Turkey Brine Recipe (How to Brine a Turkey) – brining a turkey has never been more popular and it is SO EASY! Whether you are cooking a whole turkey, turkey breast or turkey tenderloin for Thanksgiving or your next special get-together – brining your turkey can take its flavor and juiciness to the next level.

How to Brine a Turkey

Curious about brining your Thanksgiving Turkey? Here is the run-down and all the answers to your brining questions! Whether you are making Deep Fried Turkey, Smoked Turkey (Smoked Turkey Breast), Grilled Turkey (Grilled Turkey Breast) or a Juicy Roast Turkey Breast in the oven … brining a turkey is a great way to elevate your bird! After you check out this guide you will be able to design your own brine or you can check out our Apple Cider Turkey Brine or Smoked Turkey Brine.

Ever tried spatchcocking a turkey – this smoked spatchcock turkey and roasted spatchcock turkey recipes are also amazing!

What is a Brine + What Does it Do

A brine is a the simple process of soaking a cut of meat, here a turkey, in a mixture of water and salt (along with other aromatics and herbs) for a period of time (usually 12-48 hours). As the meat is submerged in the brine mixture, it soaks up the extra moisture and salt resulting in a more flavorful and juicy cut of meat.

Basic Turkey Brine Recipe

Here is a basic brine recipe – of course you will need to double, triple, etc. the recipe until you have enough to cover your particular cut of meat:

• 1/4 cup of kosher salt (if using table salt (not recommended) cut salt at least in half – otherwise it will be too salty)
• 4 cups water
• add aromatics and herbs as desired
• Multiply this ratio until you have enough liquid to fully submerge your turkey.

Wet vs. Dry Brine

While a wet brine consists of submerging a cut of meat in a salt/water mixture, a dry brine consists of rubbing salt, herbs and other seasonings directly onto the skin and meat of the turkey and letting it sit in the refrigerator for a period of time (usually 48 hours).  Wet Brine Recipe: Here is a great recipe for a Turkey Dry Brine!

What You Will Need

• kosher salt + water: this is the basic wet brine (ratio found in the recipe card below).
• aromatics/herbs: this is where you can get creative. Once you have your water + salt combo down you can liven up your turkey brine with so many different things such as: bay leaf, garlic cloves, orange slices or orange peel, spices, whole peppercorns, fresh rosemary (or other fresh herbs), apple cider, onions, lemons, thyme, brown sugar, etc.
• turkey: you can use this with a whole turkey, turkey tenderloin or turkey breast (check out our guide on How to Thaw a Turkey).
• vessel to soak your turkey in
• brining bag (optional)

What to Soak Your Turkey in

It goes without saying that if you don’t use a brining bag you will want to ensure your brining vessel is clean:

• cooler (use a brine bag)
• bucket (food-grade plastic or with a brine bag)
• large stock pot
• some people like to use a crisper drawer from their fridge!

How to Make a Wet Brine

• Determine how much water you need to fully submerge your turkey.  Then determine how much salt you are going to need (1/4 cup salt for every 4 cups of water).
• Add 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add salt and allow to dissolve.
• Remove from heat and let cool completely.
• Place the turkey in whatever you will be brining it in (cooler, bucket, etc). Add the salt/water solution as well as the remaining water needed to submerge the turkey.
• Brine for 12-48 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine. Discard brine.
• Option 1: You can pat dry bird (no need to rinse) and rub with soft butter or ghee.  Cook turkey as desired.
• Option 2: Pat dry bird and set in the fridge, uncovered, anywhere from 2-12 hours.  This will result in a more crispy skin. Before cooking, rub with soft butter or ghee and then cook as desired.

Your turkey is now ready to be cooked!

How to Cook Your Turkey

Once your turkey is done in the brine you could:

• Roast It
• Deep Fry It
• Smoke it

Recipe FAQs + Tips

• Can I make a brine for other protein foods?  Yes!  You could absolutely use this technique on other protein foods – like a yummy roast!
• While the turkey is brining do I need to keep it refrigerated? Yes!  It will need to stay refrigerated during the brining process.
• Do you HAVE to brine a turkey before cooking it?  No. It is simply one way of keeping the meat moist and giving it a little extra flavor.
• Should I let the turkey sit after taking it out of the brine before cooking?  Some recommend letting your protein sit for 4-12 hours (in the fridge) after you remove it from the brine. This will help dry out the skin and result on a more brown/crisp skin after cooking. Totally personal preference!
• Do I rinse the bird after brining: There is no real need to rinse the bird after brining, but feel free to!
• Do I season the bird after brining: Before cooking I recommend patting dry the bird and rubbing all over with soft butter or ghee.  You can season it with some salt and pepper and you can still stuff it with aromatics!
• Wet Brine Recipe: Here is a great recipe for a Turkey Dry Brine
• USDA: Check out this post by USDA about safely brining a turkey. 

HERE A FEW OTHER SIDES YOUR COULD SERVE WITH YOUR TURKEY:

• Creamy Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
• Classic Giblet Stuffing
• Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Apple Cinnamon Yam Bake

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Originally published November 15, 2019.