Name: Best Ever Turkey Brine Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 4 h 55 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: North American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup cold butter; 3 cups Apple Cider; 8 quarts Cold Water (Almost 2 full 4 L milk jugs); 2 Fresh Rosemary Branches (or 2 tbsp dried rosemary leaves); 5 cloves Garlic; sliced; 1-1/2 cups Pickling Salt; 2 cups Brown Sugar; 3 tbsp Peppercorns; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 6 Bay Leaves; 2 Large Oranges; use the peels (with not too much pith) and squeeze in juice; 1 apple; sliced; a handful of fresh thyme

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Dear readers, here it is: The Best Ever Turkey Brine Recipe. Have you been waffling upon the age old turkey question…to brine or not to brine? Have you been using the same method to cook your turkey since forever and a day? Let me tell you, once you start brining your holiday turkeys, you’ll never have a dry-ass turkey again!

Turkey Dinner. There’s really nothing like it…the aromas that hit you as you walk in to the hosting home or the ones that stay in your own home for a few days.

The smell of a Classic Homemade Stuffing and the sweet chocolate Bourbon notes of a Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie are among so many other reasons to be thankful.

To Brine or Not to Brine

There are several reasons why you should brine your turkey and only one reason not to. Should I give you the bad news first?

A brined turkey is higher in sodium than a non brined turkey.

There, I said it. The very first time I brined a turkey for Thanksgiving, my father in law had just been diagnosed with high blood pressure. I was SO worried that I was going to kill him with my turkey.

Since I didn’t know that you should RINSE the turkey off before stuffing and roasting it, the whole meal tasted like we were frolicking on the salt flats of Salar de Uyuni.

Ingredients for a turkey brine laid out on a wooden board.

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Salt Matters

Thankfully there are several ways to ensure you do not over-salt your dinner guests…umm your turkey.

Buy a fresh turkey. This is the only way to know that your turkey is free from any preservatives, etc.
Following that, the first thing you should do upon releasing your turkey from the briny depths is rinse it thoroughly. This is usually enough for my family (minus grandpa).
Another suggestion is to fill a sink with cold water and let the turkey lounge in it while you are getting the stuffing ready. Fifteen minutes should do it.

Please, for the love of God, thoroughly sanitize the area after the turkey is safely tucked away in the oven!

Finally…The Good News!

Now for the good news…brined turkey not only tastes great, the meat stays juicy. Yes, that even includes the breast meat!

Would you believe that there is a scientific reason why salting meat before cooking it leaves the meat tender and succulent? Here’s why, according to Harold McGee, author of ‘On Food and Cooking’:

“Brining has two initial effects. First, salt disrupts the structure of the muscle filaments. A 3% salt solution dissolves parts of the protein structure that supports the contracting filaments, and a 5.5% solution partly dissolves the filaments themselves. Second, the interactions of salt and proteins result in a greater water-holding capacity in the muscle cells, which then absorb water from the brine… In addition, the dissolved protein can’t coagulate into normally dense aggregates, so the cooked meat seems more tender. Because the brine works its way in from the outside, it has its earliest and strongest effects on the meat region most likely to be overcooked, so even a brief, incomplete soaking can make a difference.”

Helpful Turkey Brine Recipe Hints

As previously mentioned, my first attempt at brining a turkey was less than satisfactory.

On a whim I purchased a brine mix that I found at Winners. It came in a kit along with the giant brining bag.

The next year I put a bit more thought into it and created my own turkey brine recipe, basing it on this Cider Braised Pork Roast.

When I boil up the brine for this turkey brine recipe, I never add all of the liquid at once. I would have to use a really HUGE stock pot to do so and it would be really heavy.

Since the main reason for heating up the brine is to dissolve the salt, all you really need to add is about half of the liquid.

Don’t forget to add the other half later on as you are bagging the bird!

Speaking of bagging, try and squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing the bag. This will ensure that more of your bird is surrounded by brine.

What Do You Brine a Turkey In?

For brining, not just any old bag will do. It must be strong and large enough to contain the turkey and all that brine.

Where do you find a large enough bag? You can always just use a clean, food safe plastic pail. Then how does it fit in the fridge?

Ziploc makes HUGE bags that are 3 feet x 3 feet (almost a metre!). They have a double ziploc closure and are really strong.

Helpful Items for this Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge for you.

Ziploc Brining Bags, XL,

RED Sterlite 12 Quart Basin

THE ROCK by Starfrit 17″ Roaster with Rack

OXO Good Grips Angled Turkey Baster

I always support the entire set up by setting it in a rectangular plastic wash basin that we use for camping.

It is the perfect size for the fridge, surrounds the turkey with brine, and is also spill proof.

By the way, don’t be worried if you can’t get all the brine into the bag. As long as the bird is surrounded in brine everything will be okay.

Passing the Turkey Brine Recipe On

Sadly, this is the year I don’t get to brine a turkey for Thanksgiving. Our son and daughter-in-law are hosting this year so my job is to bring a dessert and a side dish.

He caught me unprepared a few days ago when he texted to ask me how to make the turkey brine. So, this one’s for you Zack, even though you never read the blog. Perhaps someday you will!

What to Do with Turkey Leftovers

It’s inevitable. You WILL have leftover turkey and possibly leftovers of the entire turkey dinner. One of the tastiest (and cheesiest!) ways to repurpose leftover turkey is in Turkey Enchiladas. I also enjoy it in a warming Wild Rice Soup or in Turkey Dinner Sliders.

Save my handy dandy turkey roasting chart

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Thankful for Sides from Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen

Spinach Stuffing Balls

Veggiedukken

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Yield: 20 servings