Turkey Brine Recipe

A sliced turkey seasoned in turkey brine.

5 from 7 votes

Turkey Brine Recipe

This Turkey Brine is an easy way to make a juicy, flavorful Thanksgiving turkey with vegetable broth, herbs, brown sugar, and sea salt.

Prep Time5

Brine14

Total Time14 5

Course: Dressing, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

Ingredients

1 gallon vegetable broth
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 bay leaves
¼ 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.

Notes

Recipe Tips.

Make sure the brine is completely cooled before adding the turkey to keep it at a safe temperature.
Use a food-safe bucket, brining bag, or large container that fits in your refrigerator.
Pat the turkey very dry after brining to help the skin brown and become crispy during roasting.
Skip additional salt on the turkey before roasting since the brine has already seasoned the meat.
If using a frozen turkey, be sure that it is completely thawed before brining.
Allow 1 hour of soak time per pound of turkey. Flip the turkey over for the last ⅓ of the soak time to help with a more even brine.

When should I start brining? Start with how long it will take to thaw it + brine time + cook time.

When thawing a turkey in the fridge, plan on 4-5 hours per pound. If thawing in Cold water, plan 30 minutes per pound. Be sure to change the water every 30 minutes.

Cook time: This varies. Be sure to check your cooking recipe and factor in the size of the bird.

Nutrition