An easy tutorial on How to Make a Citrus Herb Brine that is perfect for a Thanksgiving turkey or a Sunday night roast! Made with light & refreshing ingredients that add a ton of flavor and moisture to your turkey meat!
The Best Citrus Herb Brine
This is the perfect brine recipe – full of flavor and simple to make! Perfect for your next Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner. There is something about how the citrus flavors combine with all the wonderful fresh herbs and butter. All those flavors just come together so beautifully – it is so delicious. And there is simply nothing better than a juicy, tender turkey on the holiday table!
Ever Tried a Dry Brine for Turkey?
If you haven’t tried it yet, you definitely need to try our Dry Brine Turkey!
What You Will Need
- kosher salt & water – creating a salt to water ratio is an essential part of making a traditional wet brine.
- bay leaves – perfect for adding some depth of flavor.
- garlic cloves – everything is always better with some garlic in the mix!
- fresh thyme, sage, & rosemary – this combination of fresh herbs bring all the best flavor that are the perfect compliment to the turkey.
- black peppercorns & mustard seeds – both of these are a great addition for even more flavor.
- rind of a lemon & orange – love the light & refreshing flavor that these bring!
What Is Brine
A brine is an age-old preservation technique that has been used more recently as a way to infuse moisture and flavor into proteins, similar to a marinade. Your protein sits in a combination of water and salt, along with other aromatics prior to cooking. It is a lengthy process that requires careful planning, but the results are SO worth it!
How To Make A Citrus Herb Brine
The first steps to making this wet brine recipe are to put 6 cups of water, salt, and the rest of the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a bowl over a medium high heat for 5-10 minutes. This will allow the salt time to dissolve. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Salt to Water Ratio for Brine
Generally, the ratio for a brine is 4 tablespoons of salt for every 4 cups of water.
Now place the fully thawed turkey in a large brining bag and pour the wet brine over the top. Add the remaining water, ensure that the turkey is fully submerged. Place the brining turkey in the fridge to sit for 12-24 hours. Carefully remove the turkey from the brine, rinse, pat dry, and use in any of your favorite turkey recipes.
Best Ways To Cook A Brined Turkey
There are a variety of different ways to cook a whole turkey after sitting in a wet brine. A few options are to make an Herb-Citrus Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, Grilled Turkey, Smoked Turkey, or Deep Fried Turkey. And if you are looking to lower the cook time of your large bird, learn how to spatchcock a turkey! It cooks faster and more evenly for a juicy, tender turkey.
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How to Make a Citrus Herb Brine
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 brine 1x
- Category: Brine
- Method: Refrigerator
- Cuisine: American
Description
A step-by-step tutorial on How to Make a Citrus Herb Brine for your next Thanksgiving turkey – so much flavor!
Ingredients
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 28 cups water
- 6 bay leaves
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 8 sage leaves
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- peel of one orange
- peel of one lemon
Instructions
- Dissolve Salt: Place 6 cups of water, salt and all other ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring to allow salt to fully dissolve. Remove from heat and let water cool down to room temperature.
- Brining Bag: Place turkey in brining bag or another large container, cover with salt mixture. Add the remaining water making sure the turkey is fully submerged – use a plate to weigh down, if you need to. If additional water is needed, add 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon salt until fully submerged.
- Brining Time: Place the brining turkey in the fridge to sit for at least 12 hours, 24 preferred.
- Remove: Carefully pull the turkey out of the brine, allowing excess liquid run off, rinse turkey in the sink with cold water, and discard the brining liquid.
- Cook: Cook the brined turkey any way you want – we love to make Grilled Turkey!
Notes
- Amount: This recipe is for a 18-22 lb fresh turkey. For an approximately 10 pound turkey or turkey breast, simply cut in half.
- Thaw: Follow our tutorial on How to Thaw a Turkey to make sure your turkey is fully thawed before brining.
- Cook Time: This is actually the amount of time the turkey should sit in the brine, not an actual cook time.
Phoebe says
Hi Erin,
This sounds wonderful! But quick question, do you refrigerate the turkey while it is brining for the 12-24 hrs?
Thanks!
Erin says
Thanks, Phoebe! And Yes! You definitely refrigerate it – I will update the recipe :). Thanks for the question! I generally use a large cooler – just make sure it stays below 40 degrees at all times!
Buddy says
Yes mam 100%
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
omg this is gorgeous, ~ leave out the salt and I’d love a tea made out of that brine!
Erin says
?. Right?! Thank you!