Easy Turkey Brine

An easy turkey brine is something everyone should have in their holiday recipe collection. Spend the extra time brining your bird before roasting – you won’t regret it!

Brine your Thanksgiving turkey for the very best results

Two weeks to go until Thanksgiving…are you ready? No? OK …don’t panic…we are here to help!

The star of the your Thanksgiving dinner – the turkey – will be juicy and delicious thanks to this Easy Turkey Brine Recipe!

Start with a mixture of water and flavorful broth, then add in plenty of kosher salt, fresh herbs, and whole spices. Chunks of onion and orange add fresh flavors, and the acids also aid in tenderizing the meat. Once everything is boiled and cooled, all that’s left to do is pour the brine over the bird and let it soak overnight in the refrigerator. Then, you are ready to roast your turkey.

Why should I brine my turkey?

Simply put, it’s an easy and effective way to achieve juicy, tender meat that is also very flavorful.

The science behind a brine is simple. The salt in the brine pulls the moisture out of the meat at first, but then – with enough time (45 to 60 minutes per pound) – the liquid is pulled back into the meat, bringing along all of the flavors you’ve add to your brine.

So, while brining does require extra, day-ahead planning, we think it’s well worth the time and effort when your Thanksgiving turkey comes out tender and super juicy.

• It seasons the poultry all the way through, not just on the surface.
• The ingredients are simple, and you may already have most of them in your pantry. 
• Once brined, you can prepare your holiday turkey however you’d like – roasted, spatchcocked, or even grilled!

• Vegetable Broth – For simplicity, use store bought cartons or cans. But if you want to be ambitious, make some homemade vegetable broth.
• Fresh herbs – Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are staples for any Thanksgiving meal because they pair so well with poultry. If you aren’t a fan of a particular herb, simply replace it with more of the others.
• Whole Spices – Black peppercorns add heat and spice, while juniper berries are both fruity and peppery with an earthy, pine flavor. Both can be found in the spice aisle of your local store. If you can’t find juniper berries, allspice berries are another good option.
• Navel Orange – Considered the best tasting variety, these are simply sweet and do not have a bitter tang of Valencias. Not to worry – the oranges found in the produce section are typically navel unless labeled otherwise.
• Onion – Since onions can vary in size, pay close attention to the weight. One large yellow onion should do, but you may need 2 or 3 if they are smaller.
• Salt – You want to use a coarse kosher salt for a brine, not the fine table salt. It’s important to note that a brine recipe is based on the best ratio of water and broth to salt, so don’t be tempted to substitute table or other kinds of salt in this brine recipe.
• Granulated Sugar – A little bit of sugar helps balance all of the other flavors and prevents the brine from adding an overly salty taste.
• Water – In addition to the broth, you’ll include some water in the brine.

1. Make the brine – Add the ingredients to a medium pot, along with one quart of water, and bring the mixture to a boil. 
2. Cool – Remove from heat and allow the liquid to cool completely. If you are in a hurry, you can lower the pot into an ice bath in the sink and stir both the inside pot with the brine and the outside ice water separately. Replace the ice water as needed until the brine has cooled to below 40 degrees F. This process transfers the heat from the pot to the ice bath and is very effective in cooling down hot liquids quickly.
3. Pour over the turkey – In a large stock pot, surround the bird with 3-4 quarts of ice water. Add the simple turkey brine over the top, then cover and chill overnight (or up to 24 hours). The ice water is added in here instead of the hot brine so that the brine takes up less room while chilling and also to keep the turkey as cold as possible while brining.

• Can I make this easy turkey brine in advance? Absolutely! Brining liquid can be prepared 2 to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated in a sealed container. You don’t need to heat it back up before using the brine.
• Can I use chicken or turkey stock instead of vegetable broth? Yes feel free to swap in either for the vegetable stock.
• Should you rinse brined meat before cooking? In this case, it’s not necessary. Simply remove the bird from the pot and pat dry before you start roasting.

This brine recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in 2015. We’ve updated the post with much more information.

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