Dry Rub for Turkey

Our smoked turkey dry rub recipe is amazing and only needs a few ingredients you have in your cupboard. Looking for the best seasonings for meat, this is it! On top of our smoked turkey with dry rub is best but even used on an oven roasted bird is amazing too.

This is NOT JUST for turkey y’all, you can put it on any meat to make it come out amazing!! We have coated pork chops, chicken thighs and even steaks with this sweet and savory mixture and it takes all meats from good to OH MY wow.

You can also of course cook it any way you want but smoking is our #1 favorite method. If you’re looking for a dry rub smoked turkey recipe we have instructions for that below, or use your own cooking method and this mixture. Just ne of many dry rub recipes on our site.

Whether you are smoking on a Traeger, cooking a pressure cooker turkey or pressure cooker turkey breast, I’m telling you this combination of seasonings is the bomb!! It is best if rubbed on the outside to begin with but can be sprinkled on at the end as well, your choice.

Ingredient Notes

I love Old Bay seasoning because it brings a pop of flavor to any meat. It is not just for seafood. If you have only used it that way you are in for a real treat with this.

Kosher Sea salt is better than table salt with larger crystals to stick better and give this rub a bolder flavor overall. Garlic powder or onion powder adds flavor

Cayenne pepper I add for a mild heat but could add more for spicy. Paprika is a great add in. Thyme is optional but works well for us

A bit of olive oil spray is handy to have in order for your dry rub to stick well. Another tip is to use a wad of paper towels to dry the outside of the turkey skin. Then your olive oil will stick nicely and following that you will add your rub all over. You want a thick coating all around, just allow the excess to fall off before cooking.

How Long to Dry Brine a Turkey

This method of course uses no water. You just spray on some olive oil, rub the turkey with this mixture you throw together in a small bowl and bam, you’re done. It takes less than 15 minutes to make. The longer it sits on the skin the more intense the flavors will become. For us, longer is better so an hour is just right.

Which is better dry or wet brine turkey?

I have tried it both ways. We’ve also made this and a simple turkey brine that is wet but I will tell you that this dry rub is the BEST!! For a simple wet brine for a 12-14 pound turkey use 6 quarts of water with 1 ⅓ cups of kosher salt (if using Morton’s, use a bit less than a cup).

Can you dry rub a frozen turkey?

We’ve even drizzled a bit of olive oil on an Instant Pot frozen turkey breast with this sprinkled on the top to give it some flavor but no it won’t be the same. In order to get the full effect of flavors you will need to defrost the outside a bit so you can dry the skin and get this to really adhere.

Can I add dry rub to turkey the night before?

Yes, dry rubbing your turkey overnight is a great idea! This allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat more deeply, enhancing the flavor and helping the skin to become crispier when roasted. The salt in the dry rub will also draw moisture from the skin, which can help it become nice and crispy during cooking. Just make sure to refrigerate it uncovered or loosely covered to allow the skin to dry out a bit, which contributes to the crisp texture.

The “secret” to why it tastes so good is this little can right here. Once you have it there are TONS of other great Old Bay recipes to make with it after that. You might think of it as just a seafood seasoning but oh my can you make so many other great things with it y’all, trust us.

When you try this you are going to be blown out of the water really. With this said you could easily use it on chicken throughout the year as well. The easiest way to do this is make in a large batch and store in a sealed container to sprinkle on without any measurements all the time.

How to Cook Turkey with Dry Rub

Here’s a guide for how long does a turkey take to cook. It is handy to have when you are at that time of year. There would be nothing worse than being ready on the big day and your meat still frozen solid.

You’ll want to remove the wrapper and bag out of the cavity. Save items in baggie for later if you choose to add them to your gravy mix or discard. There are mixed opinions on whether you should rinse your turkey but we generally do. Preheat your smoker to 240 or 250 degrees now if you’re making it that way.

This is our very favorite way to make it. Using your Traeger or other brand creates the most flavorful meat and skin. Guaranteed you’ll be amazed.

• If making a sheet pan turkey, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place on a cutting board and pat dry with some paper towels.
• In a bowl mix together your turkey dry rub ingredients.
• Rub it generously on the outside skin.

Cook at this time following the directions in your recipe.

Turkey side dishes

1. Cream corn casserole is the most popular
2. Pepperidge Farm sausage stuffing is our favorite made outside the bird
3. Our air fryer mashed potatoes turn out great
4. Creamed spinach
5. Biscuits, breads, and easy dinner rolls
6. Root veggies
7. Macaroni and cheese
8. Instant Pot green bean casserole is great if you want to save room in your oven.

How do you use a rub on a turkey? It’s quite simple. You just need your hands and a bird that’s been blotted dry and we prefer a bit of olive oil rubbed on to the skin initially. This will allow your seasoning to stick well. You could use this well beyond the holidays. It is great on just about any meat really.