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This simple turkey brine works overnight to ensure your turkey is moist, juicy, and full of delicious flavor! Use this easy brine on a fresh turkey, not on one already injected with any other brining solution. This recipe makes enough brine for a turkey in the 15- to 20-pound range.
This simple turkey brine is the key to your best bird yet.
Simple Turkey Brine Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this quick and easy turkey brine:
· Water: This turkey brine starts with a gallon of water.· Salt: Two cups of kosher salt should be enough to permeate the turkey, adding tons of savory flavor.· Sugar: Dark brown sugar adds sweetness and complexity.· Spices and seasonings: This simple turkey brine gets its irresistible flavor from bay leaves, black peppercorns, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and whole cloves.
How to Make Simple Turkey Brine
You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this simple turkey brine:
1. Boil: Bring the water to a boil, then add the salt and brown sugar. Stir until dissolved.2. Season: Add bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and cloves. Reduce to a simmer.3. Cool: Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
How to Use This Turkey Brine
When your simple turkey brine is ready to use, here's what to do:
1. Find a large, non-reactive container that's large enough to hold your turkey. A plastic bucket is a great choice.2. Pour the brine into the container, then place the thawed turkey in the brine. Add just enough cold water to completely cover the turkey with liquid.3. Place the container in the refrigerator (never brine at room temperature).
Learn more: How to Brine a Turkey
How Long to Brine Turkey
Brine the turkey for at least 8 hours, but no more than 24 hours. When you're done brining, let the brined turkey rest on a rack for about an hour before cooking it according to your recipe.
Cookdap Community Tips and Praise
“I would add garlic next time, but that’s a personal preference for our family,” according to Aimee. “It made the turkey just how I wanted it (tender, juicy etc).”
“I was pleased with the experience and the family said it was really good,” raves Aimee. “One of the best things about this? It wasn’t a list of oddball ingredients that I would only use for this single recipe. Everything was on hand and it was easy peasy.”
“The amount here I think is perfect for a smaller turkey, but for a larger [turkey] you need to double it,” says Corrissa Rodriguez. “That’s what I did. I substituted the second gallon of water with apple juice and it was the best decision of my life!!!”
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
- 3 large bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 ½ teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 12 whole cloves
Directions
Step 1
Gather all ingredients.
Step 2
Bring water to a boil in a large stockpot.
Step 3
Stir in salt and brown sugar until dissolved; return to a boil.
Step 4
Add bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, and cloves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 5
Remove from the heat and let cool completely before using.
Step 6
Place thawed turkey into a large non-reactive container. Pour in cooled brine.
Step 7
Pour in enough cool water to cover turkey with liquid. Refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Step 8
Remove turkey from brine and let sit on counter for about 2 hours.
Step 9
Follow desired method of cooking your turkey.
Editor’s Note:
The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the brine ingredients. The actual amount of the brine consumed will vary.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 30 | |
| Calories 44 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat0g | 0% |
| Sodium6081mg | 264% |
| Total Carbohydrate11g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars11g | |
| Protein0g | |
| Vitamin C0mg | 1% |
| Calcium20mg | 2% |
| Iron0mg | 2% |
| Potassium20mg | 0% |
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
Powered by the ESHA Research Database ? 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved
source by allrecipe
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I also included 1 tbs. oregano and 3 cloves of garlic. Perfect turkey.
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This is my second attempt at brining. Once you get the hang of it(like most things) ….it’s so simple! My daughter doesn’t usually like turkey because it’s usually dry. But after the first turkey …..she was like “MoM! You have to make it like this FOREVER” it was so good. Can’t wait to see how this one comes out. Thanks for the garlic idea too!
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Love this! Nuff said!
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Good stuff. We soaked our bird in this for about 24 hours. I rubbed olive oil on the turkey and put black pepper on it before I indirect grilled it on my Weber kettle grill. Absolutely fantastic!
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I have used this on around 5 times and it is great, I like to add two boxes of chicken broth and less water. So in all one gallon of liquid
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Made for great grilled turkey. Family loved it. Great flavor and moist.
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Made this exactly as instructed, cooked previously frozen turkeys in an infrared turkey “fryer” (charbroil big easy) and they were delicious. So many people commented and asked for recipe.
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Everyone thought it was the best Turkey they had ever eaten.
I also smoked the turkey after a 10 hour brine. Smoked at low heat (160F for 3 hours) then raised temp to 300F unit thermometer read 170F. Was perfect. -
THE BEST brine I’ve ever used. All of my guests said the turkey was the best one they’d ever had (8 guests)!! After brining, I let the turkey sit for 2 hours put butter under the skin, olive oil all over the top with salt and pepper. Took an apple and put 1/2 in the neck cavity and half inside the bird along with 1/2 an onion, fresh sage, rosemary and thyme and baked a 20 pound turkey for 4 1/2 hours. The additional thing I do is take.all the giblets and the neck and put them In a small saucepan with salt and pepper and water. I use that to baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and continue to add water as I use it back to the cooking giblets and neck.
This makes the best gravy juice as well.
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This brine is excellent!!!! I followed the recipe exactly. It was the most delicious and moist turkey.
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so I used this brine this year and it was PERFECT. I had a 23lb turkey and I needed to compensate for the size. the amount here I think is perfect for a smaller turkey but for a larger you need to double. that’s what I did and I substituted the second gallon of water with apple juice and it was the best decision of my life!!!
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We weren’t huge turkey fans. Thanksgiving was enough. This brine made our turkey so spectacular that we’re now turkey fans and will be making them often.
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I followed it 100% as written, and it was very good. Will I make it again? Sure! I would add garlic next time, but thats a personal preference for our family.
It made the turkey just how I wanted it (tender, juicy etc). I have been nervous about brining (others in the family have done it with excellent results) and I was kinda nervous. I was pleased with the experience and the family said it was really good.
One of the best things about this? It wasn’t a list of oddball ingredients that I would only use for this single recipe. Everything was on hand and it was easy peasy.
Thanks for sharing! -
Awesome brine makes a awesome turkey. Worth the extra time.
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I had brined my turkey before but always bought the brine kit. This Thanksgiving, I decided to make it at home. I had all the ingredients at home already for this recipe. I am so glad, well we were all so glad I made it. I followed it to the T. I added ice instead of cold water, placed it in a plastic bucket and left it outside – I live in NYC and it was a cold night. It was a small turkey this year and I had less time to brine it, so I left it in for 12 hours. So so juice and flavorful!!!
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This is is way I?ll do Turkey forever now. Excellent.
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Excellent. This is my second batch. I’m going to inject the breasts with the brine. Then smoke the bird on a turkey cannon.
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I have used this brine many times for both a roasted turkey and dried turkey before adding my homemade dry rub.
Unfortunately, I have had to use it with frozen turkeys but it still tastes great and helps the turkey thaw faster.
I brine a little longer than most (about 2 days) but it helps make the meat super tender. Easier to carve and slide right off the bone.
The only thing I change about this recipe is I use a gallon of apple cider instead of water. Then, after mixing and boiling all of the ingredients, I add a gallon of ice to help it cool faster.
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