One of the most memorable Thanksgiving dinners I ever hosted was the Thanksgiving right after having graduated from culinary school. Not only was I faced with the daunting task of cooking for 20 people, but I was also accommodating my brother’s family who all prefer a gluten-free diet. Challenge accepted!

Rather than preparing one huge turkey, I chose to prepare two smaller ones. This gave me an opportunity to put brining to the test. Would I get a more moist, delicious bird by making my own brine, soaking the turkey, taking it out to dry, and roasting it in the same way as the unbrined bird?

I was disappointed to learn that I could not tell the difference. While many cooks swear by brining, it just didn’t make a huge difference for me.

Having learned my lesson, this is what I do instead of fussing with brining:

Order a bird from Willie Bird Turkeys, Diestel Turkey Ranch, or get an organic turkey from my local market.
Bring it to room temperature before cooking.
Skip the stuffing! Stuff the cavity with quartered onions, handfuls of herbs with stems, smashed cloves of garlic, and salt and pepper.
Make a compound butter to rub between the skin and meat, and to rub on top of the skin so it gets brown, crisp, and beautiful. The butter mixture includes:
- One stick of butter, softened
- One teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest of two oranges and one lemon
- 5-6 grinds of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped sage (or rosemary, or thyme, or all three)
Mix all of this with your hands and sneak it between the skin and the meat of the turkey, loosening as you go.
I like to roast at one temperature. 325 degrees seems to work well.
Check for doneness with a thermometer, and whip up a delicious pan gravy while it is resting.
Enjoy!

Turkey Tips: Flavorful Compound Butter