Best Turkey Brine Recipe
This Best Turkey Brine Recipe ensures a juicy, flavorful turkey by soaking it in a well-balanced mixture of apple cider, kosher salt, brown sugar, citrus, garlic, and fresh herbs. The brine deeply flavors the turkey while keeping it moist during cooking, making it an ideal preparation step for roasting your turkey to perfection.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 14 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10-12 1x
- Category: Brining
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Turkey
- 1 14 lb turkey (giblets and neck removed)
Brine Liquid
- 2 gallons liquid (apple cider preferred; water also works)
Brine Mix
- 1 cup coarse kosher salt or good quality coarse sea salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 oranges, juiced and halved
- 2 lemons, juiced and halved
- 4 tablespoons peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- Handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley)
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine Base: Transfer about 8 cups of apple cider or water to a saucepan. Add the kosher salt and brown sugar, then bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and stir occasionally until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Remove from heat and let the brine cool completely, using ice to speed cooling if necessary.
- Combine and Add Flavorings: Pour the cooled brine into your brining container. Add the remaining cider, smashed garlic cloves, fresh herbs, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Squeeze the juice of the oranges and lemons over the brine, then add the halved citrus fruits into the container.
- Brine the Turkey: Slowly and carefully submerge the turkey into the brine, ensuring the liquid covers the bird completely. Cover the container and refrigerate. Brine the turkey for one hour per pound, approximately 14 hours for this 14 lb bird.
- Rinse and Dry the Turkey: After the brining time, carefully transfer the turkey to the sink lined with plastic bags or wrap for sanitation. Rinse the turkey thoroughly under low pressure water to remove excess salt. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Prepare for Cooking: Transfer the turkey to a cooking vessel and season as desired. The turkey is now ready to be roasted or cooked following your preferred method.
Notes
- Use coarse kosher salt for accurate measurement; fine salt will result in an overly salty brine.
- Apple cider adds a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor compared to water.
- Do not skip rinsing the turkey after brining to avoid excessive saltiness.
- Brine the turkey in the refrigerator to keep it at a safe temperature.
- Brining time is critical: one hour per pound is recommended to avoid over-brining.
- The brined turkey can be cooked using any preferred method, but roasting is most common.
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Find it online: https://zarameals.com/best-turkey-brine-recipe/
