Who wouldn’t want to eat a tender, moist, and flavorful turkey for their Thanksgiving feast? Brining is a salt marinade which causes the meat tissues to absorb water and flavorings by breaking down the proteins. This is why brining is a popular method of preparing a Thanksgiving turkey because any moisture loss while roasting still produces a juicy and flavorful turkey.
It’s important to note that you do not want to brine a kosher or self-basting bird. Otherwise the turkey will be too salty.
Most brining recipes call for a gallon of water or stock and a cup of salt and sugar each. From there, people often add apple juice, vinegar, whiskey, and other aromatics. I like to keep things simple by using ingredients I have in the pantry.
A few weeks ago I brined a turkey for two days for my father’s birthday. Everyone commented on how juicy and tender the turkey was. Dad was happy, I was happy, and I decided brining is the only way I’ll ever prepare turkey again.
I thought I would share with you how I brined the turkey.
Using a thawed turkey, I removed the giblets and neck from the inside. Next, I rinsed the outside and inside of the bird thoroughly. Then, I set the turkey in a rimmed roasting pan and pat it dry with paper towels.
I placed an oven roasting bag in a large soup pot with the opening of the bag over lapping the rim of the pot, carefully placing the turkey in the bag.
***Many people will tell you to brine your turkey in heavy duty garbage bags, Home Depot style pails, and XXL size ziplock bags. I’ve read that garbage bags shouldn’t be used because they are not made from food-grade plastic. Unless you have a second refrigerator, I don’t see how a large pail can fit in a family refrigerator. I also had a hard time finding the XXL ziplock bags. So what I decided the most practical thing to to do was buy poultry oven roasting bags I knew would fit my turkey. I also emptied out, washed, and sanitized the bottom meat drawer of the refrigerator. I found this was a good way to brine my turkey with the least amount of hassle, taking up the least amount of space, and kept the turkey nice and cold.
I slowly poured the brine into the bag and tied a loose knot.
I carefully transferred the turkey to the (cleaned and sanitized) meat drawer from the refrigerator with the knot facing upwards. I marinated the turkey for 1 day before turning the turkey over so the top side was bottom, and the bottom was top. This way both halves of the turkey had ample time to marinate. I basted the upper side of the turkey once during the process.
When it was time to roast the bird, I rinsed the turkey again, including the inner cavity. I patted the turkey dry before lathering with seasoned butter before cooking. This is how I brined the bird and highly recommend you do the same for moist, flavorful turkey!
*Notes:
-Someone suggested in the comments that you should brine your bird for 1 hour for every pound. I think this is a good rule of thumb but I have brined for longer with good results too.
-I’m getting asked a lot if a person can brine a pre-seasoned turkey. Technically speaking, experts say not to. However, I have and I cut the brine time down in half with no problems of excess salt. I am not recommending you do this but just sharing my own experience. Your mileage may vary (YMMV).
-The “things” floating in the picture are not anchovies or sardines as people have mistaken them for in the comments. They’re ice cubes. 🙂
Here’s my guide on how to roast a turkey.
- 12 cups water, divided
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sage
- 2 tablespoons thyme
- 2 tablespoons rosemary
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 4 cups ice
- Bring 4 cups of water to a simmering boil. Add salt and sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Turn off the heat. Stir in 8 cups cold water, apple cider vinegar, sage, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and ice. The brine is ready to be used.
- Remove giblets and neck from the cavity. Rinse the outside and inside of a thawed turkey. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry. Complete submerge the turkey in a large soup pot bigger than the bird and cover with a lid. Allow the turkey to marinate for 12 hours for a small turkey (8-10 lbs) and up to a full day for a bigger bird. (Update: 11/27/13 - You may need to flip your bird half way through the brine process) Rinse turkey and pat dry before adding additional seasoning, butter, or oil in preparation for roasting.
Here’s my guide on How to Roast a Turkey. Click here for the recipe.
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Are the ice cubes absolutely necessary? I don’t make ice cubes but could go buy a bag. But if I can get by without them this time (my first time brining) it would be great. The turkey is just for me, no guests etc.
Hi Lynn,
You don’t need the ice cubes as long as your bring mixture is cold. The reason for the cubes is to cool the brine down so it doesn’t start the cooking process prematurely. Thanks for stopping by.
The purpose of the ice is to cool down the warm brine so that the turkey is kept very cold. I use 1/2 cup non-iodized (plain) salt per gallon of water. You can add an equal amount of sugar but it is not necessary.
You can make your brine ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator once the hot brine comes to room temperature. When the brine is nice and cold, put your turkey in the bag and pour the cold brine from the refrigerator over the cold turkey and that will serve the same purpose as long as you stick the turkey right back into the refrigerator to keep it icy cold.
Another thing I do when brining large turkeys for a big crowd is to use a food quality bucket or big lobster pot, add the turkey to the pot, cover with brine (make enough to cover), and then put the pot covered with a lid or foil into a large cooler and place ice all around the outside of the pot and lower the lid of the cooler to seal in the cold. This method works gteat at holiday time when you need refridgerator space and you don’t have room for the large turkey in your refrigerator. I have been brining turkeys for years and I never have brined a turkey for two days. My rule is 1 hour per pound or 24 hours max. You don’t even have to flavor the water or even add sugar to it. Salt and water makes a perfect turkey! If you disolve a couple tablespoons to a pint of water, add ice and throw it in a ziplock bag with a few thick-cut pork chops or boneless chicken breasts and brine them for 30 mins. before cooking, you will never prepare them any other way! Sooo juicy and delicious!! I have also brined many, many, many self basting turkeys such as Butterball, or common grocery store turkeys and never had a problem.
It is very, very important to thoroughly rinse, rinse, rinse your turkey inside and out after removing it from the brine. This will avoid your turkey from tasting too salty. The pan drippings will be salty but you can always use half of the pan drippings and match it with half unsalted broth to create a delicious and wonderful gravy!
One thing I have also noticed is that due to the higher moisture content of turkeys after brining, they do cook quicker so use a meat thermometer and check your turkey before you normally would so that it does not overcook! You will never eat dry breast meat again!! GOOD LUCK!!
Howdyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Can I use a cooler for the turkey? If I use a cooler I could add more ice and even frozen ice bags to keep the turkey cool.
Thanks for the help.
Mike
This brine recipe was excellent! I made it last year at Christmas and the turkey came out so tender.
Hi Alice,
This is going to be my second time making a turkey and I’m truly excited and nervous (the first time was a few years ago and it didn’t turn out as I had hoped). I would like to use your brining recipe and was wondering if I used chicken broth instead of water, will I end up with the same results? Also if I did use chicken broth, is there anything I should do differently while using your recipe? Please help, I am truly an amateur when it comes to cooking. Thank you.
Hi Kimberly- SO sorry I did not see this sooner. You could use broth but I don’t see how it would make a difference because it is the high salt content you want. Hope your turkey turned out great.
Hi – thanks for the recipe – I’m really looking forward to trying it but I have a question…are these dried or fresh herbs you’re using? I’m assuming dried since you said you like to keep it simple with ingredients you have on hand/in the pantry but I wanted to be sure.
Thinking of trying this simple brine. But, I don’t have the herbs in a dried form but only in a fresh form. Can I use them instead ? Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving !
Could I use Himalayan salt or iodized Salt instead of Koshor salt?
For a small turkey 8 to 10 pounds can I use the brine method to brine for a couple of days or will it make it to salty. I don’t like turkey it is always to dry, this is only my 3rd time making turkey, it is always I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Any advice would help.
This is the best brine recipe ever!! I use it every year. Very easy and the turkey comes out tender, moist and sooo flavorful!
This is the best brine recipe ever!! I use it every year. Very easy and the turkey comes so flavorful!
If you use the sugar will it make it sweet? Also do you also season the outside with like a rub? Thi is my first turkey ever and I don’t want it to come out to salty.
Hi there,
I’m not Alice, but I’ve used her basic recipe going on my 4th year now. And no, the turkey is not one bit sweet. I add many more aromatics, but you don’t have to. This basic recipe will produce a juicy turkey. I do not season the outside with a rub of any kind. You could I suppose, but beware if the run is very salty be the turkey has been brined in salt. All I do is brush my turkey with mayo, some like to use butter. 🍂🍴🍗🍁 Happy Thanksgiving!
If you are reading this. TRY IT! Last year was the first year I did Thanksgiving at my house, by myself. I was 22 and had never cooked a full turkey, let alone an entire meal for 15 people.I wanted the turkey to be the show stopper, and I read that brining was the best way to get a juicy and mouth watering turkey. I looked every where for a simple and easy recipe and instructions, and I found this. I would suggest you create the brine exactly the way it’s listed. It’s easy and simple. I brined my 23lbs turkey for two days as suggested and flipped half way through. I also used the bottom drawer of my fridge as listed. I had three matriarchs from three families who all asked for my recipe. The turkey was so succulent and tender, we literally just forked it off the bone. After brining, I rubbed the turkey inside and out with a healthy amount of salt & pepper with a few dried herbs and let it roast. The brining did all the work. I guess it was pretty darn good, every one assigned me Thanksgiving at my house again for this year, and here we are. The day before thanksgiving and my turkey is brining again in the same mixture!
Love this!! Thanks for your feedback about the recipe! I’m so excited for this turkey! Does the liquid swuish out into the drawer? I’m confused be the loose knot and so forth. Need help!!
I just want to say thank you. I have been using your brine recipe since 2011 and it helped me with my very first turkey then at 21 years old and it has consistently made my friends and family happy witht the results. I cook from the heart and this recipe has sufficiently helped transpire that sentiment in my turkey every year. The only thing I do differently is use white zinfandel ( a cheapish one) in place of Apple Cider Vinegar since it makes me sick lol, but all the rest i do exactly the same.
just thought I’d give a little thanks because I find that it is important for cooks to let eachother know when their food or recipe is legit! <3
Hi I love this Recipe I have already yoused it for Thanksgiving and my 🦃 came out so moist and tasty, now for Christmas I want to Use the same recipe, 🤔but we would like to Deep Fry the 🦃 Can I still do so ☺️