If you are roasting a turkey this season, our Easy Turkey Brine recipe is the best way to ensure you have a juicy and flavorful turkey. Whether it’s your first turkey or if you want to make your best turkey ever, check out this easy step-by-step tutorial. It’s perfect for your Thanksgiving Turkey!
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If you have never brined a turkey, this is a total game-changer for ensuring a juicy Thanksgiving turkey. It’s so juicy that you don’t even need the Turkey Gravy. Oh, who am I kidding – You always need gravy! I mean, who’s going to hang out with the Mashed Potatoes?
Helpful Reader Review
“This recipe is a definite keeper. I used coarse sea salt instead of kosher, but still came out absolutely delicious. My mom doesn’t usually like turkey but this blew her mind. My turkey was about 18 lbs. and I believe I only added an extra 4 cups of water. Definitely saving this for next year. Many thanks for this recipe!! It’s amazing!.” – Paulina ★★★★★
The Best Turkey Brine Recipe
A basic turkey brine should be simple with inexpensive kitchen staples: water, salt, sugar, garlic, and some fresh or even dried spices. You can also change it up based on what you have on hand (see variations below).
When using a brine, give yourself an extra 12-24 hours before cooking, depending on the size of your bird (1 hour per pound of turkey). Brining will make your turkey:
- Tasty – Extra flavorful, seasoned throughout
- Juicy – Consistently moist and tender
- Aromatic – all of the fresh herbs that are infused while soaking are enhanced when the turkey is roasting in the oven.
Why Do You Brine a Turkey?
Brining means to soak your turkey in a water and salt solution (brine) flavored with herbs and spices to make it more moist and tasty. Turkey is a naturally lean protein and is prone to overcooking and drying out. The salt in the brine alters the structure of the meat’s proteins, allowing it to absorb and retain more moisture.
Ingredients for the Best Turkey Brine
This brine recipe is so simple, it really is as easy as submerging your turkey (just about any sized turkey will work here) in seasoned water and adding some herbs. For this easy turkey brine recipe you will need:
- Salt – fine sea salt or kosher salt, preferably salt without additives or iodine
- Granulated sugar – balances the saltiness of the brine and also helps to give your finished roasted turkey 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
Substitutions are simple here, so you can adjust this basic brine recipe depending on what you have on hand.
- Sugar – Swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar.
- Cider – Try replacing 3 cups of water with equal amounts of apple cider (apple juice in a pinch, NOT apple cider vinegar) for extra flavorful moisture.
- Zest – Add the peels from 3 oranges for a hint of citrus in your brine. Use a knife to finely slice only the zest (colored skin) and not the bitter white pith.
- Dry Herbs – if you don’t have fresh rosemary and thyme, it’s perfectly ok to substitute 1 Tbsp dried rosemary and 2 tsp dried thyme.
How to Brine a Turkey
- Prepare your Turkey – make sure Turkey is fully thawed (see How to Thaw a Turkey here) and be sure to remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey’s cavity.
- Make the Brine – Place the sugar, salt, peppercorns, 1 gallon of water, and fresh herbs into a container that’s large enough to hold your brine and submerge your turkey (or use a brining bag for very large turkeys). Stir the mixture until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Brine Your Turkey – Place your turkey breast down into the brine and more cold water until the turkey is fully submerged (I added 8 additional cups). Store your turkey and brine in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight. A general rule of thumb is to brine for 1 hour per pound of turkey to give you the best flavor and moisture content.
- Remove the turkey from the pot or brining bag and discard the brine. In a clean sink, rinse the turkey to remove the excess salt and seasonings. Pat dry all over with paper towels and you’re ready to roast or smoke your turkey.
Safety Tip for Rinsing the Turkey:
The only time you should rinse a turkey, inside and out, is after bringing it to reduce saltiness and remove herbs. Before rinsing, clean and empty your sink. Have paper towels for drying, and your roasting pan next to the sink ready to receive the turkey. Also, run the water gently to prevent splashing.
Alternatively you can soak the turkey in a pot of cold, fresh water for 15 minutes. After placing your turkey into the roasting pan, be sure to clean the sink and counters thoroughly with hot soapy water to prevent cross-contamination. Check out more great tips on brining safety from the USDA.
Can I brine a frozen turkey?
This recipe is best with fresh or already defrosted turkey to allow the meat to fully absorb the brine.
My brine water turned pink, is that ok?
It’s normal if the water turns a pinkish color while your turkey soaks.
Can I store my container outside if it’s cold?
The USDA recommends that you always store raw turkey in the refrigerator at 40°F or less to prevent foodborne illness. A brining bag takes up less space than a large, rigid container, so consider this option if space is a concern.
How do I get a crispy turkey skin?
If you prefer crispy skin, we recommend letting your turkey sit uncovered on a platter in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before cooking.
What Type of Container Should I Use to Brine a Turkey
This recipe works well for a turkey 10-20 lbs. You will need a large pot or container to hold your turkey while it brines. Use something non-reactive, such as plastic, glass, or stainless steel, and ensure it fits in your refrigerator while it soaks. Any of these options work:
- food grade bucket
- large stockpot
- crockpot bowl
- Favorite: a brining bag* or 2-gallon Ziploc bag- double bag it!
*For a turkey that is larger than 15 lbs, a brining bag is recommended. If you don’t have a brining bag and plan to use a larger container, you must increase the recipe by 50% to keep the salt-to-water ratio balanced (make 1 1/2 times the recipe).
Pro Tip:
To help keep your turkey fully submerged, place a plate, bowl, or pot lid on top to weigh it down.
Since the turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table, it’s definitely worthwhile to brine for a more flavorful and tender turkey. I find the turkey is a little more forgiving when it’s brined.
More Ways to Use Turkey Brine
You can use this brine for more than just turkey! It can also tenderize and make these meats even tastier!
- Roast Turkey
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Roast Chicken
- Grilled Pork Chops
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Two Whole Roasted Chickens
- Spatchcock Chicken
Easy Turkey Brine Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 cups lukewarm water
- 1 cup fine sea salt , or 1 1/2 cups kosher salt*
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 Tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried thyme
- 8 cups cold water
Instructions
- Prepare your Turkey – make sure the Turkey* is fully thawed (see How to Thaw a Turkey here) and remove the bag of giblets and neck from the turkey's cavity.
- Make the Brine – Combine brine ingredients and 1 gallon of water in a container large enough to hold and submerge your brine and your turkey, or use a turkey brining bag set in a large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved and the liquid turns clear.
- Add the turkey and add more cold water to ensure the turkey is fully submerged. I added an additional 8 cups of cold water (this will vary depending on the size of your turkey and the size of your tub/container/pot. Store in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Carefully rinse your turkey to avoid splatter* and dry all over. If a crispy skin is desired, we recommend letting it sit on a platter uncovered in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours before cooking your turkey.
Notes
*Brining Bag Note – For a turkey that is larger than 15 lbs, a brining bag is recommended. If you don’t have a brining bag, you will need to add quite a bit more water, so you’ll need to increase the recipe by 50% to keep the salt-to-water ratio balanced (make 1 1/2 times the recipe).
*Use non-iodized salt – select a salt without added preservatives and avoid iodized salt.
*Safety Tip – Thoroughly clean your sink and surrounding work surfaces after rinsing your turkey.
Filed Under
How do you cook the turkey after brining. And which gravies works the best with the recipe
Hi Shazia! Click on the red words throughout the blog post, they are links. I linked the Turkey recipe on paragraph one, as well as a gravy recipe further down in the post.
Hope you love the recipes!
I’m interested in trying this for thanksgiving and want to make traditional pan turkey gravy from the drippings. Will this create a sweet tasting grave??
Hello! It’s just balanced, a bit sweet but not too sweet.
Can this work for a turkey breast? I’m not doing a whole turkey.
Hi Tracy. Yes, just use a thermometer to check for doneness.
Hi Natasha! Question about brining a turkey. Are you still able to stuff it after with stuffing or does the brining affect that? Thank you!
Hi Christine! You can stuff the turkey after brining, but take note of the moisture level in both the bird and the stuffing. You can also adjust the salt accordingly. If you love the classic stuffed turkey, it can work out just fine with proper attention to moisture and seasoning!
I love your easy recipes! Keep up the good work ❤️
Is brining ok for frozen turkeys that have already been injected with solutions?
Hi Patti! Yes, you can. You may adjust the salt level in the brine to prevent over salting.
Natasha, would you brine a pre-brined turkey? If yes, how would you make it? I didn’t realize I bought a pre-brined turkey. Thank you so much.
Hi Michelle! No, I would not brine it again.
Natasha, my mom used to make a thanksgiving turkey with a white bread based stuffing. Do you have a recipe for that? At 67, I have no family to ask and really want to taste that again.
Hi there! Unfortunately, I don’t have that version to share with you.
Am I missing something? You state that we place the turkey breast side down in the brine but, if I am seeing this correctly, none of the pictures actually show this condition. Flip it over? or leave it as your photos show. Sorry, I just want to make sure I am doing it as you suggest.
Hi Lillian, I had it stored breast-side down but it wasn’t very visually appealing for the photo, but honestly as long as you have it fully submerged, it will have the same effect. I hope you love the turkey brine recipe!
Hi there! Will this work for a turkey breast verus a whole turkey? And after you rinse off the bring do you add any other seasonings to the turkey or cook it as is?
Hi Angela! Yes, it can work with just a turkey breast. You can prepare it as you would a whole
Turkey and rub it with butter and herbs. You may omit any salt since the brine had plenty.
My frozen Turkey does not have a weight on it. Should I thaw it to weigh it or can I weigh it frozen?
Hi Stephen. It should weigh about the same both ways.
I tried your brine & spatchcock recipe & it was a hit! First time ever making a turkey & I was so proud & my family loved it. Raved about how juicy it was!! Tysm!
Hi Karina! That’s wonderful. So glad it was a hit. Thank you for sharing.
After brining, how do I actually cook the turkey? In a roasting pan, covered , follow directions on tag?
GeRemove the turkey from the pot or brining bag and discard the brine. In a clean sink, rinse the turkey to remove the excess salt and seasonings. Pat dry all over with paper towels and you’re ready to roast or smoke your turkey. Yes you can follow directions.
Hi Natasha, I wanted to brine a 3 lb chicken and wasn‘t sure how to reduce the ingredients from your turkey brine to my chicken brine. I tried reducing everything by approx. 75%. I‘d appreciate your thoughts and help for the next time. Thanks 💕
HI Ro, you could use the slider bar to adjust the ingredients (click on servings and it will show up). It depends on your container size but 75% sounds right and you could add more water if needed to submerge the chicken.
Would be useful to give some salt to water ratios here.
I’m pretty sure I screwed up my turkey following this recipe as my turkey is large.
I read on all other recipes I looked up after that you need a 1 cup per gallon of water ration. So If I added an extra 3 gallons of water, 1 cup of water is not nearly enough to do anything at all!
Hi Dan, I had a note in the post about this but I also added it to the recipe card in the notes section to make it more obvious: “*For a turkey that is larger than 15 lbs, a brining bag is recommended. If you don’t have a brining bag, you will need to add quite a bit more water so you’ll need to increase the recipe by 50% to keep the salt-to-water ratio balanced (make 1 1/2 times the recipe).”
I hope your turkey stilled turned out delicious. I don’t think under salting would ruin it.
Hi again! Iv’e been using your roast turkey recipe for the last two years where you put the butter mixture under the skin. I had still planned on doing that this time, but since I’m brining it also, will the butter mixture be ok, or just be overkill??
Thank you!
Hi Rachael! Yes, you can still use the butter/herb mixture. I like to omit the salt if I brine the Turkey so it’s not overly salty.
Natasha,
This noodle soup is a great big hit! My husband absolutely love it! This recipe is a keeper!
That’s lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, we appreciate it.
Do I need to add more salt and sugar if I added more water to completely submerge the turkey? I had to use more than 8 additional cups of water to the recipe.
Hi Nancy! If you increased the water, then yes, I would increase the other ingredients accordingly too.
Hi Natasha! What would you suggest for brining a 24lb frozen turkey (days in the fridge before brining..etc)? I don’t want it to go bad while defrosting and then brining it. BTW, love your cookbook recipes (and so do my kids and hubby! 🙂
Hi Rachel! Here are the USDA recommendations for thawing safely. The Turkey should be thawed completely so that the brine work’s effectively. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Simple recipe that turned out great! We doubled this for a 16 lb bird and rinsed it off before smoking it. The turkey was flavorful and juicy. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again!
Great to hear that you enjoyed it!
Hi, would you recommend brining a turkey if it will be fried?
Hi Nelya, I haven’t tried frying a turkey before to advise, but doing a quick online search it seems people have done it. I’m also reading a dry brine is perfect for deep frying because no additional liquid is introduced.
Love your recipes. If I plan to brine the turkey and NOT use the herb-butter mixture this time, at what oven temperature do I cook the turkey? How long for a 16-lb turkey? Also, I assume I don’t need to stuff the cavity??
Hi Maria! You can still follow the same baking instructions in that recipe, just skip the herbed butter rub. You will bake about 13 min for every pound of turkey). The turkey thigh should register at 170˚F on the temperature probe and the breast at 160˚F to make sure it’s fully cooked through.