The Best Turkey Brine Recipe – A simple blend of salt, sugar, and spices will create the moistest and most flavorful turkey you’ve ever made. Give our easy brine and roasting recipes a try for your Thanksgiving turkey!
It’s Brine Time!
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- Should I brine my Thanksgiving turkey?
- Does brining really make that much of a difference? What does it do to the turkey?
- How do you make a turkey brine?
- How long should I brine a turkey before cooking?
- What’s the easiest and cleanest way to brine a turkey?
- Does the turkey need any seasoning after brining?
- Can I take the turkey straight out of the brine and put it in the oven?
- What happens if you brine a turkey too long?
As you can see, it’s high time I wrote a post about turkey brine.
Today I will try to answer all these questions as thoroughly as I can and offer simple roasting steps, so that this year you can serve the plumpest, most flavorful turkey you’ve ever roasted. Perfect for Thanksgiving or any holiday gathering!
Should I Brine My Thanksgiving Turkey?
In short, YES you should always brine your turkey. It makes a huge difference in taste and texture.
I have heard many arguments over the years that brining isn’t worth the time and effort. Or that it doesn’t really enhance the flavor of the bird. But after roasting well over 50 turkeys in my lifetime, I can firmly state, brining makes all the difference.
In fact, every time I try a different method of preparing my turkey, I’m always disappointed. Always.
In my opinion, a simple brined turkey, without any extra seasoning, stuffing, or glamor is always the ultimate winner at any holiday gathering.
What Does Brining Do To Turkey?
Soaking poultry in brine does three things that improve the overall dining experience.
- Brining seasons the meat all the way through, not just on the surface, for the best possible flavor.
- Brining locks in moisture, plumps the poultry, and lightens the color of the meat, for the most tender juicy bite.
- The salt alters the skin quality, so it bakes to a crispy golden brown.
Pretty good results, don’t you think?
How Do You Make A Turkey Brine?
Brine in its simplest form is just water and salt. However, our Best Turkey Brine Recipe offers a little more flavor from sugar, herbs, and spices.
You simply mix the salt with warm water so it dissolves into the water. Then add in any additional ingredients.
- Gallon Warm Water – more as needed
- Brown Sugar
- Sea Salt – or kosher salt
- Shallots – roughly chopped, or sweet onion
- Garlic Cloves – smashed
- Whole Peppercorns
- Dried Juniper Berries – optional (or allspice berries)
- Fresh Rosemary – roughly chopped
- Fresh Thyme
What’s The Easiest And Cleanest Way To Brine A Turkey?
Honestly, I find brining a turkey to be a life-saver several days before Thanksgiving or Christmas. After all, refrigerator space is limited, so I want to move the turkey out for other items.
Therefore I always brine the turkey in a cooler. I wash the cooler. Mix the brine in it. Then submerge the turkey in the brine and cover it with ice. It can stay in the cooler for several days, leaving more room in the fridge for pies and side dishes.
You can even dry the turkey in the cooler, resting on ice.
When I’m done with the cooler, I simply dump the brine in the garden, spray the cooler with a disinfectant kitchen cleaner, and spray the cooler out with the hose. Simple.
How To Make The Best Turkey Brine Recipe Ever
- Mix – Pour a gallon of warm water into a clean cooler or large 3-5 gallon bucket. Add the brown sugar, salt, shallots, garlic, herbs, and spices. Stir the mixture to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Dunk – Lower the turkey in the brine. Add additional water to make sure the brine covers the whole turkey entirely, so you don’t have to flip in.
- Soak – Determined brine-time based on the size of your turkey. For a turkey 15 pounds or under, brine for just 24 to 36 hours. For a turkey larger than 15 pounds, brine for up to 3 days.
- Dry – Before you roast the turkey, take it out of the brine water and place it on a rack to dry. Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry if needed. You can place the roasting pan in the refrigerator (or back in the cooler) if you want to give the bird a longer time to dry. For the best results, allow the turkey to dry overnight.
- Roast – Rub the turkey skin all over with butter. This helps create that perfect golden exterior. Roast the turkey at a low temperature for 15 minutes per pound.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF A BRINE?
The greatest benefits of brining are juicy meat, enhanced flavor, and golden crispy skin. A con would be having to think ahead 2-3 days before cooking your turkey, and having to clean a bucket or cooler, twice. However, we believe the pros far outway the cons of brining.
HOW LONG SHOULD I BRINE A TURKEY BEFORE COOKING?
This depends on the size of the turkey, and how much salt you add to the brine.
The general rule is 1 cup of salt for each gallon of water. Then brine the turkey overnight.
However, I find if you add a bit more water you can brine the turkey longer for a better overall bird. I like to brine a large turkey for 3 days.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BRINE A TURKEY TOO LONG?
If a turkey is left in the brine too long it will absorb too much salt. Therefore, I usually make sure I add more water than traditionally recommended.
DOES TURKEY NEED ANY SEASONING AFTER BRINING?
No additional seasoning is needed after brining! It’s perfectly seasoned from the skin down to the bone.
CAN I ADD EXTRA INGREDIENTS TO THE BRINE?
Of course! Consider adding in apple juice or apple cider, lemons, baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, additional fresh herbs, or even a splash of bourbon or brandy.
CAN I TAKE THE TURKEY STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BRINE AND PUT IT IN THE OVEN?
Technically, yes. However, for the best golden-brown crispy skin, you should allow the turkey to dry thoroughly before placing it in the oven.
Then butter or oil the skin to improve the texture even more.
WILL THE PAN DRIPPINGS BE TOO SALTY TO MAKE GRAVY?
Not if you don’t keep the turkey in the brine too long. If you taste the turkey drippings and feel they are overly salty for turkey gravy, you can thin them out with low-sodium turkey broth, or even water.
DRY BRINE VS WET BRINE?
Dry brining is a method of covering a turkey (or chicken) in a thick layer of salt, without the water. With this preparation, the salt pulls the turkey juices to the surface, fuses with them, and releases them back into the turkey. Yes, a dry brine does offer a little less clean-up than wet brining, and gives the turkey greater flavor and moisture than no brining at all. But in my humble opinion, it is still not as effective as a traditional wet brine.
Wet brines allow you to infuse much more flavor than just salt. You’re flavoring the turkey with a touch of sweetness, fragrant herbs, and spices. Plus, the liquid is able to work its way inside all the nooks and crannies of the turkey much better than a dry brine.
We’ve tried both methods, and although a dry brine is better than no brine, I would go with a wet brine every single time! You can also brine a whole chicken for amazing flavor.
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- Garlic Butter Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
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- Asian Spiced Thanksgiving Turkey – How to Cook Turkey in the Oven
- Apple Cider Turkey Gravy Recipe
- Sausage Mushroom Thanksgiving Stuffing
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- Cranberry Jalapeno Honey Baked Turkey Breast
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- Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice Recipe
- Moist and Fluffy Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Recipe
- Best Southern Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe (with Marshmallows and Pecans)
