Best Turkey Brine Recipe
If you’ve never brined a turkey before, you’re in for a treat. This wet brine recipe isn’t part of the cooking process but an additional step to prepare your turkey 12-24 hours before cooking. Soak your turkey in this herbal brine, and you’ll have the most flavorful, tender turkey on your platter. Brining works magic, making your turkey:
- Extra flavorful and seasoned throughout
- Consistently moist, tender, and juicy
- Aromatic – all the fresh herbs infused during soaking are enhanced while roasting in the oven
Pro Tip:
Before adding your bird to the brine, remember to remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity.
Ingredients
This brine recipe is delightfully simple—just submerge your turkey in seasoned water and add some herbs. For this easy turkey brine recipe, gather these ingredients:
- Salt – fine sea salt or kosher salt (preferably without additives or iodine)
- Granulated sugar – balances the saltiness and contributes to a golden brown, caramelized crust
- Herbs and spices – bay leaves, whole peppercorns, fresh garlic, rosemary, and thyme
- Water – cool, not hot, enough to fully submerge your turkey
Substitutions
Feel free to make some substitutions:
– Swap granulated sugar for brown sugar.
– Use apple cider (or apple juice) to replace 3 cups of water for extra flavor.
– Add the peels from 3 oranges for a hint of citrus in your brine. Remember to only use the zest (colored skin), not the bitter white pith.
– If fresh rosemary and thyme aren’t available, it’s okay to substitute 1 Tbsp dried rosemary and 2 tsp dried thyme.
