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5 from 7 votes

Turkey Brine Recipe

Turkey brine creates an utterly tender and juicy bird bursting really good flavor for one mouth-watering bite after another!
Prep Time5 minutes
Brine14 hours
Total Time14 hours 5 minutes
Course: Dressing, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Lil' Luna

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 1 14-16 pound turkey thawed

Instructions

  • Add 1 quart of vegetable broth to a medium pot over medium heat. Mix in the poultry seasoning, rosemary, sage, thyme, bay leaves, brown sugar, and salt. Bring the broth to a simmer, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  • Prepare the turkey by removing the neck and giblets. Pour the broth with seasonings into a large stock pot or 4-5 gallon bucket, and add the remaining vegetable broth and cold water. Stir to combine.
  • Place the turkey in the brine, breast side down, making sure that the cavity fills with brine and the brine covers the turkey. Refrigerate the turkey in the bucket overnight (a good rule of thumb is to brine for 1 hour per pound, so a 14 pound turkey should brine for about 14 hours).
  • When ready to cook, remove the turkey from the brine, let the excess brine drain from the cavity, and discard the brine. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 7247kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 1047g | Fat: 274g | Saturated Fat: 71g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3478mg | Sodium: 133935mg | Potassium: 11019mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 11225IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 937mg | Iron: 51mg