I get so excited when wild sockeye salmon fillets is in season and at a great price at Costco. I'm a big salmon lover. My kids are sometimes hit and miss when it comes to salmon, but they ALL loved it when I made it this way.

Add enough garlic and butter to something and it's delicious, right? Heh.

Hello -- this salmon sheet pan dinner is such an easy recipe. This healthy meal comes together really quickly and you can use whatever quick-cooking vegetables you like. More on that later.

Wild caught salmon vs farmed salmon

I try to buy wild-caught salmon because of its health benefits. Among other things, It has a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids than farmed salmon. (Most, if not all Atlantic salmon is farmed salmon.)

Copper River salmon, King salmon and coho salmon are also good choices. Most salmon from the Northern Pacific Ocean or the Pacific Northwest of the United States is wild caught.

It's the same principle as beef. If you raise the animals in good conditions and feed them things they're biologically designed to eat, then they're healthy animals and produce healthy meat and fish for us to eat.

Wild-caught salmon is more expensive than farmed salmon most of the time. I try not to be snobby about things like this and recognize that if farmed salmon is what a person can manage -- that's fantastic. All salmon has benefits. And it's a much better choice than something less nutritious.

Look at that brilliant red salmon color, though! Wild salmon usually has a darker color than farmed salmon (but not always).

How to Broil Salmon with Skin

I usually buy salmon that's fresh (or has been previously frozen and thawed) in big, long fillets. It always has skin.

When I cook salmon under the broiler, I put the fillets skin-side down.

When I'm grilling them, I put the salmon skin side up first, and then flip them to be skin side down the second half of cooking. I find this is the best way to keep them from sticking to the grill.

You can make this recipe with the whole fillets, but I prefer cutting them into fillets because there's more surface area for the garlic butter. And that's a very good thing.

Grab a large parchment paper lined baking sheet, pat your salmon fillets with a paper towel to remove any moisture, and let's get started!

What Vegetables to broil with a Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner

For this recipe, you'll need some quick-cooking vegetables. Things that will cook well in just 10 minutes under the broiler. Here are a few ideas:

• Green beans
• Grape tomatoes
• Chopped Cabbage
• Thinly sliced zucchini & yellow squash
• Small broccoli or cauliflower florets
• Asparagus
• Kale, chard, or other dark leafy greens
• Chunks of halloumi or paneer cheese (not a veg, but would be delightful here)

Garlic Butter for Salmon

OK, let's talk about this garlic butter situation. Mix some melted butter with a bunch of fresh garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. I like to add a little fresh thyme or other fresh herbs, too. A pinch of dried would work here as well.

I highly recommend using melted butter or ghee, but if you're avoiding butter for any reason, you can swap it out for coconut oil or avocado oil.

Ghee is my favorite for this because of its nutty flavor. It's easy to make Homemade Ghee, too! Ghee is simply butter that has had its milk fats removed -- also called clarified butter.

This recipe cooks quickly, so I don't worry about the butter burning, but for longer cooking recipes, ghee is nice because it has a higher smoke point. The milk fats are usually what burns quickly and since those have been removed it makes ghee a nice choice.

You can have that yummy butter flavor AND roast or pan fry things. It's a game changer for hash browns. Trust me.

Preparing Salmon for the Oven 

Place salmon on your baking sheet and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Put a spoonful of the garlic butter mixture over each fillet. Toss the rest of the garlic butter with the vegetables and arrange them on the pan with the salmon. 

That's it, my friends. 

If you're wanting to do a smaller batch, you can use a baking dish instead of a sheet pan.

How to tell if salmon is cooked

Broiling these salmon fillets for 10 minutes was perfect for the few batches that I tested for this recipe. If your fillets are unusually thick or thin you may have to tweak the cooking time by a minute or so.

An easy way to tell if they're cooked through is by sticking a fork in the middle. If it flakes pretty easily and it's no longer dark pink on the inside, it's cooked through. You'll want to shoot for an internal temperature of about 140.

Fish is really easily to over cook, so if I see a tiny bit of dark pink in the middle I'll still pull it from the oven because the residual heat from the fish will finish it off. 

If you're buying high quality salmon, it's always good to err on the side of being a little underdone than overdone. I mean... people eat raw salmon all the time at sushi restaurants. 

What to serve with Garlic Butter Salmon

The nice thing about this recipe is that it's good to eat even at room temperature!

If you're wanting something more substantial than salmon and vegetables, here are a few easy ideas to bulk up this meal.

Lemon Herb Instant Pot Rice is a great option because it goes beautifully with the salmon and vegetables AND you've already got lemon and fresh herbs on hand. Start this before you start prepping your salmon, and they should be finished around the same time!

Easy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes would also be good. I love mashed potatoes with fish! Don't eat potatoes or looking for a low-carb option? Try my Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree with Garlic & Rosemary.

Cucumber Tomato Salad with Feta would bulk up your vegetables and keep things light.

Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette is a quick green salad if you're wanting something leafy and cool.

If you like this easy baked salmon recipes, try one of these others!

More Easy Salmon Recipes on Perry's Plate

Sweet Chipotle Salmon with Hot Honey Glaze is a delicious parchment-packet meal! Season salmon with chipotles, honey, and lime for a delicious addition to a salad.

Creamy Garlic & Dill Roasted Salmon is topped with an herby, garlicky mayo-based topping that flavors this salmon so well!

5-Ingredient Harissa Roasted Salmon is super simple and a great base for tacos, salads, or on its own with your favorite side dish. Don't have harissa? Swap it out for sriracha.

More Easy Sheet Pan Meals on Perry's Plate

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Meal

Quick Sausage & Veggie Sheet Pan Meal

Thai Chicken Sheet Pan Meal

Baked Pesto Chicken & Vegetables

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Garlic Butter Salmon Sheet Pan Meal

Yield: Serves 5-6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This easy, versatile garlic butter salmon is roasted on a sheet pan with any quick-cooking vegetables you like! Just 10 minutes under the broiler and dinner is on the table in a flash.

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Ingredients

• 5-6 salmon fillets
• sea salt
• 4 cups quick cooking vegetables (see note)
• ⅓ cup melted butter or ghee
• 3 grated garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• Juice from ½ of a lemon
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat your oven broiler to high.
2. Lay the fillets on the salmon with a few inches of space between them. Sprinkle the salmon with generous pinches of salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, zest, lemon juice, and thyme.
4. Brush or spoon some of the butter mixture over the salmon.
5. Put the vegetables in a medium bowl. Toss the vegetables in the rest of the butter mixture, then spread them on the pan around the salmon.
6. Broil on an upper rack in the oven for 10 minutes. If your salmon fillets are especially thick, it might need an extra minute or two. The salmon should flake easily with a fork and not have any darker pink on the inside.

Notes

Any quick cooking vegetables will work here -- cherry tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, chopped cabbage, shredded Brussels sprouts, kale, and other vegetables that will cook adequately in 10 minutes under a broiler.

Recommended Products

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  Microplane 45000 Gourmet Series Coarse Cheese Grater, 18/8, Silver

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 681Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 24gCholesterol 175mgSodium 383mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 6gSugar 9gProtein 54g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

The post Garlic Butter Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner appeared first on Perry's Plate.

For someone who LOVES a good burger, I have a surprisingly small stash of burger recipes on my site. I've had an idea for an ultimate mushroom burger for a while now and this recipe turned out even better than I hoped!

The secret to getting as much mushroom flavor as possible into these burgers is by pulverizing dried mushrooms and mixing them into the meat. I like using my Blendtec for this because it blends better than my food processor (some of the larger mushroom pieces get stuck on the blade, but you can always just remove them.)

I used the same technique in the Creamy Paleo Mushroom Soup with Bacon. (The one where I tricked my kids for years and told them it was bacon soup? bahahaha)

Then, I roast a bunch of fresh mushrooms with whole garlic cloves...

... that end up in this aioli. The garlic, that is. Not the mushrooms. Although, that wouldn't be a bad idea either.

This roasted garlic aioli might be my most favorite aioli I've ever made. (Aiolis are just thinned out, flavored mayo. But aioli is fun to say. And a little fancier.)

It's obviously great on this mushroom burger, but you could put it on other burgers, lettuce wraps, un-wiches, or even as a dip for Sweet Potato Fries.

This mushroom burger is serious umami town. The mushrooms and garlic and herbs and plenty of coconut aminos give the meat and aioli SO much flavor. It doesn't need anything else, really.

Of course my kids wanted to put ketchup on this (and ruin it. ugh.) but they loved these burgers. They protested the roasted mushrooms, which is fine, but little did they know they were still eating mushrooms. *snicker*

We ate them on lettuce wraps and a few of us had gluten-free buns. That roasted garlic mayo... I want to put it on everything now.

Mushroom Burgers Ingredients

For the Mushroom Burgers

• Dried mixed mushrooms
• Ground beef
• Coconut aminos
• Dried minced onion
• Sea salt
• Lettuce leaves or gluten-free buns

For the mushrooms & aioli:

• Mushrooms (white, brown, or baby bella)
• Garlic cloves
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Avocado oil
• Paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• Coconut aminos
• Thyme leaves or a large pinch of dried thyme
• Garlic powder

What Are the Best Mushrooms to Use for this Mushroom Burger Recipe

How to Make a Mushroom Burger

1. Pulverize the mushrooms in a high-speed blender or in a food processor until a fine powder forms. If you use a food processor and end up with a few stubborn pieces that won't blend, just remove and discard them.
2. Put the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the mushroom powder, 3 tablespoons coconut aminos, dried minced onion, and salt. Blend everything together gently with your hands. Divide the meat into 4 sections and form them into patties. Let them rest for a few minutes.
3. Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
4. Put the sliced mushrooms and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and drizzle the avocado oil over the top. Toss everything together with your hands and spread it out evenly on the baking sheet. Roast the mushrooms and garlic on a middle rack in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are deeply browned and the garlic has golden spots.
5. Remove the pan from the oven, then transfer the garlic to a cutting board and chop it finely. Put the minced garlic in a small bowl and add the mayo, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, fresh thyme, and garlic powder. Mix everything together well.
6. Meanwhile, grill the burgers until cooked through, flipping once, and forming dark grill marks. This should take between 8-12 minutes depending on how thick the patties are.
7. Assemble the burgers by placing a patty on some lettuce leaves or a bun.

Best Mushroom Burgers Toppings

Drizzle a generous amount of the roasted garlic aioli ontop and some of the roasted mushrooms.

Mushroom Burgers Recipe Tips

• Once you’ve placed the burger patties on the grill, try not to move them - This will prevent them from falling apart, as well as creating those beautiful grill marks.
• If you use a food processor to pulverize the mushrooms and you end up with a few stubborn pieces that won't blend, just remove and discard them.

How to Serve this Mushroom Burger Recipe

I recommend serving these straight off the grill while they’re still hot! I like to serve the burgers with a simple salad or sweet potato fries.

Mushroom Burger Storage

Best Mushroom Burger Recipe Roasted Garlic Aioli

Yield: Makes 4 burgers

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This double mushroom burger is a fabulous paleo & Whole30 friendly burger full of blended dried mushrooms and topped with roasted mushrooms and roasted garlic aioli.

Print

Ingredients

For the burgers:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup dried mixed mushrooms
• 1 pound of ground beef
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Lettuce leaves or gluten-free buns

For the mushrooms & aioli:

Toggle ingredient group

• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (white, brown, or baby bella)
• 12 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• ¼ teaspoon plus pinch of sea salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• ½ cup paleo-friendly mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or a large pinch of dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Pulverize the mushrooms in a high-speed blender or in a food processor until a fine powder forms. If you use a food processor and end up with a few stubborn pieces that won't blend, just remove and discard them.
2. Put the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the mushroom powder, 3 tablespoons coconut aminos, dried minced onion, and salt. Blend everything together gently with your hands. Divide the meat into 4 sections and form them into patties. Let them rest for a few minutes.
3. Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Put the sliced mushrooms and garlic cloves on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and drizzle the avocado oil over the top. Toss everything together with your hands and spread it out evenly on the baking sheet. Roast the mushrooms and garlic on a middle rack in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the mushrooms are deeply browned and the garlic has golden spots.
5. Remove the pan from the oven, then transfer the garlic to a cutting board and chop it finely. Put the minced garlic in a small bowl and add the mayo, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, fresh thyme, and garlic powder. Mix everything together well.
6. Meanwhile, grill the burgers until cooked through, flipping once, and forming dark grill marks. This should take between 8-12 minutes depending on how thick the patties are.
7. Assemble the burgers by placing a patty on some lettuce leaves or a bun. Drizzle generously with the roasted garlic aioli and some roasted mushrooms.

The post Best Mushroom Burger Recipe with Roasted Garlic Aioli appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Every Thanksgiving I encounter a dressing vs. stuffing debate, or in the case with this roasted cauliflower stuffing recipe you may argue that it is neither. Well... you're probably right.

But, hear me out.

One of the reasons I love stuffing so much is because of the fresh herbs mixed in. (Yes, bread cubes are high on the list, too, but I'm trying to focus on things that don't inflate my midsection.) The fresh herbs mixed with the peppery flavor of the sausage, the chewy nuts, and the caramelized flavor from the cauliflower rice might convince you that you're eating stuffing. MIGHT.

What's your stance on that? How do you define dressing and stuffing? One goes in the turkey and one is cooked separately?

Do you even care what it's called as long as you get to eat some? (That's my stance.)

This recipe starts out with a batch of Roasted Cauliflower Rice. If you've never tried cauliflower rice this way, DO IT, PLEASE. It's a total game changer and 99% of the time I make it this way.

I bought pre-riced cauliflower for this. It's not hard to buzz up a head of cauliflower in my food processor, but having a bag of it on hand saves me that extra step.

And heaven knows we don't need extra steps during Thanksgiving prep.

While the cauliflower is roasting away, cook the sausage and throw the walnuts in at the end so they can get some toasty action. Then all you do is combine it with the roasted cauliflower rice.

And add some fresh herbs -- sage, rosemary, and thyme. Those are the Thanksgiving trio! They even come packaged together at the grocery store.

We really, really loved this. I would totally make this year round as a side dish or make a big batch over the weekend and use it in breakfast hashes during the week! I actually did that with the leftovers and...wow. SO, so good.

If you have a hard time giving up bread in your stuffing, maybe try this Gluten-Free Stuffing over at Gluten-Free Palate!

I'd love to hear if you add some roasted cauliflower stuffing to your Thanksgiving dinner! Keep your eyes peeled for more Thanksgiving recipes this week...

Dry Brine Turkey with Orange-Rosemary Herb Butter

Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree with Rosemary & Garlic

Bacon-Fried Green Beans

Chai Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Paleo Spiralized Apple Crumble

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Paleo Roasted Cauliflower Stuffing with Sausage and Walnuts

Yield: Serves 6-8 as a side

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

This roasted cauliflower stuffing is filled with bits of sausage, crunchy walnuts, and fresh herbs. You won't even miss the bread!

Print

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• 32 ounces riced cauliflower (a 2-pound bag)
• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic (1-2 cloves)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 8 ounces bulk breakfast sausage (see note)
• 2 heaping Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage)
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Dump the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the avocado oil and add the garlic and salt. Use your hands to mix thoroughly, then spread the cauliflower evenly on the pan.
3. Roast on a lower oven rack for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until there are dark, golden bits throughout the cauliflower.
4. Bring a medium skillet to medium-high heat and cook the sausage, breaking it into small bits. Cook until the sausage is cooked through and starts to form crispy brown spots. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the pecans to the skillet. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes until the nuts are toasted.
5. Transfer the sausage mixture to the pan with the cauliflower. Add the fresh herbs. Stir it around until combined and then transfer it to a serving bowl to serve.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. Sometimes it's hard to find clean bulk sausage -- I get it. You can also use my Homemade Chicken Breakfast Sausage recipe!

2. These leftovers are great in a breakfast hash!

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The post Paleo Roasted Cauliflower Stuffing with Sausage & Walnuts appeared first on Perry's Plate.

Being in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey is a lot of pressure! Let me help! I’ve spent the last 15 years failing in every way possible (even dropping the turkey on the floor – no joke) and I’ve figured out 4 fool-proof tips to make a juicy, flavorful, crowd-pleasing turkey. Just a heads up — you might be in charge of the turkey forever after this.

What is Dry Brine?

Dry brining is like wet brining without the water. It's more like a seasoning rub that you leave on the bird for a few days before cooking -- at least 3 days and up to 4-5 days.

I used Kosher salt, black pepper, and coconut sugar, keeping it simple since I was planning to use an herb butter under the skin later.

Dry Brine vs Wet Brine Turkey

Dry brining and wet brining serve the same purpose - keeping the meat moist and seasoning it. Dry brining is a dry rub, which means there will be less to clean up!
The difference between these two methods lies in how salt interacts with the turkey. In a wet brine, the salty water saturates the meat, allowing it to absorb and retain water. Dry brining initially extracts moisture which then combines with the salt before being reabsorbed. The high salt concentration in a dry brine breaks down muscle proteins and prevents them from releasing liquid during cooking.

Dry Brine Turkey Recipe Ingredients

• Pasture-Raised Turkey
• Kosher salt
• Coconut sugar (optional)
• Black pepper

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe Herb Butter Ingredients

• Butter
• Naval oranges
• Lemon
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Shallot
• Garlic

How to Dry Brine a Turkey

• Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Wipe any moisture from the turkey with a paper towel.
• Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or something for it to sit on while brining in the fridge.
• In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, coconut sugar, and black pepper.
• Rub the mixture all over the skin of the bird. Wrap the bird in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining.
• About an hour before you plan on roasting the turkey, remove it from the fridge. Wipe some of the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel. Do not rinse.

How long to Dry Brine Turkey

In total the turkey will brine for at least 3 days. Once you’ve rubbed the bird with the brine, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days in the fridge. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining. This will make the skin crisp up!

How to make the Herb Butter for this Dry Brine Turkey Recipe

Once you get the butter and herbs/seasonings all mixed together, dump it out onto a piece of parchment paper.

Then roll it up like a giant piece of candy. (That's what my 5-year-old called it.)

Put it in the fridge until it hardens. You can do this several days ahead of time if you need to.

I've got more detail about my Garlic and Herb Butter over on this other post! It works well for roast chickens, too.

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe Tips for success

• Use Kosher salt instead of fine sea salt or other finely ground salt. Using fine salt may make the turkey overly salty.
• You can make the herb butter several days in advance.
• You can also smoke this turkey! Prep it exactly the same and then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast meat. You can either smoke the turkey at 220°F (105°C) to cook it entirely or smoke it at that temp for 2-3 hours and then finish it off at 350°F (180°C) to get it done more quickly. Cook until the temperature probe reaches 160°F (70°C).

Do you rinse the turkey after dry brine?

Do not rinse your turkey! All you need to do is wipe off the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel.

Prepping your Dry Brine Turkey for the oven

When the turkey is brined and you're ready to prep it from the oven, you'll need to gather a few things

• Sharp knife
• Kitchen twine
• Scissors
• Roasting pan
• Heavy pair of tongs to help move the turkey around
• The stuff you plan on putting inside the turkey.

I've learned it's  much easier to assemble everything you need ahead of time so you don't end up washing your hands 37426 times because you forgot to grab something out of a cabinet or a drawer.

(You also end up washing your hands that many times when you're trying to photograph turkey prep. There's not really any way around that, unfortunately.)

Prepping a turkey is like prepping a really big chicken. There's not that much difference, really.

I wiped off the extra brine because I didn't want the skin too peppery. Don't wash it off completely though, because you'll need that extra flavor.

I also loosened the skin from the flesh using my fingers and the end of a plastic mixing spoon to get into hard-to-reach areas.

After I cut the herb butter into coins, I inserted them under the skin. (See how much easier this is!?)

I also made small incisions in the skin between the leg and thigh so I could get butter coins in those places, too.

Don't worry if the skin rips a little. Try to be careful, but sometime it happens. Like that leg on the left up there. Oops.

Stuff some citrus and herbs into the body cavity, tuck the wings behind the body and tie the legs together. And drizzle the whole thing with avocado oil.

I put some celery, carrots, onion, fresh herbs, and orange halves in the bottom of the roasting pan with about 2 cups of water, too.

Roast the turkey breast side down at first

Now.... flip the whole thing over.

WHAT?

Yep. Do it.

Starting off the cooking process upside down lets the juices flow to the breast meat, which is where it needs to be. It's the area of the bird that usually dries out the most.

After an hour or so, flip it back over to finish cooking and make sure to baste it occasionally.

Ta-da! Check out that beautiful bird!

Making a dry brine turkey is so much easier than a wet brine. The recipe may look long and daunting, but it's really not hard! There's just a lot of explaining.

The gravy turned out FANTASTIC. Herb butters make the best gravy, I swear.

Smoking a Dry Brine Turkey using this Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

If you're into smoking, you can use the dry brining and herb butter techniques from this recipe and smoke your turkey instead of roasting it!

Follow the instructions in the recipe exactly up until you're ready to cook it, then preheat your smoker to 220F at high smoke.

If you have room in your smoker and two different grates, you can put the turkey directly on the top grate and a roasting pan on the bottom to catch any drippings. I recommend putting a quart of chicken broth in there, too, so the drippings don't burn.

Add a meat probe into the thickest part of the breast and let it roast until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Plan on roughly 30-40 minutes per pound.

Making Homemade Turkey Broth with this Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

Also, SAVE YOUR BONES!!

I got 2 gallons of turkey stock out of this lovely lady. You can use my Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth recipe and make 2 batches of bones in a 6 qt Instant Pot.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

We ate our turkey with some Instant Pot Cauliflower Puree with Garlic & Rosemary (But Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes would be delightful, too!), Roasted Shredded Brussels Sprouts, and Wassailed Cranberry Sauce. Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing is a fun one, too, and a staple in our family's Thanksgiving.

Here is a collection of our Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes!

All right my friends. Go forth and make your dry brine turkey.

More Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

I have a post with TWO Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menus if you're looking for an entire dinner option! Or just want some ideas.

This post has my Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes

This post has my Low-Carb/Keto Thanksgiving Recipes

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Turkey Dry Brine Recipe

Yield: 1 12-15 pound turkey

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 5 hours

Here's how to make a dry brine turkey along with a flavorful orange-rosemary herb butter for good measure! It's so much easier than using an immersion brine -- no need to fill your stock pot and then hunt for a place to put it in your fridge.

Print

Ingredients

For the Turkey & Dry Brine:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 12-14 pound Diestel Pasture-Raised Turkey
• 3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon black pepper

For the Herb Butter:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened salted butter (grass-fed, if possible)
• 2 medium naval oranges
• 1 large lemon
• ¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary, plus an extra sprig for the turkey cavity
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus an extra sprig for the turkey cavity
• 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped finely
• 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

For the Roasting Pan & Gravy:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces
• 4 medium carrots, cut into large pieces
• Additional sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, plus more for garnish, if desired.
• 1 quart of chicken or turkey broth
• 2 Tablespoons tapioca or arrowroot starch
• 3 Tablespoons of butter or ghee
• Sea salt, if needed

Instructions

1. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey. Wipe any moisture from the turkey with a paper towel. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet or something for it to sit on while brining in the fridge.
2. In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, coconut sugar, and black pepper. Rub the mixture all over the skin of the bird. Wrap the bird in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 days. At the beginning of the 3rd day, remove the plastic wrap and let the bird dry, uncovered, in the fridge for the last day of brining. This will make the skin crisp up nicely.
3. Make the herb butter by placing the soft butter in a bowl. Add the zest from both oranges and the lemon to the butter. Add the rest of the herb butter ingredients. Reserve the zested oranges and lemon for later use in the recipe. (You may want to cover them in plastic wrap, too, if it'll be more than a day before you cook the turkey.)
4. Mix the herb butter well, then transfer it to one side of a large piece of parchment paper. Fold the edge of the paper over the butter, an using your hands, form it into a log shape, rolling it up in the parchment and twisting the ends to seal. Chill until ready to use.
5. About an hour before you plan on roasting the turkey, remove it from the fridge. Wipe some of the excess brine from the skin with a paper towel. Do not rinse.
6. Use your fingers to loosen the skin from the meat around the breast area. You may need to use the end of a mixing spoon to detach the skin around the top of the breast if it's hard to reach with your fingers. Be careful not to pull too hard and tear the skin too badly. Do the same with the leg and thigh areas, making a small incision between the leg and the thigh to access both areas.
7. Insert the herb butter under the skin in the breast, leg, and thigh areas.
8. Pull out the reserved oranges and lemon. Slice them in half and put two halves along with two lemon halves and a couple of herb sprigs in the cavity of the chicken.  Put one orange half (reserve the last orange half for the gravy) in the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the onion, celery, carrots, herbs, and 2 cups of water. Place the roasting rack on top.
9. Tuck the wings behind the body and tie the legs together. Place the turkey, BREAST-SIDE DOWN (yes, upside down) on the roasting rack.
10. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and let the turkey sit at room temperature until the oven heats up. Roast on the bottom rack for 1 hour.
11. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Flip the turkey over using heavy tongs and an oven mitt, so it is breast-side up. Baste, and continue to roast, basting every 20-30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast is 155-160 degrees. My 12.5 pound turkey was finished in about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
12. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before slicing so the juices don't run out all over.
13. To make the gravy, use a slotted spoon to fish out the vegetables and the orange half. Place the roasting pan (if it is stove-top safe) over medium heat. Whisk 2 cups of the broth with the tapioca starch and pour it into the gravy, whisking constantly. Cook until the gravy is bubbly and thickened slightly. Add the butter or ghee and stir until smooth. Taste, and add salt, if needed. Strain and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

1. Use Kosher salt instead of fine sea salt or other finely ground salt. Using fine salt may make the turkey overly salty.
2. You can make the herb butter several days in advance.
3. You can also smoke this turkey! Prep it exactly the same and then insert a temperature probe into the thickest part of the breast meat. You can either smoke the turkey at 220 deg F to cook it entirely or smoke it at that temp for 2-3 hours and then finish it off at 350 to get it done more quickly. Cook until the temperature probe reaches 160 deg F.

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The post Orange-Rosemary Herb Butter Turkey Dry Brine appeared first on Perry's Plate.

This recipe started out as a cop-out for my Thanksgiving assignment -- the vegetables.

I totally don't mind making vegetable dishes. In fact, I really like it, but I was also determined to make a pie or two. (Or three) And that sounded much more exciting.

I despise green bean casserole, but wanted to incorporate green beans somehow. I also wanted to use Brussels sprouts. I didn't want to make 2-3 separate vegetable side dishes, so I threw them together with a couple other vegetables with similar cooking times. Like mushrooms. And bell peppers.

This recipe would work with winter vegetables or summer vegetables so, ideally it's a year-round roasted vegetable recipe you can pull out anytime!

Recommended vegetables for roasting

Whatever vegetables you choose, just be sure that they have similar cooking times. If you are mixing quick-cooking vegetables with longer-cooking vegetables, make sure that the vegetables that take longer to cook are cut into smaller pieces.

Here are a few of my favorite vegetables for roasting:

Soft vegetables: broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower, bell peppers, onions, zucchini, yellow squash.

Hard vegetables: sweet potatoes, carrots, potatoes, beets (cut these really small -- they take forever!), butternut squash.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

I love balsamic vinegar. Like a lot. Especially with feta.

I created a vinaigrette to toss your vegetables in to give them maximum flavor -- a mixture of balsamic vinegar, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, garlic, and avocado oil. Also sea salt and ground black pepper and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

If you don't have fresh herbs, just use dried. See the recipe notes for the measurements.

Tips for Roasting Vegetables

1. Like I said earlier, be sure to pair vegetables with similar cooking times. Or make sure your longer-cooking vegetables are cut smaller to speed up the roasting time.
2. Use a heat-safe oil, like coconut oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil that has a high smoke point. Ghee is great, too (and makes THE BEST roasted vegetables.) Extra virgin olive oil aren't intended to be heated to high temps and will oxidize or burn.
3. Don't crowd the pan. Use a large baking sheet, and don't fill it to the max. As the vegetables roast and caramelize, they release moisture. If there isn't a lot of room for that moisture to release, you'll end up steaming your vegetables instead. We don't want that.
4. Roast them hot. For the most part, I like to roast vegetables at 450 degrees F -- especially the quicker cooking ones. This enables you to get a lot of caramelized edges before the vegetables turn to mush. I also use 425 if the vegetables need a longer roasting time. The natural sugar in the vegetables will create amazing flavor and texture if you do it right.
5. Let them cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a serving dish (if you're using a serving dish. We just scoop them right off the sheet pan.) Again, we want to avoid steaming them, so if you immediately transfer them to a bowl, you'll lose some of those crispy edges.
6. Add a little garnish afterward! These roasted vegetables with balsamic vinegar call for a sprinkle of feta cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. If your vegetables aren't heavily seasoned, I'd recommend a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, some fresh herbs, or some other kind of cheese -- goat cheese and Parmesan shavings work well, too.
7. Try grilling them! You can use this recipe to make balsamic grilled vegetables, too! Just cook them in a grill skillet on your grill at high heat.

What to serve with balsamic roasted vegetables

Just about anything! Like I mentioned earlier, these balsamic roasted veggies make a fabulous Thanksgiving side dish. It's also naturally gluten free, so a great go-to dish if you're cooking for someone with allergies. (The feta is optional, obviously.)

Or you can serve it with any of these other recipes on my site:

Grilled Chicken with Balsamic BBQ Sauce
Grilled Lemon Chicken
Instant Pot Pot Roast with Rosemary Gravy
Mozzarella Studded Gluten Free Meatloaf
Simple Roast Chicken

More recipes for roasted vegetables:

Roasted Brussels and Butternut Squash with Bacon
Chai Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple
Crispy, Shredded Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Italian Roasted Broccoli & Kale
Curry Roasted Cauliflower

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Easy Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Yield: Serves 6 as a side

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Roasted vegetables are one of my go-to side dishes for any dinner -- not just Thanksgiving! This version has a tangy twist of balsamic.

Print

Ingredients

• 4-6 ounces of each of these: green beans, sliced mushrooms, cubed butternut squash, Brussels sprouts -- or enough vegetables to mostly cover a large, rimmed baking sheet (see note)

For the vinaigrette:

Toggle ingredient group

• 3 Tablespoons avocado oil (or any other neutral, heat-safe oil)
• 3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (or ½ teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried )
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

For garnish:

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• ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbles
• Balsamic glaze

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place the vegetables on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
3. Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Toss to coat.
4. Spread vegetables out evenly. Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring them around a couple of times.
5. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with feta and drizzle with balsamic glaze before serving.

Notes

Nat's Notes:

1. You can swap out vegetables if you like, just make sure they have similar cooking times. Broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, summer squash, onions, or sweet potatoes and fall squash (diced small) would be great alternatives.
2. You can prep the vegetables and vinaigrette ahead of time. Just toss them together, cover, and chill for up to 6 hours.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 172Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 7mgSodium 181mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 6gSugar 9gProtein 5g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Lemon Herb Chicken

I've made two ginormous batches of this grilled lemon chicken in the past couple of weeks (for company and for a smallish catering job), and I think it will be a staple this summer.

Everyone has LOVED it. And any excuse to grill, right?

Throw it on a salad, pair it with rice and roasted vegetables, add it wraps, pasta dishes, and even make big batches for meal prep. It seriously does it all.

Lemon Herb Chicken Marinade

• Avocado oil
• Minced or crushed fresh garlic
• Lemons – zest & juice
• Dried oregano
• Dried or fresh thyme
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

How to Make Lemon Chicken

1. Combine the oil, lemon zest & juice, herbs, salt, and pepper in a zip top plastic bag or shallow dish.
2. Add the chicken and toss it around to coat it well.
3. Cover and Let it marinate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

How to Make Grilled Lemon Chicken

1. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
2. Grill the chicken, flipping once halfway through cooking until it is cooked through and the juices are running clear – about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.
3. Remove from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Garlic Lemon Chicken Recipe Tips

Butterflying the chicken or slicing them into thinner cutlets will cut down on marinating and grilling time!

Using fresh lemon juice and garlic (as opposed to bottled lemon juice and granulated garlic) will make a big difference in this recipe.

Don’t overcook the chicken. It should be about 160F when you pull it from the grill. The residual heat will finish cooking it as it rests.

Speaking of… make sure to let it rest! Cutting it straight from the grill will cause the juices to run out and your chicken may be dry.SaveSave

Grilled Lemon Chicken Variations

Slow cooker/Instant Pot: Don’t want to grill? Put the chicken in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Or into an Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 15 min (with a 15 min natural release). It’s lovely as a seasoned shredded chicken as well!

Change up the flavors: Swap out the lemon juice & zest for lime and use different herbs, like basil and cilantro. Keep the garlic, though. You’ll always need that.

Lemon Herb Chicken FAQs

If you make one of my recipes, I'd love to see! Post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!

Grilled Garlic Lemon Chicken

Yield: Serves 6-7

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Print

Ingredients

Toggle ingredient group

• ¼ cup avocado or melted coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
• 1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
• ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from the 2 lemons, doesn't have to be exact)
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (butterflying recommended)

Instructions

1. Combine oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, herbs, salt, and pepper in a large bowl or zip-top plastic bag.
2. Add chicken and squish the bag around to evenly coat the chicken.
3. Let it marinade, chilled, for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
4. Preheat BBQ grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken, flipping once, for about 10 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through.
5. Let it rest for about 5 minutes or so before slicing.

This post may contain affiliate links. Any purchases made by using these links won't cost you any extra and helps keep my content free. These links may be Amazon links as I am part of the Amazon Associate Program.

The post Grilled Lemon Chicken appeared first on Perry's Plate.