I set about tinkering, and the first thing I changed was timing. The chicken takes a simple overnight dip in the buttermilk, but a turkey weighs three times as much as a chicken, so it needs to spend a full 48 hours in the brine to ensure the meat is tender and properly seasoned throughout.
By dry-brining, spatchcocking and using a mayonnaise marinade, the turkey should be the least of your worries this Thanksgiving (and unless the laws of physics change before 2023, you have next year covered as well). Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest.
Preparation. 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 4 pounds of bird. Wrap bird in a large plastic bag and place in refrigerator. On second night, turn turkey over.
Spatchcocked turkey, roasted to the right temperature, results in properly cooked thighs and tender breasts. If you really want to give your turkey a science-based boost this year, Sharma says that based on his kitchen experiments, one brine rules them all: fermented dairy.