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buttered cheesecloth turkey
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Buttered Cheesecloth Turkey

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.
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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 10 - 12 servings

Ingredients

Turkey

  • 12 - 14 lb fresh whole turkey
  • 4 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half

Garlic Herb Butter

  • 3 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • cheesecloth

Instructions

  • 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.
  • Mix the dry brine. In a small bowl, whisk together the kosher salt, white pepper, brown sugar, and buttermilk powder until well combined.
  • 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.
  • Get ready to roast your turkey. Pull the turkey out of the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to cook.
  • Mix the herb butter. In a small bowl, mix together the two sticks of softened butter with the minced garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary, lemon zest, and pepper. Spread the butter all over the turkey, including under the skin. Stuff the turkey cavity with rosemary, sage, thyme, the cut lemon, and the garlic head. Truss the legs, if desired.
  • 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.
  • Preheat an oven to 350 F.
  • 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 1/2 hours. If any part of the turkey starts to get too browned, cover that area with a small piece of foil.
  • 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.