Whole-bird dry brine

Torrlag för hel fågel

The day-before version, for a big bird

You need
  • Coarse salt, 1 % of the bird’s weight
  • 1 msk black peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 tsk dried thyme
  • Zest of one lemon

A big bird will not fit in a bucket. Which is the practical reason dry wins above about three kilos: there is no container, and no room in the fridge for one full of water.

Rub it in, breast and legs and cavity, and give it a full twenty-four hours uncovered on a rack. Bring it out an hour before the fire, because a bird straight from the fridge takes an extra forty minutes and dries out getting there.