Brining is a popular technique used by many cooks to help keep turkey moist and flavorful when roasted. It involves soaking the raw turkey in a saltwater solution, called a brine, for a number of hours before cooking. After brining, it’s important to take steps to thoroughly dry the surface of the turkey before roasting. Drying helps encourage crispier skin and allows seasonings to adhere better.
Why air dry turkey after brining?
There are a few key reasons you want to make sure to air dry turkey after brining:
- Removes excess moisture – Brining causes the turkey to absorb a lot of liquid. Air drying helps remove some of this excess moisture from the surface before cooking.
- Encourages crispy skin – Drying out the surface helps the skin crisp up better in the oven.
- Helps seasonings stick – Rubbing seasonings like herbs, spices, and salt onto a damp surface can make them slide right off. Drying allows them to adhere better.
- Prevents overly salty flavor – Brining can make the turkey skin taste unpleasantly salty. Drying helps reduce excess saltiness on the exterior.
How long should you air dry turkey after brining?
Most recipes recommend air drying brined turkey in the refrigerator overnight, or around 12-24 hours. Allowing it to dry for this long gives moisture on the surface time to evaporate while the interior stays moist thanks to the brining.
You can get away with less time if needed, but the drying process significantly slows once the turkey is refrigerated. At minimum, you’ll want to allow at least a few hours of air drying time.
Guidelines for air drying times after brining:
- 12-24 hours – Best for maximum moisture evaporation and seasoning adhesion
- 6-12 hours – Good if time is limited
- 2-4 hours – Minimum time for some drying
- 30-60 minutes – Better than nothing in a pinch
How to air dry turkey after brining
Drying a brined turkey properly takes a little effort but is easy to do:
- Remove turkey from brine – Rinse thoroughly under cool water to remove excess salt. Pat very dry with paper towels.
- Leave uncovered in the fridge – Place turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered. This allows air flow for drying.
- Rotate periodically – Flip turkey over every few hours to expose all sides to air. Tent loosely with foil if drying longer than 8 hours.
- Pat dry before roasting – Blot any damp spots with paper towels right before seasoning and roasting.
Tips for effective air drying:
- Chill brined turkey before drying – Colder temperature helps moisture evaporate.
- Leave space around turkey – Don’t cram fridge too full so air can circulate.
- Use a fan – Point a fan at the turkey in the fridge to speed moisture evaporation.
- Don’t salt before roasting – Season with herbs/spices only until after drying.
What happens if you don’t dry a brined turkey?
Failing to properly air dry a brined turkey can lead to a few potential issues:
- Soft skin – Wet skin won’t crisp up well when roasted.
- Rubbed off seasonings – Herbs and spices won’t adhere to a damp surface.
- Salty flavor – Moisture allows excess salt from brining to accumulate on the skin.
- Longer roasting time – More moisture means it takes longer for the turkey to fully cook and brown.
- Lower browning – A moist surface discourages the Maillard reactions that allow browning.
- Less smoke absorption – Wet skin won’t absorb as much smoke flavoring if smoked.
While your turkey will still be juicy thanks to the brine, air drying makes a big difference in getting beautifully browned, flavorful, crispy skin.
How long to brine a turkey before air drying?
For optimal results, you’ll want to brine the turkey for enough time to fully season the meat before air drying. Recommended brining times are:
- 12-16 pounds – 12-14 hours brining time
- 16-20 pounds – 14-18 hours brining time
- 20-24 pounds – 18-22 hours brining time
After the minimum brining time, the turkey can be removed from the brine, patted dry, and refrigerated for air drying. A longer brining time doesn’t necessarily mean a more flavorful turkey.
Tips for brining before air drying:
- Use ice to chill brine – Colder temperature helps brine absorb faster.
- Inject brine into thick parts – Helps season the interior of thick breast meat.
- Rinse well after brining – Remove excess salt and seasoning from surface.
- Chill turkey before drying – Colder temperature helps moisture evaporate.
How long does it take to air dry poultry other than turkey?
The recommended air drying times for other brined poultry are:
| Poultry | Air Dry Time |
|---|---|
| Chicken | 4-8 hours |
| Cornish hens | 2-4 hours |
| Duck | 8-12 hours |
| Goose | 12-24 hours |
The drying time can vary based on the size and shape of the birds. Smaller poultry like quail may only need an hour or less.
Do you need to air dry turkey if not brining?
Air drying turkey is most critical after brining to remove excess moisture. However, lightly drying an unbrined turkey can still be beneficial:
- Encourages crisper skin – Evaporating surface moisture helps skin brown and crisp better.
- Allows seasonings to stick – Herbs, spices and salt will adhere better to dried skin.
- Prevents soggy skin – Eliminates moisture that can make skin overly soft.
- Removes moisture for accurate weight – Water weight on the skin can throw off measurements.
The drying time doesn’t need to be as long, but a few hours of air drying can still improve an unbrined turkey’s texture and flavor.
What’s the best method for air drying turkey?
There are a few methods you can use to effectively air dry turkey after brining:
Refrigerator Air Drying
The simplest approach is to place the rinsed turkey in the refrigerator uncovered on a rack over a baking sheet. Let it air dry for 12-24 hours, rotating occasionally.
Fan Drying
Using a fan directed on the turkey in the refrigerator will speed moisture evaporation. Rotate periodically to expose all sides.
Paper Towel Blotting
Blotting damp skin thoroughly with paper towels helps remove surface moisture prior to refrigerating.
Salt Rub
Rubbing the skin with salt draws out moisture through osmosis. Rinse salt off before roasting.
Skin Tenting
Tenting the skin away from the breast meat allows air flow to evaporate moisture inside.
Conclusion
Air drying is an important step after brining turkey or any poultry. Allowing at least a few hours of drying time results in crisper, tastier skin and allows seasonings to adhere properly. Refrigerator drying overnight provides the most effective moisture evaporation. Take the extra time to properly dry brined turkey for the best roasting results.