This is my favorite Turkey Brine recipe to get a juicy, flavorful roast turkey every time! A elementary mix of water, common salt, carbohydrate, garlic, too fresh herbs is all you lot call for. Once yous brand the moisture brine, I’ll demonstrate you lot how to brine the turkey besides–it’s really tardily!
What’second inwards this Turkey Brine?
This sugariness together with savory turkey brine recipe helps to make the near tender, juicy, in addition to flavorful Thanksgiving turkey y'all’ve e'er tasted.
- Water: Creates a solution to dissolve the salt, creating a moisture brine.
- Kosher Salt: Seasons the brine to infuse the nub with season.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness.
- Black Peppercorns: Adds a hint of spice.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme, sage, in addition to rosemary add together a rich as well as herbaceous season.
- Bay Leaves: Add a subtle herbal flavour.
- Garlic: Adds an earthy flavor as well as a pungent odor.
- Ice: Cools the brine quickly and so that it doesn’t get-go to fix the turkey.
- Turkey: You tin can role any size turkey amongst this wet brine recipe, just I recommend ane that’sec 8-sixteen pounds. Don’t function a pre-seasoned, kosher, salt-injected, or self-basting turkey because it will turn out as well salty!
Pro Tip: The magic ratio is 1½ cups of table salt for every one gallon of H2O, then if yous postulate more brine, follow that conduct!
Variations on Wet Brine for Turkey
While I honey the combination of herbs as well as spices inwards this turkey brine recipe, you lot can definitely add other aromatics into the mix. Lemon slices or orange peels are a groovy addition for a impact of citrus flavor; shallots or onions enhance the earthy flavour; in addition to red pepper flakes or paprika add a impact of spice.
You tin too swap out just about of the H2O for apple tree juice, apple cider, or chicken broth for even more season.
Brining helps produce a more than tender too flavorful turkey. It helps break downward the proteins inwards the muscle fibers, allowing the heart and soul to retain more than moisture during cooking.
Both moisture together with dry out brines function good for turkey, as well as it’s actually upwardly to y'all which method you lot similar best. A moisture brine infuses flavour too wet more than rapidly than a dry brine; withal, moisture brines do require a lot more than fridge infinite.
The magic ratio is one½ cups of table salt (24 tablespoons) for every i gallon (xvi cups) of H2O.
I intend and so! It actually helps raise the flavor of the turkey, balancing the saltiness good.
I recommend 24 hours for the best results, only equally picayune as xviii and as much equally 48 will make merely fine.
Yes, y'all postulate to refrigerate turkey while brining it to proceed it from going bad.
Absolutely! Simply home your frozen turkey inwards the brine too allow it make its affair. Follow my guidelines for how to thaw a frozen turkey inward the refrigerator to determine how long to go out it inwards the brine. The full general conduct is 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Keep inwards heed that many frozen turkeys will already live brined or salt-injected–if that’second the instance, make non brine it.
You certain tin! If yous over brine a turkey, it volition get as well salty as well as the texture may turn spongey. I don’t recommend brining for whatever longer than 48 hours one time fully thawed.
I recommend rinsing your turkey later on brining it, and then allowing it to air dry uncovered inward the refrigerator (or pat dry out amongst paper towels). This volition let the peel to crisp upward amend inward the oven.
How to Brine a Turkey
Now that you lot’ve got the uncomplicated moisture brine ready, it’sec time to really brine the turkey. This function is merely every bit easy as making the table salt and herb solution.
Once the brine has cooled, pour it into a container or baking dish that’s big plenty to hold the turkey too the liquid. Fully submerge the turkey into the solution, as well as act the dish/container to the fridge.
Let it sit for 24-48 hours, until fix to prepare. Drain together with pat the turkey dry out before roasting.
Serving Suggestions
Once you lot’ve finished moisture brining your turkey, cook it upwards in addition to serve it alongside Thanksgiving classics, like turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, light-green edible bean casserole, creamed corn, and stuffing.
Recipe
Turkey Brine Recipe
Ingredients
- ane½ gallons H2O (24 cups)
- two¼ cups kosher salt
- 1 loving cup brown sugar
- i tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- one bunch fresh sage
- iii sprigs fresh rosemary
- iii bay leaves
- i head garlic cutting in one-half to divulge the cloves
- 16 cups water ice optional, meet notes
- ane turkey (8-16 pounds)
Instructions
- Add the H2O, salt, brown saccharide, black peppercorns, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, as well as garlic to a pot.one½ gallons water, two¼ cups kosher common salt, ane cup brown sugar, ane tablespoon whole dark peppercorns, one bunch fresh thyme, ane bunch fresh sage, three sprigs fresh rosemary, three bay leaves, ane caput garlic
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to make, in addition to stir, until all the common salt in addition to sugar are dissolved.
- Remove from the oestrus and stir in the water ice.16 cups water ice
- Once the water ice has dissolved, pour the brine into a container large plenty to concur your turkey with extra room for the brine.ane turkey
- Submerge the turkey in the brine. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Before cooking, drain off too discard the brine in addition to pat the turkey dry out.
Last stride! Don’t forget to demo me a film of what y'all
made!
Upload an image or tag me
@thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- If yous don’t take 16 cups of water ice, stir inwards ane gallon of common cold H2O inward its place. Let the mixture cool completely before adding the turkey.
- Very large pots or coolers are slap-up containers to function for bringing your turkey. Just live certain to clean your cooler showtime.
- Don’t purpose a pre-seasoned, kosher, common salt-injected, or self-basting turkey. It will plow out besides salty!
Nutrition Information
