjujube

So much easier than the turkey recipe I had been using for several years and the turkey was so much more flavorful and juicy! Loved the skin, the salty meat and those roasted onions! My 12-pound turkey was done in little more than an hour. Definitely my new go-to!

Anna

Eliza Kramer

This is a great turkey recipe! We used oil (not butter) and just maple syrup. The turkey looked beautiful and was done earlier than expected. We use the blanket trick (wrap your turkey in foil then in a heavy blanket and set it aside for up to an hour) and it was the best turkey ever. Thanks for another winning recipe!

chickenfox212

I made this turkey for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Let me tell you though, we rented a cabin on the Shenandoah River in Virginia and were in a location that had no cell or internet service. I was certain I printed the recipe before I left, but could not find it anywhere. My daughter finally walked down to the river and was able to get enough cell service to get your recipe. I used a lot more chili sauce (not paste) and syrup but it was an amazing turkey. Everyone commented on how this was the most tender and flavorful turkey they ever had. Thanks for a wonderful recipe. Oh, and I used the drippings for seasoning my green beans. Amazing!

JG

Just adding to the crowd: this was AMAZING last night and I’m so happy I followed Cindy’s suggestion for the cutting board inside a bigger pan. Had my kid stand there with a laptop, watching the carving video and talking me through it. All in all a stellar recipe that i’ll be repeating every year. Thank you!

Gillis

I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday with slight apprehension – I was a little worried that the gochujang would leave the turkey noticeably spicy. No need to worry, though, because it was perfect. It just tasted like well-seasoned turkey, and even though I cooked an 18 lb bird, the meat was tender and not at all dried out. I’ll definitely try it again.

AmyK

Thank you for this recipe. It was the first turkey I’ve ever had, much less made, that I ate the turkey meat by itself. No cranberries for extra flavor. And while the 2 quarts of gravy seemed excessive, it was my first successful, solo gravy making. Seriously, I cannot tell you how successful I felt after making this for our Thanksgiving meal. The Brussels sprout, pomegranate salad made an excellent side.

AmyAnne

I followed this recipe making a bone in turkey breast and the turkey came out absolutely fantastic, juicy and flavorful. However you can’t make a standard gravy from the drippings because of the spices.

jules120

Roasting turkey isn’t rocket science, but turkey can be really bland.
This is a great method – not only easy, but no crazy ingredients.
The skin was beautiful, the turkey really tasty, and the onions!
My new go-to turkey roasting recipe.
Thanks Deb!

Tammi

Wow, best turkey ever! I think I’ve found my forever turkey recipe and I didn’t even make it myself 😩. Had a bad fall that damaged my shoulder on the Monday before thanksgiving so directed my sweet husband how to make it from my throne on the couch. He couldn’t find my garlic chili paste (yeah, I have a TON of condiments) so he used sriracha. If I had asked to look for the harissa I think his head might have exploded 😂. I think this will be our go to recipe, looking forward to trying it on a roasting chicken. Thanks Deb!

Theresa Carroll

This was fabulous – this is my favorite recipe to date and I love that the onions/onion juice can basically double as gravy (because…I hate making gravy and find it gross – this is so much better!)

Best turkey I have ever made, hands down! Guests were very impressed- thank you very much!

Betsy Batstone-Cunningham

This was the best turkey that we have ever made. We used a 6lb turkey breast with bone. Made a gravy out of the drippings. Love the onions. This will be our go to recipe.
Thanks

Came here to say… this turned out SO nicely. Dry-brined for about 36 hours (Tuesday evening to Thursday morning), 450 for 25 minutes, then 350 until it was done. Moist and flavorful, and, sadly, not a lot left for those all important next-day leftovers.

Diane

I used this method with a 20 pound turkey. It was done when I checked it at 3.5 hours but I think it may have been done sooner. I was skeptical because it seemed so simple but it worked like a dream.

Diane

I used this method for a 20 pound bird (1.5 x the ingredients). I was skeptical because it seemed so simple in its method but also the ingredients. It came out really well though. Clean flavors, moist, etc. It was done when I checked at 3.5 hours but I think it may have been done before that. I wrapped it in foil and a towel and packed it in a cooler bag to transport on my bike and it was still delicious!

Kim

This was the first time my turkey hasn’t been dry! I’ve tried most of the other methods, but this will now be my go-to!

Grace

Delicious! Turned out perfect (we made it exactly as you instructed here, even going with the riskiest gravy method ;)) and would make this again!

estellechait

This looks so incredibly delicious and the skinnnnnnnn oh my goodness! I only made a turkey once- it was delicious but it was so large that the oven door wouldn’t close and I had to keep it shut by dragging in some of the dining room chairs. I think( now that thanksgiving is over and the pressure is off) I will try this for a weekend Shabbat dinner!

KatieK

First, the turkey: either my oven is way off base, but in testing it with a thermometer says it isn’t or the butcher mislabeled my turkey because for 12.4 pounds it took almost 3 hours. That said it was very juicy and the skin was a lovely burgundy and nice and crisp. My other thought that opening the oven to baste drives the temp down and then it has to work to get it back up to the 350 degrees, making the process take longer.
Second, the gravy: It was the best I’ve ever made and the highlight of the meal. I did the third method of deglazing the fond with white vermouth, adding the flour and broth. It wasn’t at all salty and the maple/chili rub didn’t add any weird flavor or spice.
Third, the onions: they didn’t cook terribly well, were still quite crunchy when the turkey was finally finished; I was expecting more of a caramelized finish. I suspect they did add some flavoring to the drippings. All said, I don’t know that they were worth it.

jean waring

This was wonderful. I did take the onions out after about an hour and they were a revelation. All my roasts will have a bed of onions for now on.

aspennarvarte

I butchered my turkey this year and cooked the pieces following this recipe. (My family did not miss the Norman Rockwell moment.) Bird was wonderful. Also made the best gravy ever with the pan drippings. I made broth days ahead with the bones and some vegetables. We had ‘leftover’ turkey soup the night before Thanksgiving.

Alicia

I saw this recipe a few days before Thanksgiving and decided to put myself in charge of the turkey this year. My family is so glad I did! I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. Juicy and great flavor.

Sarah

Thank you for this – hands down the best and easiest turkey we’ve ever made! Your notes on timing were so helpful.

I made this yesterday and I cannot emphasize enough how delicious this was. I did everything exactly the way Deb says and the turkey turned out just perfect. Very moist with a nice spicy kick and oh my God, the onions. I could eat them with a spoon (and I did the next day).

Awads

My turkey came out just great: flavorful, juicy enough, etc. But the onions didn’t come out roasted. Instead, they excreted a ton of liquid (from the bird and from themselves?) and basically simmered themselves. They were still delicious, and the drippings made for some really nice gravy! Probably my best yet. Even though i didn’t have “jammy” onions, i think i’m still going to do that part again, even with a roasted chicken.

Meghan

Thank you for working so hard on this recipe. It was my first time cooking the turkey for Thanksgiving, and I was stressing a little about it until you posted your recipe. After that, I knew it would turn out great. And it did — it was sublime!

Oh my lord! Mouthwatering just looking at that top image. We have got to try this method out for Christmas Day here in rainy England. It will add a nice twist to our traditional family feat but I better give it a practice run first eh?

Kristina

I used your recipe with our turkey this year and it was delicious. I loved the dry brining, so much easier than a liquid brine. The butter-maple-chili paste treatment gave our turkey a great color and the gravy had a deep rich color and flavor. Thank you for a winning recipe!

Shannon

After multiple years of multi-day wet brining, stuffing the turkey with aromatics and other fussiness, I tried out this recipe in search of a simpler process. So so pleased with the delicious results. Added a little water to the bottom of the pan throughout cooking to encourage more “sauce” for gravy making. Served some of the onions with Thanksgiving dinner and saved the rest to make french onion soup with stock from the turkey. This is how I will cook the turkey from now on!

Emily

This was THE BEST turkey I had ever made. Thank you so much for a simple, solid recipe. Everyone was very thankful!

Alison Pepper

Question: my fave Mark Bittman simple roasted chicken recipe has a similar short high temp cook breast up, then a longer lower temp cook breast down. Do you cook your turkey breast up the whole time? Thanks!!
P.S. I made you cranberry pie with thick pecan crumble and you swiss chard sweet potato gratin for Thanksgiving and both were huge hits!! I’ve had to share your thanksgiving email with several people💙💙

Maria

My husband was too worried the gochujang [his favorite condiment!] would turn off my MIL, so we did it w plain butter [w lemon garlic & sage inside]. The 5lbs of quartered onions under the bird were a revelation! They were delicious themselves and the drippings made the best gravy I’ve ever made. I will add onions-only to the the pan for the rest of my life… and try the gochujang version at Xmas when it’s just us.

jordenoliver

On my son birthday i ordered dry-brined turkey & chiken kabab from the newsham restaurant and the taste of dry-brined turkey is very delicious and yesterday i made at home dry-brined turkey according to the recipe ,both taste are almost similar.

This dry-brine is THE BEST. We do an annual Thanksgiving/holiday party in Beijing and hubby has voted this as the best turkey ever. I have to butcher my turkey anyway to fit into my tiny countertop oven, so got to do a maple glaze and an herbed version. The gravy from the drippings was amazing!

Wow! this is such a wonderful recipe! I have never seen such instructions that are very detailed. I’m going to try this on Christmas!

Geekgirl

Meme

So thankful that this was the winter you posted a roasted turkey recipe (as this was the winter I had to cook my first turkey for a crowd). I followed it as best I could and it turned out delectable! Rave reviews from my family!!
Thank YOU!!

Jamie S.

This was unbelievably good! I made it for our annual Christmas dinner turkey and the overwhelming consensus was that it was our best turkey ever and by far the best gravy (I always use the reckless third method!).
It wasn’t salty at all, just really juicy and delicious. Thank you for sharing!

Marie M. C.

The secret to a moist turkey is a ROASTING BAG! Take my work for it — it really works.

Becca

Hi Deb, Wondering how this dry brine does when smoking a turkey? I usually do a wet brine before smoking a turkey. I would assume you smoke on high heat and then lower the temp just like you would when cooking in the oven? I host a Friendsgiving in January every year (thus the late comment) and am excited to try this recipe out this weekend!

Tammi Whittaker

Love, love this recipe! Am planning on doing this with a roasting chicken, how should I adjust the heat and time?

beebarbles

Loved this recipe and just did it with a turkey breast. The onions underneath are heaven. Oh, so good. We had a mini quarantine off-season Thanksgiving with all the fresh veg and mashed potatoes. Those onions with a little mashed. I have no words. Thanks, Deb!

Firoozeh Hashemi

Made this turkey tonight. Tasted good but was juices were very salty. I will decrease the salt or wipe some off before cooking it next time.

Kate

Deb, this sounds wonderful–if doing a bone in skin on turkey breast (5-7 pds.) would one lower the temp? I am subbing artisanal cane syrup for maple.

Alice

Is the turkey on a rack? Are the onions flat on the bottom of the pan, ie under and around the rack?
I always liked America’s Test Kitchen method of starting upside down, then flipping after an hour, provided that the turkey is small enough or you are strong enough.

Terri Kasper

Meghan

Any way to make gravy gluten free?

Jennifer

Living in South Korea and only have access to frozen turkeys. Mostly Butterball. Should I still do the brining step? Thank you so much! I love your recipes!

April

Juliet

I made this for Friendsgiving and wow! It was my first time roasting a turkey and it came together so well. It was a huge hit and there were no leftovers! First-timers rejoice!

Rachel

Since we are doing Thanksgiving just 2 of us this year, I would like to just do a turkey breast with this! (We are also experimenting with some Medieval Times-style drumsticks). Any ideas on cook time adjustment?

Audra

I just have to say thanks for the recipe. Made this last year and my MIL said it was the best turkey she’s ever had. Now all I have to do is repeat it next week!

BB

Because #2020 and we’re doing a smaller thanksgiving gathering, do you have tips on how to adjust the ingredients for a smaller bird? Say 8-10 pounds – how much less salt should I use?

Haley

Hello Deb! I Am a long time Smitten Kitchen fan <3
I’m guessing this is a rookie question (I looked through the comments to avoid repeating a question but I couldn’t find the answer). If I am getting a frozen turkey, do I defrost it completely before dry brining? So 2-3 days defrost, then add salt, then back in the fridge for 2 days?
Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I’ve been especially thankful for the happiness and relaxation baking from your recipes has given me during 2020!

Alyson Beck

Deb, I’ve been following you for years. I’m turning 50 in January and I’ve never made ” the turkey”. (Mostly because my mother is still alive ❤)
After thoroughly enjoying reading this…I’m ready. I’m so ready. Thank you so much for all that you write.

Christine

Can we discuss the challenge of a 10 lb half turkey, which is what was available to me when I called our local butcher this week? #thankscovid

Olivia

Deb, will roasting the onions in the pan with the turkey absorb juices and drippings that I could otherwise use in gravy? I want to try roasting them in the pan, but there is a fearful/greedy part that doesn’t want to miss out on a speck of gravy. Please advise.

I adapted this to what I had on hand (turkey thighs and tenderloins, honey, hot sauce) and it was…interesting. Spicy. Looking forward to trying it as written next year!

Jane

Hi Deb, This looks like the turkey I want to make this Thanksgiving but our bird is 9#s!
Don’t think the onions will be cooked enough with a shorter cook time. What adjustments should I make to get similar results.
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving 2020 style!

Jerod

Those that say to rinse also say to pat dry. Does the bird need to be dry before I salt it? I’m talking no blood in the cavity dry?

Chloe

Ack! I over salted this last night (2 days before) because I used Morton instead of diamond. Can I rinse and redeem myself? Should I put a small amount of salt back on. Yikes!

Elyse

Soooo delish. Adding a couple bulbs of sliced fennel adds a little to the roasted onions. Even if you’re not a fennel person they really become buttery pieces of heaven when roasted under meat.

Pearl

Kristen Logan

This was the BEST turkey we’ve ever had! (We actually don’t like turkey) We used a kosher turkey breast from Trader Joe’s and it was absolutely amazing! Thank you!

Mitzi

C

This was the simplest and most straightforward way I’ve ever prepared a turkey, and it was also the best turkey we’ve ever had. We prepared it exactly as written, without need for foil tenting. The gravy was great and the onions were out of this world. Thanks for making our lives more delicious on this day (and hundreds of others), Deb! Hope you had a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.

April

I am not a fan of turkey but this is the second year I have made this and it’s just incredible. I love how simple it is and it tastes amazing. The only issue I have is that I don’t seem to accumulate enough drippings and every year I manage to save it by pouring a bunch of broth in the pan just seconds before it completely burns. Otherwise: so good! This is my turkey recipe from now on.

Jen

I made this for Thanksgiving 2020 and my family loved it! It wasn’t dry like most turkey and the flavor was great! My kids even went back for seconds! Definitely a keeper!

Carly

I made this for our turkey day feast yesterday. I misread the directions and added ALL the butter to the gochujang paste to spread on the turkey pre-baking. Whoops! I basted with some broth instead of more butter. The turkey turned out well anyway, although I do think most of the “paste” slid off due to there being just too much butter and became part of the drippings. I had a lot of hot chili oil/fat to skim off the drippings! The turkey was still moist and delicious, although we thought the skin was too salty. That may be because I used a frozen turkey (injected with broth)? Not sure. I’d like to try this rub again with the proper amount of butter, maybe just on a chicken next time.

Helena

So I followed this recipe for my turkey yesterday. Big fail. Pouring that much maple syrup (mixed with butter and harissa) over the turkey just flat out burned the turkey skin in 15 minutes. Also burned my pan and smoked up my kitchen a bit. I put foil over it and turned the heat down to 350 (from 450) and it was ok but still…burned turkey skin. I have sad photos.
Deb, I love your recipes. I use them often. I hate posting a sad comment but I was really bummed. This was my first time hosting Thanksgiving for my family and my parents. In my very humble opinion, 4T of maple syrup (mixed with butter and harissa) is too much for a 16 lb bird.

Julia

This is THE turkey! I am never disappointed by your recipes and so left on our own for Thanksgiving this year, my husband and I decided to go for your gorgeous looking turkey. I will admit, when I tasted the chili paste and maple syrup mix I got a little nervous that I was straying too far from Tradition, but the end result was subtle and perfect. So juicy and flavorful, even my children professed it was the “best turkey ever”. I will add a note here: we discovered my oven had temperature control problems resulting in run away heat up to 500 degrees. With a thermometer and careful watching we managed the sides and pies in the oven, but decided it was too much to ask for the turkey so we spatchco*cked the bird and did it in a large foil pan on the grill. I left the middle burners on very low and the side burners on high with the roasting pan in the middle. I cooked it for 50 min, breast side up, flipped it and cooked it breast side down for about another hour. It did not taste grilled at all and I think we might do this forever to leave the inside oven free. Thank you for making it easy to make a delicious turkey! I also used your gravy recipe and it was simple and delicious.

Haley

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I just wanted to say that this year is the first time I’ve ever made a turkey, I’ve never even roasted a whole chicken! Needless to say I was intimidated. This recipe is amazing, and so easy to follow. The turkey was delicious, maybe my favorite I’ve ever had, and like I said it was so simple! I did need to tent the turkey with foil, as it darkened very quickly like you described. And my turkey was on the smaller side (12 lbs), so I did end up roasting the onions a tad longer so they caramelize more, they became delicious, flavorful, and jammy but still crispy in spots. Amazing. And I had a ton of drippings which I added to a make ahead gravy, it really added a great flavor.
I wanted to share my experience in case anyone panicked like me lol. My turkey was frozen and I defrosted it for a few days, but the day I planned to dry brine it it was still just a bit frosty. Because I didn’t allow time to give it another day to defrost, and because I didn’t have a huge plastic bag to put it in to defrost under cold water, I just decided to dry brine the turkey at this point. It turned out amazing anyway. While I agree it’s ideal to work with a completely defrosted bird, I just wanted to share that it seems to work ok as long as the turkey is mostly defrosted. Just in case anyone finds themselves in a similar scenario.
Thank you as always, Deb, for an incredible recipe with thorough and well written instructions. Your recipes are always easy to follow and the results are always amazing!

carol

I am a year late to this Turkey recipe party…after 10 attempts over 10 Thanksgivings cook the perfect turkey…I finally did it! This recipe is perfection.

Olivia

In Deb We Trust!!! Made this for my parents for our modest 2020 Thanksgiving and it was so easy and delicious! We used the gochujang and it added color and a little flavor but otherwise the turkey was just juicy and perfect! We may have forgotten to put a rack in our roaster so we had to ditch the onions, unfortunately. They smelled amazing, though.

Kristen Buettner

I made this turkey for Thanksgiving. Have not roasted a turkey in a long time.
18lb turkey. I dry brined Tues nite and left at room temp for about 2 hrs.
Flavor was really good. Skin was great! I basted every 30 min and added broth to bottom of the pan regularly as onions were burning. I put turkey on rack. My cook time was about 4 hrs, breast was 175 and thigh just barely 165. That was a little stressful but turkey was not dry. Next time I would not open oven as often and add broth to onions. Perhaps tent turkey for most of cook time. Really good!

Lori B

Another great recipe, Deb! Made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was unbelievable. Oh, that tasty, crispy skin! Made as directed and used a Chinese chili garlic paste.

Karen+Fischer

I just wanted to give you the credit you deserve (much more than I remember to share) for keeping me sane during this work at home cook at home time. You are awesome and hit the nail on the head over and over. Thank you and BRAVISSIMA!! Nothing is harder than the cold kitchen at 5 pm with no good options for take out (we are not in Gotham anymore, Auntie Em!)

Emily SG

I made this with an 8-lb turkey breast, cutting the initial high-heat cooking time. Total cooking time was longer than expected. The turkey was delicious and moist the the drippings became the base for the best (and easiest) gravy I’ve ever made—not spicy at all, just dark and rich. Instead of onions I threw a mix of peeled whole shallots, and peeled chunks of carrots and potatoes into the bottom of the pan, after tossing in olive oil and nothing else. They were fantastic too.

Laura

Catherine Bridgers

Last year, (11/2020) I stuck my Thanksgiving turkey in the freezer. In May of this year, I needed to finally roast it and used this recipe. (Thank you for warning us about how dark the turkey would get.) Also, it was difficult to find Diamond Kosher salt, so I reduced the amount of Morton kosher. Turkey was moist, flavorful and delicious. Family raved. Almost no leftovers. Perfect for any time of year!

Kate

Anyone tried this with a large turkey breast? Or small chicken? I tried to read as many comments as I could but didn’t really see an answer. LOVE SM recipes!!

Bruce S Temkin

Any recommendations for an oil besides butter, if – hypothetically – your sister-in-law can’t stand butter? Can I replace the butter with an oil and expect the same results?

Michelle

Deborah Pendergast

For the allium sensitive among us what would you suggest as the replacement for the onions?

April

I’m so excited to try this recipe. I’m only cooking for two. How would you revise this recipe for a 6 lb bone-in turkey breast?

Nancy

I’m making 2 turkeys this year, one oven….so I need to do them at different times. What is your advice regarding slicing early in the day? What is best way to reheat the onions? My sense is to just slice it like I normally would, put in large pan with onions, cover with juices, then foil. Reheat on low heat. Thoughts?

Cristine

Would this also work in the big green egg? Planning on grilling our turkey this year!

Jade

Mmm I may have to try this flavor profile (sweet/spiced, with jammy onions) this year. However I’m going to make my usual modification of skipping basting for cooking the turkey *breast side down* and turning it right side up for the last 10 minutes. Makes for the juiciest white meat ever!

Halley

Hello
Can you make this recipe with a turkey breast?
Halley

David Watkins

Any change in salt if your only turkey option is using one that already has a “solution” of salt and water added? Maybe dry brine the BB longer?

Brooke Stevenson

Hi! Thanks for sharing! I just need a breast this year, do you think this could still work?

Andrea Harris

What do you do if you start out with an empire kosher turkey?

Erika

Do you SPATCHco*ck?! Obvi, all else could! should! apply here, but the cooking time, is that correct? Have you tried this? Your thoughts on this for more even cooking? Definitely going to gochujang the pants off my salt and pepper in-laws, and possibly bathe in the onions. Thanks Deb, you’re the best.

Dave in co

After three years in a row of spatchco*cking turkeys and having them turn out amazing, I’ll never go back. But this sounds amazing ; any kind of adjustments you would suggest for one that is “spatched”, Deb?

Jamie Wood

I made this turkey last year and it was hands down the best tasting turkey I have ever had. The skin didn’t really get as crispy as yours did though. Should I increase the temperature or cook time to get that skin? I don’t want to dry out the turkey because it was PERFECT.

Lynn A Nelson

Do you think this would work on a spatchco*cked turkey?

Sara

Anyone have success converting this recipe to a roasted chicken? Loved it with turkey, but looking to make a chicken version for a Friendsgiving this year.

Vivian

So excited to try this recipe this year! I have some young and picky eaters and I’m wondering how this might turn out if I skip the chile paste. Should I replace something else or just go with maple and butter? Thanks!

Mona

We’re cooking turkey for the first time ever this thanksgiving! Does the turkey need to be completely defrosted before dry-brining?

Corin

Hi! This looks like a great recipe. I want to try it – smitten is always tried and true and I haven’t done many turkeys. You have probably answered somewhere in the comments, this but I couldn’t find it: I have a slightly bigger bird this year – 19lb. How would you recommend adjusting cooking time.

Susan

We’re planning on grilling our turkey – any idea on whether this would work with a grilled bird?

Lisette

I can’t find chili paste, but have LOTS of chili powder. If I swapped them, should I adjust the amount at all? Thanks!

Ali C

I came for the Thanksgiving recipe … and now I want/need to try this on a chicken, as I’m living in a part of the world where turkeys are not everyday supermarket fare. Could I follow this entire recipe for, say, a 3-lb chicken, simply reducing the cook time according to weight? Or would there be other changes?

Ali C

Jodi Morrow

I had great success with mid-size turkeys (14-18lb) and dry brining but the last two years with 21-22lb birds I have not found the same success. I am going to try your recipe this year! I think I have read all through the comments and I am assuming the purpose of the 450 degree stage is to brown the skin and if it gets too dark we can turn it down earlier (and tent with foil). Also, any recommendations for timing and process for the larger turkey? I need to regain my reign of turkey champion! Also long-time follower, first-time commenter :-)

Erika

Question about the onions: do you put them under the rack, on the rack or are they in place of a rack and turkey just sits on them?

Erin

Pretty please can you share the chicken version?! After all the work and meh results of turkey last year I refuse to do it but have a lovely local chicken defrosting in my fridge at the moment.

DeLynn

Kara N

Couldn’t find Diamond here in Vermont so I’m using your recommended conversion for David’s kosher for an 11.6 lb turkey. Hard to feel like I spread the salt around enough with basically half the amount in volume. Is it going to work?! In Deb I trust.

Elliott

Tahnee

This is currently happening right now! My daughter is making this for her first turkey. It looks so pretty I can’t wait to eat it.

Sue Bishop

I followed the recipe pretty much exactly, except that my turkey is a bit larger (20 lbs), so I multiplied the seasonings by 1.5. I used a pan with a rack, and put the onions in the bottom under the rack. The turkey cooked in about 3 hours and looks great, but the onions are a mess. Rather than roasted and caramelized, they are more like stewed in turkey drippings – gray, soggy, and unappetizing. Has this happened to anyone else? Any idea what I might have done wrong?

Shannon

We made this tonight for Thanksgiving, followed the recipe exactly, and it was the best turkey we’ve ever made.

Corin Greenberg

We made this for a Friendsgiving on Wednesday. It was fantastic. Our 20lb turkey took exactly 3 hours. Turkey was perfectly done. This is my 3rd attempt at turkey and by far the best recipe I’ve tried.

Debbie Cousineau

Jennifer

Mmm this was so good! The onions were perfect and my little girl’s favorite part of Thanksgiving this year (besides pie!) It was my first try at gravy, and I put the roaster right on the burners and it was perfect! Good to finally have a Thanksgiving go-to.

Ilana

I made this for my Thanksgiving dinner and it was absolutely delicious! Definitely the best turkey I have ever made- moist and flavorful. Thank you for the recipe!

Jennie

I am bereft that I didn’t read far enough down in the comments to see that the onions are supposed to go underneath the rack. My onions browned and softened but didn’t get infused with turkey essence–and how could they, resting atop the rack? Deb, you might just make a note in the text of the recipe that if you’re using a rack, the onions go beneath. Otherwise, this turkey was wonderfully successful. It was my first time dry-brining, and the turkey came out incredibly flavorful and moist, with a lovely flavor to the skin. This was such a simple recipe with such a high ratio of reward to effort. Thank you, Deb! The turkey was the star of Thanksgiving this year, as it should be but so very rarely is.

Steph R.

Hi Deb! I have been a follower of yours for almost a decade and love your stuff! Question on this turkey. I have made it twice, both times with a 12 lb bird, and the meat is DELICIOUS but somehow I have wound up with let’s say “less-than-crispy” skin. Squidgy turkey skin… (oy…) at least it’s easy to remove! …But no bueno. I am just somehow missing this mark! This 2nd time I tried the recipe, knowing I had an issue the first time, I didn’t cover in foil at all for the last half hour because I wanted to make sure it crisped but still no dice. Any advice??

Daniel

Question about the Cuisinart roaster you cooked this bird in – I have the same one and have found that the finish chips and scratches very easily. Cuisinart has now sent me a second replacement, but I’m not hopeful it won’t have the same issue. Have you experienced this problem?

While the onions did not get eaten for TG dinner (too many other choices and they weren’t quite caramelized) I did make Turkey onion soup w it a few days later. I continued to caramelize them for another 30 mins for nice brown stage. Used turkey, white wine, veg stock & a little fresh apple cider for soup and it was so good.

Jinyoung

It’s interesting for me to see folks asking for substitutes for gochujang, as I am trying to figure out a substitute for the maple syrup (I’m Korean so gochujang is a staple whereas I don’t use maple syrup even once a year). I have honey on hand or I could make a simple syrup. Any recommendation on which would be the best substitute for maple syrup? Thank you!

Molly G

I’ve made my fair share of turkeys in the day, usually the traditional sage/garlic route and it’s always turned out fine. But this recipe blew my mind! Holy cow! The depth of flavor from a turkey?! Cranberry sauce & gravy were insulting next to this juicy, complex, delicious meat. Everyone at the table couldn’t stop groaning in pleasure between bites. It was a home run. Deb never steers me wrong and this was a true testament to her amazing site. Thank you for making our Christmas dinner the best we’ve ever had!

Kristina

I made this with a whole chicken and we are dry-brining all poultry going forward! lol It came out tender, moist and flavorful. My BF doesn’t care for herbs so this was perfect for him. We’re going to make a bone broth from the carcass. Curious as to how it will turn out!

Tea

I made this turkey and it was very delicious. Dry brine is going to be my go-to from now on. My bird was 13lb, no antibiotics, subjected to 2 days brining, and required about 4 hours to reach 150F temp. I used more salt than specified, but didn’t really measure it out. I erred on the side of more salt than too little. Unfortunately it took so long to cook that I had to forgo making gravy. No complaints from the guests, thankfully. Thanks Deb!

Ellie Blasbalg

I have a 20lb turkey. I imagine I should increase the amount of ingredients and by how much? Thank you Debbie, love your recipes

Rebeck

Made this turkey recipe last Thanksgiving and it was my best ever. Dry brining and this wonderful glaze left me with tasty, juicy perfect turkey. And so EASY on the actual day to have my turkey already prepped in the pan! None of that wrestling with the bird while I am still drinking my morning coffee! Definitely my permanent go to in future!

Pat

Been following you for years and love your advice and recipes. This is my first comment/question. If, when using just a turkey breast for the dry-brined turkey with roasted onions recipe, the onions don’t caramelize, per other commenters, could I start the onions first and add the turkey later? Would this work and if so, how long should I let the onions cook before adding the turkey breast?

Jean

I have been using this turkey recipe for years. It is the best I have ever tasted!

Ally

I have used a dry brine method for years and swear by it. I love your take on it with the added maple syrup and gochujang. My question is if I would like to use a cheesecloth to soak in the butter, can I also mix in the syrup and gochujang with the butter and dip the cheesecloth in the mixture or do you recommend putting the syrup/ gochujang directly onto the bird and then draping the butter soaked cheesecloth over it?

Amy

do you think this could be done with vegan butter or olive oil? for me, butter and turkey do not mix (we keep kosher)
thanks in advance!

Kersten Miller

Could I use this same process for a turkey breast, just shorter cooking time? Thanks!

Susan Gould-Leighton

So I have a question. The turkey is on a rack. Are the onion below the rack in the pan or balanced on the rack.
Also wonder if I can use GOCHUGARU which are the chili flakes

Kim

Would this method work for Turkey breast? I know-no dark meat but there are only 7 of us?

susan

Hi,
So this year it is just my husband and I- I bought just a small Turkey Breast. Can you advise me on how I would do the Brine and the measurements. The Basic Brine or what you recommend. I usually do onions/garlic and season. I use Kitchen Bouquwt for the gravy ) I know m but my Mom used to do this also)
Thank you….follow so many of your amazing recipes. Happy Holiday

Terry

Hi Deb,
Do you put the turkey on a rack like in the Photo or directly on the bottom of the roasting pan? It doesn’t specify in the instructions. And then do the onions go under the rack (if using) or around the turkey (that’s what the instructions say)? So basically I’m just confused about using a rack in the roasting pan or not. Please help! Cannot wait to make this…. thanks Deb!

Allison Gamba

We’ve been dry brining for years (we use the big plastic brine bags since we have a small fridge). Typically we stuff with oranges, veg and herbs. Very excited to try this recipe for something different and easier! Nothing I love more than caramelized onions and you’re so right that all the other veg is overwhelming represented in other dishes. Thank you!

Mike

The bird looks wonderful, love the mahogany crispy skin it produces. I do have one question and concern: we do not and can not eat anything hot/spicy (health reasons) and would like to make this turkey. What would you suggest subbing for the spicy ingredients or would it be okay just to leave it out all together?

Julia V Wiss

Hi!
Do you think we can use gtmreen cabbage instead of onions. Like in your one Whole Roasted Chicken recipe? Or will the Cabage just become mush?
I’ve made this turkey last three years in a row and love it!
Xo – Julia

Renee McGrath

Do you roast the turkey directly on the bottom of the pan or do you put it on a rack. Thank you!

Michelle

Hi Deb-any idea if I use the same amount of salt here for a kosher turkey? Kosher chicken & turkey taste quite different than non kosher. Thank you :).

DV

Hi! Looking forward to trying this but am wondering… do I leave roasting pan dry (only onions tossed with a little oil in the bottom)? No broth or water in pan initially?
Thank you!

Sophia

Can I use a 22 pound turkey, or do you think the cooking time will be too long and cause it to burn? I’m worried about it with the maple syrup. Thanks!!

Made this today and it was delicious. I think it’s my favorite turkey recipe! Wr had the turkey butchered as this is my preferred way of making it. We also took the onions after the turkey was done and caramelized them with a little more butter, maple syrup and gochujang. Really added flavor to the thanksgiving plate!!

Eliza

In case anyone is wondering whether this works for a bone-in turkey breast, it does! I just used this recipe for a 6.5 lb bone-in turkey breast. I roasted it for 15 mins at 450 and then 2.5 hours at 250 degrees. I overcooked it slightly, so I would follow the guidelines of 20 mins per pound. It was absolutely delicious! So much easier than a full turkey and just as delicious.

Emily Jones

Made this today and am thrilled with the recipe! So savory and delicious! Loved the onions, this one’s a keeper

Pam

We made this for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. We did add an herb butter under the skin and didn’t need to baste at all. The meat was flavorful and juicy. The skin was deeply browned and crispy. A keeper recipe for sure!

Luz

Mary

Best turkey I ever made. Moist, tasty, fantastic. The onions are a bonus that keeps on giving. The pan juices were so tasty, I didn’t bother to make gravy — just used as is. Highly recommend this recipe.

Erin

Made this and it was perfect! My 14 lb bird cooked faster than written- more like 2 hours. We stuffed it with sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme, plus a lemon and garlic head. Delightful. The gravy from the drippings was onion-y and nice. My new go-to!

Rebecca+Freedman.

Made this for thanksgiving this year- the only change I made was having the first glaze be just butter and then after the first 30 min roast I took the turkey out and glazed it with the chili maple butter mixture and turned the oven down. I think this helped prevent the turkey from getting too dark. I also stuffed it with fresh sage, thyme, lemon, and a halved garlic head. It was absolutely delicious and the family was raving about it.

Lindsey

This is the second year in a row I’ve made this turkey and it’s just so good. This year I cooked a 10-lb turkey for about an hour and a half following the recipe as written, and it probably could have come out sooner as the turkey’s temperature was well over 150-155 degrees, but nevertheless, the meat wasn’t dry at all. Just so good!

Susan Adams

Corin Greenberg

This has been my go to recipe for the last two years. Its great! I made it with an 8lb turkey breast last night for the first night of Chanukah dinner. It worked great- I used same measurements for the rub. I did only 20 min at 450 and the rest at 350. It took almost 2 hours and came out perfect – well flavored and juicy. The only recommendation I have for the breast vs the whole turkey is to put some chicken broth over the onions if you have the turkey sitting up on the rack and the onions below- the turkey breast doesn’t produce enough drippings to keep the onions moist so halfway through I added that.

Lisa

Can I use a breast instead of a whole turkey?

Jeanne Hickling

Pardon me if this has been asked before.
Could I do this with just a turkey breast?
Thanks

Bill Ouellette

Thanks for this inspired recipe–and all the others over the years. I plan to spatchco*ck my turkey, but I would love.to try your recipe. Do you think spatchco*cking the turkey is not advisable? Just checking. Appreciate your thoughts.

Jen

I have Whole Foods Kosher Sea Salt do u know grams to cup gir this one or should I just get a Morton’s? My bird will be 12-14 lbs. I have always wet brined in the past but I agree that’s it’s messy and hard!

Lynn

Do you leave the rack in the roaster and set the turkey on the rack? Sorry if this this is a dumb question but I’ve never used a roasting pan before!

Anja

Has anyone tried this Turkey or gravy recipe with olive or other oil? I’m cooking thanksgiving for some friends who eat poultry but have above average dairy allergy (not your usual “no milk, but butter in a cookie is fine” lactose intolerance).

Stephan

The step about bringing the turkey to room temperature is a myth. It will take so much time to get to room temp the turkey will actually spoil. You can drop that step with no difference in results.

Adrienne Zable

Thoughts on subbing olive oil for butter throughout the recipe? My mom doesn’t mix milk and meat so wondering how much of a loss it will be to sub out the butter? Thank you!!

Kate

What is a good substitute wine for the gravy?

M

Can I make this in my Traeger?!

Ellen Chasen

I have gluten-free people at my Thanksgiving table. Do you think you can substitute the cup for cup gluten-free flour in the gravy recipe?

Nedda

Can you do this without the chili paste? I’m cooking for people with sensitive tummys.

Kristin Miles

My Turkey Gravy method- the first Thanksgiving you have to do one of the methods Deb recommends above. That first Thanksgiving- make a stock from the turkey bones, etc. Everything goes right in the slow cooker overnight on high. Then on Black Friday morning while everyone (who’s crazy) is out shopping the sales, I’m home draining the bones and preparing NEXT YEAR’S GRAVY BASE with this delightfully roasted turkey bone broth. Usually I get four to five cups worth if not more and the next year -poof-! I can make the gravy the DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING if I want to. Hashtag this is why I have two slow cookers

Sarah

Can I brine a frozen Turkey or defrost for a few days first before I do the 2 day brine??

Diane

heather

I’m using a kosher turkey…if I dry brine, would it be too salty?

Amy C

If making gravy from the drippings, is there a strong flavor influence from the chili paste? Thanks!

Cathleen Nevers

I was given a frozen turkey, not a fresh turkey. Package says added broth salt sugar and flavorings. Do you recommend your dry brine? Any other changes need to your recipe?

Leah M

Thoughts on how to handle a turkey that has already been brined? Can I still use a dry brine but add less salt? I’ve made this several times with a turkey that has not already been brined and it came out DELISH!

Sarah

Love your food and suggestions! I’ve had success with wet brining, but want to try your dry brining technique this year. Wondering, when you salt the turkey, are you salting outside the skin, or under the skin?

Cecily

Hi Deb, what if you are stuffing your turkey? Will adding so much salt to the cavity impact the stuffing flavor?

Sandra

Thanks for the recipe. I tried it two years ago . It was perfect. This year I am making the Turkey at home and taking it to a friend house. It is 20 pounds. How can I reheat it at her house so it won’t dry up. I will take it fully cooked. By the time dinner will be served I definitely need to reheat thank you

Joanna Stevens

Kelly

Hi!
I am so excited to try this recipe!
I have two 8.5lbs turkey breasts. Any suggestions or modifications?
Especially for cooking? Thank you!!!

Joseph Ryan

Teri c

I made this for this thanksgiving and after 50 years of making turkey, this was the best of all! Super brown and delicious!

Susan Bishop

After nearly 3 hours in the oven (20 pound turkey), my onions seem more stewed than roasted. Lots of liquid, very little browning or caramelization. Also, because there is so much liquid, there is nothing to deglaze and add to the gravy. Any thoughts on what I could have done wrong? The turkey was on a rack, onions underneath.

Karen Josvanger

Oh my gosh – what a success! I’ve made probably three turkeys in as many decades, none of them a particular success. My husband wanted me to just buy an already cooked breast but I was having a larger than usual gathering and wanted the whole shebang. This turkey and onion combo smelled fantastic as it cooked and was DELICIOUS. Everyone raved about it – several mentioned that they didnt’ even like turkey much and thought it was so good. Such a weird thing. I even cooked it til 170 degrees (having had undercooked turkey in the past) and it was moist and tasty.

Amanda

This is my new go-to turkey recipe. Made it exactly as described and it was easy and SO GOOD as was the gravy I made with the juices. FYI for those of you who also don’t have a roasting pan, using a 9×13 cake pan and just setting the turkey on the onions worked fine for a 12lb bird. Thank you!

Robin Aufses

Followed instructions to the letter. Perfect turkey–easy to do, big crowd pleaser! Thanks for your detailed directions and fun comentary.

Lindsay P

Second year in a row that I’ve used this recipe and it is a juicy, flavorful hit!

Sara

Made this for thanksgiving yesterday and it was amazing! Had to take out the gochujang to accommodate a cousin with a nightshade (pepper) allergy, so I used 1 tbsp of oyster sauce. Flavorful and juicy and wonderful. 18.7lb turkey took almost 3.5 hours.

Christopher Stake

OMGosh…amazing. The drippings are OOTW (out of this world). Bravo!!!

MELINDA

Made this for the first time last week and it was THE BEST turkey we’ve ever had!!! Sooooo moist and tender, with an amazing flavor (who ever says that about turkey?? LOL). I couldn’t find chili paste in our small town, so I used a tbsp of tomato paste and a dash of cayenne pepper – perfect little kick!

Susan Gavazzi

Boy oh boy did I make this! And you must not wait to make it as well, if not with turkey then with chicken. I made this with a turkey breast, as we traveled for Thanksgiving, and my son is king of the wet brined, spatchco*cked turkey. We wet brined both, and then I followed Deb’s recipe to a T. OM-E-L-G! The caramelized onions made our eyes roll to the back of our heads-luscious and decadent. The breast ended up being slyly picked at and hunks of “just tasting!” before we even got to the table. It was beautiful and so moist and tasty. WOW! Thank you, Deb. I hope your Thanksgiving was as tasty!

Deborah colacino

Can you make this with a whole chicken? If so, how do you cook, roast a chicken with this recipe?

Can you just use a turkey breast???

Anastasia Liebster

Kathy Burke

Whoa—this was delicious! Wish I had a larger roasting pan so I could fit even more onions around the bird, but the ones we had were amazing (mix of yellow onions and sweet onions.) I had a 17.6 lb bird and cooked for a total of 2hrs 45 minutes without needing to cover with foil and it was perfect. Gravy was very flavorful with all that onion goodness from the bottom of the pan. Will definitely make again!

Jenn H.

I made this for Christmas dinner and it was the best turkey I have ever made! I also made your apple herb stuffing which I make every year. We all loved this turkey! Thank you for the amazing recipe. It made my Christmas dinner extra special!

Tea

Last year I made this with the onions which turned out bleh. This year I omitted the onions and the drippings/maple syrup glaze drippings burned, setting off the smoke detector. Maybe next year I’ll do something in between. The turkey itself was fine both times, thanks to the excellent instructions about temperature. The meat thermometer is my best friend. Also, the carving videos made it a breeze to slice up. Always remove the wishbone first. Thanks Deb!