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This simple apple cider brined turkey breast will take your Thanksgiving turkey to the next level. Not only does it infuse the meat with flavor, but it presents you with the juiciest and most tender turkey breast you’ll ever taste. It’s a foolproof holiday dinner!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Tips on Keeping Things Sanitary
- How to Make Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast
- How to Serve a Brined Turkey Breast
- Useful Tools for Brining a Turkey
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Easy & Delicious Turkey Recipes to Try…
- Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast Recipe
Not long ago I helped readers through how to brine chicken breasts. Of course soaking your boneless turkey breast in a brine prior to cooking is a game changer too, especially if you’re the type to overcook your bird. This apple cider brined turkey breast recipe leaves a little wiggle room so even if you do leave it the oven or air fryer a tad too long, it still comes out tender and juicy. You’ll love it!
This method works beautifully with my Air Fryer Turkey Breast recipe. And hey, if you find yourself needing to brine a whole turkey, check out my turkey brine recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You’ll always end up with great turkey—No more dry, dull meat!
- It’s easy—The process is really simple and it’s especially unfussy with a breast, which is much less work than using a whole bird.
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Fresh herbs—I like grabbing one of those pre-packaged savory “Poultry Blend” mixes. They have just the right amount of herbs in there, and they’re great herbs for a turkey recipe—think rosemary, sage, and thyme; sometimes parsley. You could put together your own blend, however.
- Citrus fruit—Oranges and lemons can be used together or on their own in a brine. I like to make sure there are at least 2-3 citrus fruit included in the brine.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Salt—I like to use coarse kosher salt because it dissolves well and leaves you with a nice clear brine. If you have to use fine sea salt or table salt that’s fine, but you’ll want to use less. In this recipe I use 1/2 cup of coarse salt, but because fine salt grains pack more tightly, you’ll want to use less by volume. About 1/3 cup should do.
- Flavorings—you can use whatever herbs and spices you like, and measurements don’t have to be exact. For fresh herbs I go for about a handful or so, and for spices like peppercorns, about a tablespoon.
Tips on Keeping Things Sanitary
- When transferring your turkey to the sink for a rinse, line the sink with plastic wrap or a few plastic grocery bags, making a hole at the drain.
- When done rinsing the turkey and pouring the remaining brine down the drain, I like to give my sink and the surrounding area a good spray with this surface cleaner.
How to Make Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast
Step 1. Transfer the salt and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Add about 2 cups of the apple cider to the saucepan and stir. Heat the apple cider over medium heat to bring it to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and let it go for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
Step 2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 2 cups of ice cubes to the hot cider to help it cool down quickly.
Step 3. Once the cider has cooled, add it to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the cider into the bowl. Cut the orange and lemons in half and squeeze the juices into the cider, then plop the rest of the orange and lemons into the brine; add the other brining ingredients like the herbs and garlic, etc.Place the bowl in the fridge and let the turkey breast brine for 1 hour per pound.
Step 4. When the brining is done, transfer the turkey breast into the sink (see above for sanitary tips) and carefully rinse it by running cool water over it, lightly and slowly! Transfer the turkey breast to a paper towel-lined cutting board and pat it dry. At this point you can proceed with your turkey breast recipe, seasoning it with a rub and cooking it however you plan to.
How to Serve a Brined Turkey Breast
Once the turkey is brined, rinsed, and patted dry, you can proceed with whatever recipe you’re wanting to follow. Season it however you wish and use whatever cooking method suits you best, like roasting or air frying. My favorite approach is my Air Fryer Turkey Breast. It so succulent! For sides, you can’t go wrong with stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes or crispy oven roasted mini potatoes, and a nice drizzle of turkey gravy, of course.
Useful Tools for Brining a Turkey
Here are some things you might want handy to make your brining experience a smooth one.
- Brining container—though you could use a large mixing bowl or a brining bag as well.
- Sturdy tongs
- Surface cleaner
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Brining a turkey breast is the best way to guarantee maximum flavor and tenderness, helping you avoid dry, dull meat.
The rule of thumb is 1 hour for every pound. So if your turkey breast is 3 lbs, you’ll want to brine it for 3 hours. You don’t want to brine it for too long after the recommended time because the brine could break down the proteins and change the texture of the meat in a negative way.
A wet brine is typically a water and salt solution, but in this recipe I use apple cider in place of water for extra flavor. You can also add flavor by including fresh herbs, garlic cloves, spices, etc.
Yes. I’m not usually a proponent of rinsing or washing raw poultry in the sink prior to cooking because any splashback will spread bacteria. However, I make an exception for brined poultry because it gets really salty in the solution. You want to rinse off excess saltiness. Just do it very carefully and mindfully with slow running water to avoid splashback, and use the tips listed above.
Easy & Delicious Turkey Recipes to Try…
Apple Cider Brined Turkey Breast
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb turkey breast
- 1/2 gallon apple cider
- 1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 1 bunch of fresh savory herbs like sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and parsley, I like using the prepackaged "poultry blend" from the fresh herb section at the grocery store.
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large orange
- 2 lemons
- 1 bulb garlic, cut in half
- 1 TBSP peppercorns
Instructions
- Transfer the salt and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Add about 2 cups of the apple cider to the saucepan and stir. Heat the apple cider over medium heat to bring it to a boil, then lower it to a simmer and let it go for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 2 cups of ice cubes to the hot cider to help it cool down quickly. This should only take about 5 minutes.
- Once the cider has cooled, add it to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the cider into the bowl. Cut the orange and lemons in half and squeeze the juices into the cider, then plop the rest of the orange and lemons into the brine; add the other brining ingredients like the herbs and garlic, etc.
- Place the bowl in the fridge and let the turkey breast brine for 1 hour per pound. When the brining is done, transfer the turkey breast into the sink (see Notes for sanitary tips) and carefully rinse it by running cool water over it, lightly and slowly!
- When the rinse is done, transfer the turkey breast to a paper towel-lined cutting board and pat it dry. At this point you can proceed with your turkey breast recipe, seasoning it and cooking it however you plan.
Notes
- When transferring your turkey to the sink for a rinse, line the sink with plastic wrap or a few plastic grocery bags, making a hole at the drain.
- When done rinsing the turkey and pouring the remaining brine down the drain, I like to give my sink and the surrounding area a good spray with this surface cleaner.
