If you are roasting a turkey this season, our Easy Turkey Brine recipe is the best way to ensure you have a juicy and flavorful turkey. Whether it’s your first turkey or if you want to make your best turkey ever, check out this easy step-by-step tutorial. It’s perfect for your Thanksgiving Turkey!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
If you have never brined a turkey, this is a total game-changer for ensuring a juicy Thanksgiving turkey. It’s so juicy that you don’t even need the Turkey Gravy. Oh, who am I kidding – You always need gravy! I mean, who’s going to hang out with the Mashed Potatoes?
The Best Turkey Brine Recipe
A basic turkey brine should be simple with inexpensive kitchen staples: water, salt, sugar, garlic, and some fresh or even dried spices. You can also change it up based on what you have on hand (see variations below).
When using a brine, give yourself an extra 12-24 hours before cooking, depending on the size of your bird (1 hour per pound of turkey). Brining will make your turkey:
- Tasty – Extra flavorful, seasoned throughout
- Juicy – Consistently moist and tender
- Aromatic – all of the fresh herbs that are infused while soaking are enhanced when the turkey is roasting in the oven.
Why Do You Brine a Turkey?
Brining means to soak your turkey in a water and salt solution (brine) flavored with herbs and spices to make it more moist and tasty. Turkey is a naturally lean protein and is prone to overcooking and drying out. The salt in the brine alters the structure of the meat’s proteins, allowing it to absorb and retain more moisture.
Ingredients for the Best Turkey Brine
This brine recipe is so simple, it really is as easy as submerging your turkey (just about any sized turkey will work here) in seasoned water and adding some herbs. For this easy turkey brine recipe you will need:
- Salt – fine sea salt or kosher salt, preferably salt without additives or iodine
- Granulated sugar – balances the saltiness of the brine and also helps to give your finished roasted turkey a golden brown, caramelized crust.
- Herbs and spices – bay leaves, whole peppercorns, fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme
- Water – cool, not hot, enough to fully submerge your turkey
Substitutions
Substitutions are simple here, so you can adjust this basic brine recipe depending on what you have on hand.
- Sugar – Swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar.
- Cider – Try replacing 3 cups of water with equal amounts of apple cider (apple juice in a pinch, NOT apple cider vinegar) for extra flavorful moisture.
- Zest – Add the peels from 3 oranges for a hint of citrus in your brine. Use a knife to finely slice only the zest (colored skin) and not the bitter white pith.
- Dry Herbs – if you don’t have fresh rosemary and thyme, it’s perfectly ok to substitute 1 Tbsp dried rosemary and 2 tsp dried thyme.
How to Brine a Turkey
- Prepare your Turkey – make sure Turkey is fully thawed (see How to Thaw a Turkey here) and be sure to remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity.
- Make the Brine – Place the sugar, salt, peppercorns, 1 gallon of water, and fresh herbs into a container that’s large enough to hold your brine and submerge your turkey (or use a brining bag for very large turkeys). Stir the mixture until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Brine Your Turkey – Place your turkey breast down into the brine and more cold water until the turkey is fully submerged (I added 8 additional cups). Store your turkey and brine in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. A general rule of thumb is to brine for 1 hour per pound of turkey to give you the best flavor and moisture content.
- Remove the turkey from the pot or brining bag and discard the brine. In a clean sink, rinse the turkey to remove the excess salt and seasonings. Pat dry all over with paper towels and you’re ready to roast or smoke your turkey.
Safety Tip for Rinsing the Turkey:
The only time you should rinse a turkey, inside and out, is after bringing it to reduce saltiness and remove herbs. Before rinsing, clean and empty your sink. Have paper towels for drying, and your roasting pan next to the sink ready to receive the turkey. Also, run the water gently to prevent splashing.
Alternatively you can soak the turkey in a pot of cold, fresh water for 15 minutes. After placing your turkey into the roasting pan, be sure to clean the sink and counters thoroughly with hot soapy water to prevent cross-contamination. Check out more great tips on brining safety from the USDA.
Can I brine a frozen turkey?
This recipe is best with fresh or already defrosted turkey to allow the meat to fully absorb the brine.
My brine water turned pink, is that ok?
It’s normal if the water turns a pinkish color while your turkey soaks.
Can I store my container outside if it’s cold?
The USDA recommends that you always store raw turkey in the refrigerator at 40°F or less to prevent foodborne illness. A brining bag takes up less space than a large, rigid container, so consider this option if space is a concern.
How do I get a crispy turkey skin?
If you prefer crispy skin, we recommend letting your turkey sit uncovered on a platter in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before cooking.
What Type of Container Should I Use to Brine a Turkey
This recipe works well for a turkey 10-20 lbs. You will need a large pot or container to hold your turkey while it brines. Use something non-reactive, such as plastic, glass, or stainless steel, and ensure it fits in your refrigerator while it soaks. Any of these options work:
- food grade bucket
- large stockpot
- crockpot bowl
- Favorite: a brining bag* or 2-gallon Ziploc bag- double bag it!
*For a turkey that is larger than 15 lbs, a brining bag is recommended. If you don’t have a brining bag and plan to use a larger container, you must increase the recipe by 50% to keep the salt-to-water ratio balanced (make 1 1/2 times the recipe).
Pro Tip:
To help keep your turkey fully submerged, place a plate, bowl, or pot lid on top to weigh it down.
Since the turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table, it’s definitely worthwhile to brine for a more flavorful and tender turkey. I find the turkey is a little more forgiving when it’s brined.
More Ways to Use Turkey Brine
You can use this brine for more than just turkey! It can also tenderize and make these meats even tastier!
Easy Turkey Brine Recipe
Learn how to brine a turkey for a juicy turkey every time! You can use this turkey brine for Juicy Roast Turkey or Smoked Turkey. If you don’t have a container large enough to accommodate a whole turkey, you can also use a turkey bag inside a large bowl or pot.
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
Prepare your Turkey – make sure the Turkey* is fully thawed (see How to Thaw a Turkey here) and remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity.
-
Make the Brine – Combine brine ingredients and 1 gallon of water in a container large enough to hold and submerge your brine and your turkey, or use a turkey brining bag set in a large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved and the liquid turns clear.
-
Add the turkey and add more cold water to ensure the turkey is fully submerged. I added an additional 8 cups of cold water (this will vary depending on the size of your turkey and the size of your tub/container/pot. Store in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
-
Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Carefully rinse your turkey to avoid splatter* and dry all over. If a crispy skin is desired, we recommend letting it sit on a platter uncovered in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before cooking your turkey.
*Turkey Sizes – We used a 13 lb turkey, but this will work for just about any turkey 10-20 lbs.*
*Brining Bag Note – For a turkey that is larger than 15 lbs, a brining bag is recommended. If you don’t have a brining bag, you will need to add quite a bit more water, so you’ll need to increase the recipe by 50% to keep the salt-to-water ratio balanced (make 1 1/2 times the recipe).
*Use non-iodized salt – select a salt without added preservatives and avoid iodized salt.Â
*Safety Tip – Thoroughly clean your sink and surrounding work surfaces after rinsing your turkey.Â