I have always been intrigued by Zuni Cafe method of chicken roasting, in which you heavily salt the chicken and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days. Yesterday over on the Epi Log Rick Rodgers wrote a post where he plays with this idea of dry brining and applies it to a Thanksgiving turkey.
He says, "How does this dry salt rub work? The salt draws a tiny bit of moisture from the bird and opens the skin pores. This moisture mingles with the salt and works its way into the turkey muscles, seasoning the bird throughout through osmosis. It is much less awkward than brining with gallons of salt water!"
Rick, you've got me pondering a dry brine, if not for this year, possibly for next. It sounds like a far easier and less messy way of imparting a whole lot of flavor into your bird. For full instructions on how to dry brine your turkey, make sure to read Rick's entire post because it is clear and well-written.
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