Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey is the best method for cooking your Thanksgiving turkey! It creates a perfectly golden brown turkey with crispy skin that’s always juicy.

Say goodbye to dry turkey breasts because using a buttered cheesecloth for roasting your turkey is going to solve all your problems! This turkey is also dry-brined for extra flavor and juiciness.

Once you try this method, you’re never going to want to make turkey another way!

The Best Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey

Today kicks off the Thanksgiving season 2023 for So Much Food! From here on out, I’ll be sharing all my brand new holiday recipes that are sure to make your season extra special.

I spend a lot of time researching the recipes I want to tackle for the holiday season and buttered cheesecloth turkey is a method I’ve always wanted to try. I was blown away by how good this turkey turned out!

If you’ve been here a while, you know that I’m not really a turkey gal. I would almost always rather have prime rib or a roast chicken. But buttered cheesecloth turkey may have changed my mind!

This Thanksgiving turkey turned out to be flavorful and juicy with the most perfectly golden brown skin thanks to the cheesecloth. It was perfectly seasoned and even made delicious leftovers.

Feeling stressed about turkey day? Check out my comprehensive Thanksgiving day guide for recipe inspiration, cooking schedules, and more!

What is Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey

Cheesecloth is a loose-woven gauze-like cotton cloth used primarily in cheesemaking and cooking.

In this cooking method for buttered cheesecloth turkey, we cover the turkey in a flavorful butter both under the skin and on the outside of the turkey. We then soak a cheesecloth in melted butter and completely cover the turkey.

As the turkey cooks, the cheesecloth holds onto moisture and essentially helps baste the turkey. You don’t have to baste as frequently and the breasts stay juicier.

Dry Brine vs Wet Brine

A wet brine is a solution of water, salt, and a little sugar, along with some herbs and spices for flavor. You submerge your meat prior to cooking in the brining solution and through osmosis, the meat absorbs flavor and moisture. 

When you season a piece of meat you’re seasoning the outside and the inside doesn’t really absorb that flavor. However, with brining, you are flavoring the whole piece of meat inside and out. 

However, for larger pieces of meat and whole chickens and turkeys, wet brining can be really cumbersome. This is when I opt for a dry brine.

A dry brine is all of the seasonings (salt, sugar, pepper, spices, etc), but without the water. The salt in the dry brine pulls moisture from the meat, dissolves the salt and sugar on the outside, and then re-absorbs that concentrated and flavorful liquid. Dry brining tenderizes the meat and gives you extra crispy skin.

A dry brine is my preferred method for turkey because you don’t need to find a large container to submerge the turkey in liquid and that’s what I’m using for this buttered cheesecloth turkey.

How to Make Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey

Buttered cheesecloth turkey comes together so easily and the finished project is incredible! I highly recommend using a thermometer because it’s the best way to ensure that the turkey is perfectly cooked.

Tools Needed

• Sharp Knife
• Cutting Board
• Probe Thermometer
• Roasting Pan
• Cheesecloth
• Turkey Baster
• Drippings/Fat Separator

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Turkey. Fresh is definitely best, but you can use frozen turkey, just make sure to give the turkey enough time to defrost.
• Dry brine. For our dry brine we’re using a mix of kosher salt, white pepper. buttermilk powder, and brown sugar. Simple!
• Butter. Butter for soaking the cheesecloth and for making a garlic-herb butter to spread all over the turkey.
• Herbs. The herbs you use are flexible here but rosemary, sage, and thyme are classic.
• Garlic. Fresh garlic is so great in the butter. You can use dehydrated garlic as well if needed.
• Lemon zest. A punch of citrus is so good in the herb butter.
• Aromatics. I like stuffing the turkey cavity with aromatics like herbs, sliced lemon, and a whole head of garlic.

The Process

1. Prep the turkey. If you’re using a frozen turkey, make sure to defrost it completely so that it cooks evenly. Remove the neck and giblets from the cavity and reserve the neck. Pat the turkey very dry all over with paper towels, including inside the cavity because a dry turkey holds onto the brine better. Tuck the wing tips behind the body.
2. Mix the dry brine. In a small bowl, whisk together the kosher salt, white pepper, brown sugar, and buttermilk powder until well combined.
3. Dry brine the turkey. Place the turkey breast side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Sprinkle the turkey all over with the dry brine, including underneath and inside the cavity. Gently ease the skin away from the flesh and sprinkle the dry brine under the skin too. Place in the fridge uncovered for at least 24 hours, up to 48 hours.
4. Get ready to roast your turkey. Pull the turkey out of the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to cook.
5. Mix the herb butter. In a small bowl, mix together the two sticks of softened butter with the minced garlic, fresh herbs, lemon zest, and pepper. Spread the butter all over the turkey, including under the skin. Stuff the turkey cavity with rosemary, sage, thyme, a lemon cut in half, and a head of garlic cut in half. Truss the legs, if desired.
6. Prep the cheesecloth. Fold the cheesecloth so that it’s 4 sheets thick, then cut the cheesecloth into a large rectangle that will completely cover the turkey. Melt the remaining 1 stick of butter in a small microwave safe bowl. Soak the cheesecloth in the melted butter until it has absorbed all the butter. Spread it over the turkey so that it’s completely covered.
7. Roast the turkey. Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey thigh. Place the turkey in a roasting pan on the rack with 1 1/2 cups of water in the bottom. Bake, basting every 45 minutes or so, until the thigh registers between 160-165 F, about 2 1/2-3 hours. If any part of the turkey starts to get too browned, cover that area with a small piece of foil.
8. Rest and slice. Remove the turkey from the oven and remove the cheesecloth. Loosely tent with foil and rest for 30 minutes before slicing. Reserve the drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan for making gravy.

Selecting the Right Turkey

Knowing how much turkey to cook for your gathering is essential!

A good rule of thumb is to purchase 1lb of turkey per person attending. If you want to have ample leftovers, go for 1 ½ lbs of turkey per person. So a gathering of 10 people would require a 15 lb turkey to ensure everyone has enough and then some to take home.

Cooking for a large crowd? Opt for 2 medium to smaller turkeys in order to cut down on cook times. You can roast them side by side in a larger roasting pan and end up with two turkeys in less time than a large one.

Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey Cook Times

The amount of time it takes to cook your buttered cheesecloth turkey is based on the size and your oven.

Here are average some cook times based on size and weight. These times may vary and are really just a rule of thumb, but they are a good starting point. I highly recommend using a probe style thermometer because it’s the best way to track the temperature doneness of the bird.

You want to make sure that the temperature in the thigh is at least 160 F. You can pull it a little early because the rest of the carry-over cooking will happen as the turkey rests.

• 10 to 12 pounds: 2 ½ to 3 hours total
• 12 to 14 pounds: 2 ¾ to 3 ¼ hours total
• 14 to 16 pounds: 3 to 3 ¾ hours total
• 16 to 18 pounds: 3 ¼ to 4 hours total

Making Gravy with Turkey Stock & Drippings

The perfect thanksgiving gravy comes from really great stock, so say goodbye to the boxed turkey stock! Because now, you’ve got everything you need to make a better and richer version at home.

Make sure to save the turkey neck because that is the key to really great gravy–making rich and flavorful turkey stock.

Get all my tips for making perfect turkey gravy by visiting my Foolproof Turkey Gravy Recipe.

What to Serve with Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey

Now that we’ve got Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey down, it’s time to figure out what to serve alongside it! Because it’s not a party without all the sides, here are all my favorite cocktails, appetizers, sides, and desserts for serving alongside my Thanskgiving buttered cheesecloth turkey.

Cocktails

• Holiday Sangria
• Bourbon Apple Cider Fizz
• Cranberry Old Fashioned
• Pumpkin Spice Kentucky Mule

Appetizers

• Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
• Cranberry Baked Brie
• Smoked Salmon Spread
• Soft Pretzels with Beer Cheese

Breads

• Honey Pumpkin Rolls
• Fluffy Dinner Rolls
• Skillet Cornbread

Side Dishes

• Parmesan Creamed Corn
• Roasted Garlic and Sage Mashed Potatoes
• Sausage and Fennel Stuffing
• Baked Mac and Cheese
• Stovetop Mac and Cheese
• Green Bean Casserole

Desserts

• Pecan Pie Bars
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Salted Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Apple Cider Donut Cake

Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey FAQs

What is the purpose of the cheesecloth on the turkey?

As the turkey cooks, the cheesecloth holds onto moisture and essentially helps baste the turkey. You don’t have to baste as frequently because the cheesecloth holds onto the moisture. The turkey stays nice and juicy because of the cheesecloth.

Is it safe to put cheesecloth in the oven?

Cheesecloth is safe to put in the oven because it’s made of very durable cotton that’s able to withstand high heat.

What grade of cheesecloth should I use?

Because we’re quadrupling the layers, it doesn’t matter what cheesecloth you use. Any cheesecloth will work!

What should I put in the turkey cavity?

I do not recommend stuffing the cavity with any stuffing or dressing because it can be unsafe to eat. Instead, stuff the cavity with flavor-making aromatics like onion, carrot, celery, garlic, lemon, herbs, etc.

---

This Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey is a must-have for your Thanksgiving table because it’s so flavorful and juicy. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know. Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

This post contains affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.