After 13 years of not publishing a turkey recipe, a food writer has released a six-ingredient method that avoids wet brining and relies on a dry brine plus a maple-syrup, butter, and chile-paste glaze. The recipe calls for a 12- to 16-pound fresh turkey, kosher salt, maple syrup, unsalted butter, a chile paste such as gochujang, harissa, or chipotle, and 8 to 10 medium onions. The writer, who began hosting Friendsgivings a few years ago, said dry brining proved the clear winner over wet brining, which was described as a nightmare with delicious results.
The recipe departs from the usual vegetable bed under the bird. Instead of potatoes or carrots, the writer quarters red and yellow onions and roasts them around the turkey, where they collect buttery, salty drippings for hours. The onions become deeply caramelized and jammy, with charred and salty edges, and the writer notes there are enough to go around.
Why the Recipe Uses a Dry Brine and a Sweet-Spicy Glaze
The writer's third stated opinion is that Thanksgiving recipes should be simple, with short ingredient lists and no mise-en-place, because other dishes occupy the kitchen when hosting 21 people. The glaze idea came from a slow-roasted whole chicken earlier this year, when the writer brushed well-salted skin with butter, maple syrup, and gochujang chili paste. That combination, the writer said, made the chicken seem as if it wished it were a turkey, and the hunch carried over to this recipe.
Roasting begins at 450°F with a rack on the lowest level. The turkey is trussed, the onions are tossed with oil and arranged around it, and the glaze is brushed on. After 25 to 30 minutes, the oven is reduced to 350°F and the bird roasts until a thermometer in the thickest part of the breast reads 150 to 155°F. The writer bastes periodically with remaining melted butter, then with pan juices, and covers the bird with foil if it browns too dark. A 14- to 16-pound bird takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours total; a 19.5-pound bird once took over 3 hours.
After roasting, the turkey rests 15 to 20 minutes to allow carryover cooking to 165°F. The writer recommends carving on a cutting board set inside a rimmed sheet pan to catch juices, then pouring some over the sliced meat. The recipe yields 12 to 16 servings and takes 4 to 5 hours from removing the turkey from the fridge to serving, plus 1 to 2 days for dry brining.
Editorial Notes