The Best Turkey Brine

Brining is the secret to a juicy, flavorful Thanksgiving turkey. Whether you’re new to brining or looking to refine your technique, our recipe infuses the meat with moisture and enhances its natural flavors. Plus, it’s as simple as can be and comes together in just ten minutes. Read on to learn everything you need to know to finally say good-bye to dry turkey and hello to a holiday bird that is savory and juicy.

What Is Brining?

Brining is the often-skipped process of soaking a turkey (or pork, chicken and other poultry) in a water and salt solution that is flavored with various herbs and aromatics. The technique helps the meat absorb moisture and seasoning, resulting in a bird that is well seasoned to its core and not just on the skin. The salt and sugar in a brine breaks down the proteins of the meat, allowing it to retain more moisture and stay tender as it cooks. While the salt and sugar work on the texture of the bird, the herbs and aromatics impart added flavor during the brining process.

What Is the Difference Between a Wet Brine and a Dry Brine?

A wet brine is the above process of soaking meat in a salt solution, and a dry brine is a similar process that doesn’t use water. Instead, a mixture of salt, sugar and herbs is applied directly to the surface of the bird to absorb into the flesh. We like to use a wet brine because the liquid really ensures that the meat stays juicy during the cooking process but using a wet or dry brine simply comes down to your preferences.

Is Brining a Turkey Worth It?

The age-old question: to brine or not to brine? While many people skip the added step, we think it is essential to a tasty holiday turkey. Turkey is a lean meat, which means it loses moisture so quickly in the oven. Brining is your secret weapon to avoiding bland, dull turkey.

How Long Should I Brine a Turkey?

A turkey should brine for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. A large bird definitely needs to brine closer to the 24-hour mark, but you want to avoid going any longer than that to avoid an overly salty bird.

Do I Need to Refrigerate the Turkey While It Brines?

Yes, it is absolutely essential to refrigerate a turkey while it brines to keep it at a safe temperature and avoid any food-borne illnesses. A brining turkey is still a raw turkey!

Do I Need to Rinse the Turkey After It Brines?

Yes, you do. Just rinse it under cold water to remove excess salt, pat it dry, and let it rest in the fridge, uncovered, for at least a few hours.

How to Brine a Turkey Like a Pro

Use your favorite flavors. We love the savory, holiday-forward flavor of sage and thyme, but you can also use other hearty herbs like rosemary and oregano to make this simple brine recipe your own. Beyond the herbs, you can swap out the lemon peel for orange, grapefruit or even lime depending on your taste.

Swap granulated sugar for brown sugar to add depth of flavor. Granulated sugar does the trick, but brown sugar has molasses in it, which imparts a richly sweet flavor onto the turkey.

Make sure you bring the brine to room temperature. After you make the brine, you must let it cool to room temperature for two reasons. First, the herbs and citrus will have extra time to steep, ensuring all those flavors are present. Second, submerging your turkey in hot or even warm water could start the cooking process: something we absolutely want to avoid until it goes into the oven.

Refrigerate after brining to dry out the skin. Once you’ve brined, rinsed, and patted your turkey dry, return it to the fridge uncovered for a few hours, or even overnight. This process will dry out the skin, resulting in a golden brown and crispy turkey skin: everyone’s favorite part.

How to Cook a Brined Turkey

Cooking a brined turkey follows a similar process to cooking an un-brined turkey. The only difference is that you won’t need to season the turkey after brining. You can sprinkle additional pepper on the bird if you’d like the skin to have an extra kick, but, overall, your seasoning has been taken care of. From there, just roast it like you would any other turkey and enjoy.