How to Brine a Turkey + Easiest Turkey Brine Recipe

Main Courses November 1, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 102 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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You can permanently say goodbye to dried-out, flavorless turkey with this easy turkey brine recipe! By following these step-by-step directions for how to brine a turkey, you will guarantee that your turkey is juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

Ingredients for Turkey brine in stock pan with apples, onions, peppercorns, onions, and celery in stock pan.

Why Brine a Turkey?

Turkey has the reputation of being a dry, flavorless meat that needs to be slathered in turkey gravy to even be edible. But you can change that by first soaking your turkey in a brine.

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a saltwater solution before cooking. As the meat sits in the brine, it soaks up the salt water, which flavors the meat and adds moisture to the piece of meat.

When you brine a turkey, it soaks up the brine, which flavors the meat and helps to ensure that your turkey meat stays incredibly moist. In fact, a brined turkey is so juicy and so flavorful it does not even need gravy!

Notes on Ingredients and Equipment

I was first inspired by Alton Brown's turkey brine recipe, decades ago when I hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner. However, I have simplified his recipe and method for making a turkey brine to make it more affordable for the everyday cook. My method for preparing a turkey brine produces just as delicious roast turkey as Alton Brown's method but saves you tons of money as there is no need for any special or expensive ingredients.

Ingredients for Turkey Brine labeled on counter.

Kosher salt: Lots of salt! That is what flavors and tenderizes the meat. It is key!
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar dissolves in the brine perfectly to add a bit of sweetness to the turkey.
Vegetables: Celery and onions are key to adding flavor to the turkey brine. You can also opt to add in a carrot or two if desired.
Apple: While it sounds odd, adding a sliced apple really helps to add a hint of sweetness to the turkey. Use any variety of apples you have on hand for this recipe.
Spices/Herbs: I recommend using peppercorns, fresh rosemary, and garlic. You can also opt to add fresh thyme and dried bay leaves if desired.
Water: You can use either water, apple juice, apple cider, chicken stock, turkey stock, or vegetable broth for your turkey brine. I find the difference in flavor to be negligible so I stick with water to cut down on the overall cost.
Turkey: Before you proceed with preparing your turkey brine, keep in mind that this works best on a fresh turkey. You can use a frozen turkey, keep in mind that most frozen turkeys have been injected with a sodium solution before being frozen. That will inhibit the turkey from fully absorbing the brine. That said, even a previously frozen turkey will taste better after soaking it in this turkey brine.
Stock Pan: You will need a large pot to prepare the turkey brine. If your pan is large enough to fit your turkey and brine AND fit in your refrigerator, you can use the pan to brine your turkey rather than a brining bag.
Brining Bag or An Extra Large Ziploc Big Bag: If you have a large turkey, it is unlikely that your turkey and brine will fit into a pan that can fit into your refrigerator. Therefore, you will need a turkey brining bag to brine your turkey. If you can't find a brining bag large enough for your turkey, I have used an extra large Ziploc bag that holds the turkey in the brine and is easy to find and inexpensive.

How to Brine a Turkey

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One: Prepare the Turkey Brine

Two days before roasting your turkey, make your turkey brine. This will give the brine time to cool fully and save you time the night before your holiday.

Cooked Turkey brine in large stock pan with apples, onions, peppercorns, onions, and celery in stock pan.

Step Two: Brine Turkey

Before placing your turkey into the brine, remove and discard the packaging. Remove the gizzards and neck from the turkey cavity and plastic pop-up timer, if included. Refrigerate the turkey in the brine for at least 8 hours, and no longer than 18 hours.

Raw turkey in brine bag along with herbs and onions.

Step Three: Remove Turkey from the Brine

Before removing your turkey from the brine, prepare your kitchen to prevent contamination. Remove any food or clean dishes from around your sink and place a trash can and roasting pan near the sink. This will make the clean-up process much easier to manage.

Turkey in roasting pan showing plotting with paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Step Four: Roast the Brined Turkey

You can opt to smoke, slow cook, or roast your turkey. My favorite method for cooking turkey is to roast it in the oven, as it allows the skin to get golden and crisp and keeps the meat nice and juicy.

Roasted turkey on white platter served with fresh apple slices on a bed of fresh herbs with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce in background.

Short on Time?

If you forgot to make your turkey brine in advance, you are not out of luck. Prepare the brine as directed and add 10 cups of ice to the prepared brine. It is crucial to cool the brine completely before adding the turkey. Adding a turkey to a hot brine will begin to cook the turkey and can cause bacteria growth.

Pro-Tips for the Best Brined Turkey

Remember it is best to use a fresh turkey. A frozen turkey has been injected with a sodium solution, that will prevent the turkey from fully absorbing the brine. That said, I have brined a frozen turkey before and it still tastes better than NOT if you don't brine it.
I prefer to place the turkey in the brining bag in either a large stock pan or in an empty produce drawer in my fridge. That way in case anything leaks from the brine, everything else in your fridge is safe from raw turkey juices.
The turkey and brine can be quite heavy! Remember that you may need two people or a strong set of arms to carry the turkey in the brine to the sink.
Money-Saving Tip: In the weeks leading up to the time when I plan to brine a turkey, I store vegetable and fruit scraps, along with wilted herbs in a large freezer-safe bag in the freezer. Onion peels, celery ends, apple cores/peels, orange peels, wilted herbs, stems of rosemary, and thyme are all perfect for flavoring your turkey brine. Use 4 cups of vegetable scraps in place of the fresh vegetables, herbs, and apples in the brine.
No room in your fridge? If you live in an area with a temperature that will stay below 40 degrees F, you can place your turkey and brine in a large cooler and place the turkey outside in the cold. Keep in mind, that this is NOT safe if the temperature reaches above 40 degrees F. You also run the risk of the turkey partially freezing if the temperature is below 31 degrees F for long. I personally feel much safer ensuring there is room inside my refrigerator to accommodate the turkey and brine.
Sanitize everything! After handling the raw turkey, be sure to sanitize your sink and counters with bleach to prevent food poisoning.

Can you Brine a Frozen Turkey?

Yes! Even if your frozen turkey has been previously injected with a sodium solution, the brine will still add a bit of flavor to your turkey. That said, you MUST fully defrost your turkey before you brine it. You need to be able to remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the turkey before you brine it. Remember to plan on a full 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey for thawing your turkey.

Complete Your Meal

Serve your Brined Turkey with Mashed Potatoes, Classic Stuffing, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, and/or one of the following dishes for a Thanksgiving feast everyone will rave about.

If you tried this turkey brine recipe, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

This post was published originally in 2017 but has been updated with new tips in November 2019 and new photos in 2023.

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About Kristen Chidsey

Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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How to Brine a Turkey + Easiest Turkey Brine Recipe

Why Brine a Turkey?

Notes on Ingredients and Equipment