Do you "marinade" your Christmas Day turkey the night before?

[Sunsetred]

I'm cooking the turkey this year. My MIL has being calling my DH all day to see if I have marinaded the turkey yet. I had no plans on preparing the turkey until tomorrow morning. Now my DH is insisting I marinade it tonight otherwise it will be dry. I was only planning on rubbing butter on it and putting onion and bay leaves inside. Is this wrong? It's my first time cooking the turkey!

Ive never marinaded, brined or anything else to a turkey and never had a dry bird in 45 years

Turkey is not dry. Get a high welfare Norfolk bronze and you can see the fat on it

No one marinates a turkey...
Not even Nigella

Never marinaded or brined a turkey ever, neither did my parents. But if you're doing the cooking, you cook it how YOU want to and she should butt out.

Ours is currently soaking in brine. I haven't a clue why, I wouldn't do it, but the turkey is DH's job so whatever he does is fine by me.

I have brined in the past, and it definitely makes a difference. This year, though, my MIL has outdone herself with her manipulations and machinations, so I’d do whatever my original plan was and dare her to say a word.

I've brined in the past ,but Idon't think the end result is worth the effort .
Not least sorting a container and finding a cool designated spot.
Another thread on here has convinced me that it's all about resting it once it's cooked .At least an hour apparently .

@bellac11 line a bucket with a bin liner ?
TBH the less I have to touch the thing and be reminded that it's a real animal,the happier i am.

@suki1964 Get a high welfare Norfolk bronze

I think you're spot on .Pretty sure it was one of these that produced the only roast turkey I've genuinely enjoyed .Brought back to London from a visit home by a kind neighbour .
Not sure where I'd get one now and it would probably be out of my price range anyway .

@bellac11 I use a cool box, sat in the utility.
The bird starts frozen so defrosts slowly over two or three days. If it were to feel anything other than chilled I could stick a bag of ice in, but I’ve never felt the need. Bear in mind at this time of year the garage or garden is generally fridge temp!

We’ve just eaten and it was blooming lovely. Juicy flavoursome breast.

and only a cheap frozen turkey. I’ve had more expensive birds but have settled on a frozen one as part of my Christmas streamlining!

I went to b and q and bought a bucket to try brining my turkey after watching Nigella do it. It didn’t make a difference ime.