A good turkey brine can really elevate your Thanksgiving or holiday feast by making the turkey juicy, tender, and full of flavor. Here’s a simple, yet flavorful turkey brine recipe.
Classic Turkey Brine
A flavorful herb and citrus turkey brine that keeps your holiday turkey juicy, tender, and full of flavor.
Equipment
- Large pot (4-5 quarts)
- Large brining bag, cooler, or bucket
Ingredients
- 2 gallons water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar brown sugar is a great option for added depth of flavor
- 1 tablespoon slightly crushed black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon slightly crushed allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 4-5 cloves garlic crushed
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3-4 sprigs fresh sage
- 1 lemon quartered
- 1 orange quartered optional, but adds a nice citrus note
Instructions
Prepare the Brine
- In a large pot (at least 4-5 quarts), combine 1 gallon of water, kosher salt, sugar, and all the spices and herbs (peppercorns, allspice, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, sage and rosemary).
- Squeeze the juice from the lemon and orange into the pot, then add the quarters of the lemon and orange into the brine as well.
- Bring the brine to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Let the brine simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Cool the Brine
- Remove the pot from heat and let the brine cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate it to chill completely.
- To speed up the cooling process, add another gallon of water or a couple of cups of ice to the brine after removing it from heat and stir well to combine. This will lower the temperature and get it ready for use faster.
Brine the Turkey
- Once the brine is fully cooled, place your whole turkey (gutted and cleaned) into a large brining bag, cooler, or bucket.
- Pour the brine over the turkey, making sure it’s completely submerged. If necessary, add some additional water or ice to cover the turkey fully.
- Seal the bag or cover the container and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours. If your turkey is over 12 pounds, aim for closer to 24 hours.
Cook the Turkey
- After brining, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it under cold water, and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Proceed with roasting, grilling, or frying your turkey as desired.
Notes
- Salt Level: Be cautious with the amount of salt in the brine, especially if you’re using a different type of salt (table salt is much finer and saltier than kosher salt).
- Herb Variations: Feel free to play around with herbs depending on what you like! Sage, thyme, and garlic work really well for turkey.
- Brining Bag or Bucket: If you don’t have a brining bag large enough, a clean 5-gallon bucket can work great — just make sure it’s food-safe.
