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This brightly flavored citrus and herb-infused turkey brine recipe guarantees tender and juicy turkey every single time. It’ll become your holiday go-to! It’s incredibly easy to make and always impresses family and guests. You’ll never prepare your holiday bird without it.
There’s no better way to guarantee yourself a tender and juicy Thanksgiving turkey than to soak it in a good turkey brine. Here’s why: brine breaks down the strands of protein in the meat over time, which makes it incredibly tender. It also increases flavor absorption and moisture retention, so even if you accidentally overcook your bird a little, you’ll still be carving into juicy meat! Lastly, while you baste, you’ll notice your brined turkey creates a wonderfully savory basting liquid which can be used to make a great turkey gravy. Roast turkey finally becomes the star of the show, even next to all of those sought-after sides!
Looking for turkey recipes to try this turkey brine with? You’ll love my oven-roasted turkey breast or my quick and convenient air fryer turkey breast. If you’re looking to brine something smaller, like chicken breasts, check out my post on how to brine chicken breasts.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Brine
- It impresses everyone—This has been a big mention in a lot of the reviews on Pinterest for this recipe. People tell me their families are in awe with the results and demand that turkey to be the only turkey they ever make moving forward!
- It’s easy—There’s really nothing to brining. You mix a bunch of ingredients in a large pot, dunk a turkey into it, and let it sit for the right amount of time! (Which is 1 hour per 1 pound.)
- Leaves you wiggle room when cooking—We’ve all accidentally overcooked a bird, and we all know that dry poultry is the pits. This turkey brine gives you wiggle room meaning that even if you overcook the bird a little, you’ll still end up with super tender juicy meat.
Turkey Brine Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Apple cider—This is my go-to when it comes to turkey brine because it’s SO flavorful. You could also use apple juice instead.
- Citrus fruit—Adding oranges and lemons to the mix brightens up the flavors.
- Fresh herbs—I typically use one or two of those pre-packaged bouquets of poultry herbs, which is a mix of fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, and parsley. You could use any or all of these. I also add bay leaves.
- Salt—Be sure to use coarse kosher salt when making your turkey brine. Morton’s is my go-to and is easily accessible here in the US. You don’t want to use table salt because it’s iodized and will give your turkey an off taste—almost metallic.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Liquid—Water is the most common liquid used for a turkey brine, despite the fact that I use apple cider. You could replace the cider with water, or even beer, wine, broth, or orange juice, depending on the flavor profile you’re looking for.
- Seasoning—You can use any herbs (even dry), flavorings, and aromatics you want. I’ve thrown in an onion before. I find apple cider and warmer-toned herbs are well-suited for fall and winter, which is when I make my turkeys. But you have room to be creative!
- Sugar—I like the deeper flavor and aroma of brown sugar, but you can use white sugar.
Useful Equipment for Brining
- A big container—This will depend on the size of the bird. When I make my apple cider brined turkey breast, I simply use a large stock pot. But for a whole turkey, you’re going to want a deep container, like a big brining bag or a brining bucket.
- Liners—If you’re using a brining bucket, you’ll want to get yourself some bucket liners for easy cleanup.
- Gloves—Squeamish over handling raw meat? Consider food-safe gloves.
- Disinfectant—I like to give my sink and the surrounding area a good cleaning afterward, and this safe surface cleaner is great!
- Meat thermometer—This is for the cooking process, but important enough to mention here. You’ll want to roast your turkey until a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 160º F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing.
Important Turkey Brine Tips
- Refrigerate after brining—After patting the turkey dry, pop it in the fridge, uncovered, and let it sit for a few hours or up to 24 hours. This allows the skin to dry out and will yield a nice crispy skin!
- Let the turkey come to room temperature—For an even cook on the turkey, let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature before roasting it.
- Clean out the cavity—Be sure to remove any giblets, the neck, or gravy packets that might have been stuffed into the turkey during the packaging process.
- Salt not dissolving—There have been several reports of salt not dissolving during the simmer process (step 1). I’ve adjusted the recipe to bring 8 cups of liquid to a simmer rather than 4 cups as I’ve since learned that the liquid can only hold so much of any dissolved material. It has a certain capacity before it can’t absorb any more salt. Science!
- Add ice to cool—Adding ice after the boiling process will help cool the brine so you can get on with it more quickly. You don’t have to add more salt to make up for the extra water the ice gives as it’s not significant.
- Brining a turkey breast—If you’re brining a boneless turkey breast which is much smaller, check out my apple cider brined turkey breast recipe for adjusted ratios.
How to Brine a Turkey
Step 1. Transfer about 8 cups of cider or water to a saucepan. Add the salt and sugar. Bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let it go, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar have dissolved. When done, set it aside and let the liquid cool completely. (You can speed this up by adding ice.)
Step 2. Pour the cooled brine to your brining container. Add the rest of the cider along with the garlic cloves, herbs, and peppercorns. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the pot (don’t worry about the pits), and place the squeezed orange and lemon into the pot as well. Slowly and carefully submerge the turkey into the brine (careful, the liquid level will rise). Cover and refrigerate for an hour per pound.
Step 3. When brining time is up, carefully transfer the turkey to the sink. (I line mine with plastic grocery bags to try and keep things more sanitary. You could also use plastic wrap.) Carefully but thoroughly rinse the turkey with low water pressure to avoid splashback. This will rinse of excess salt. If you skip rinsing, you will end up with too salty of a turkey.
Step 4. After the rinse, pat the turkey dry with paper towels and transfer it to a cooking vessel, like a roasting pan or casserole dish. You can now prepare it and season it with a rub or that liscious under-the-skin compound butter as you normally would. This brining process works great if you’re planning on a smoked turkey, too!
How to Serve a Brined Turkey
A turkey brined in this particular blend goes great with any and all traditional holiday sides! I usually make a breast or two instead of a whole turkey since we’re a small family, so I cook up this delicious oven-roasted turkey breast or this easy air fryer turkey breast. I like to serve it with potatoes—whether they be creamy mashed potatoes or oven-roasted mini potatoes. These hot honey roasted carrots are also a treat. For greens, air fryer green beans with parmesan or oven-roasted broccoli do the trick.
Storing Turkey Brine
If you’re making the brine in advance, unused brine made with salt and water can be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator. With apple cider, herbs or aromatics like garlic and citrus, it will still last up to two weeks. Discard used turkey brine as it cannot be reused.
Frequently Asked Questions
The general rule of thumb is one hour per pound.
If you’re brining a breast for just a few hours, say 4 to 5 hours, use a brine proportion of 1 cup Morton Coarse Kosher Salt to 1 gallon of water. If brining overnight or up to 14 hours, use a proportion of ½ cup Morton Coarse Kosher Salt to 1 gallon water. (I’ve used Morton as my example as this is the most common and accessible brand in the US.)
Yes! I’m not a person that rinses poultry before cooking on the regular, but when it’s brined, it’s a must in order to get rid of excess salt.
You can, but you will want to omit any salt as the juices dripping into the cavity are going to be salty. Once the turkey and stuffing are ready, you can taste the stuffing and adjust the salt if necessary.
Absolutely! I’ve had great reviews on Pinterest mention how delicious the pan-gravy from this turkey brine is. Of course you want to keep in mind that the dripping are going to be salty, so adjust your gravy accordingly.
Some are. The best way to tell is by looking at the ingredient list if it isn’t already clear on the packaging. If there are other ingredients listed other than turkey, like spices and such, chances are the turkey is pre-brined. I wouldn’t suggest brining it again as you could create a much too salty turkey.
You can! You’ll want to ensure your brine is cold, so refrigerate it before adding the turkey. But this is a great way to get your turkey thawed and brined in one shot to save time.
More Brine Recipes to Try…
If you try this turkey brine recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Best Turkey Brine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 14 lb turkey, giblets and neck removed
- 2 gallons liquid (apple cider is my preferred choice; water also works)
- 1 cup coarse kosher salt or good quality coarse sea salt, See tips below on measuring this
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 2 oranges, juiced and halved
- 2 lemons, juiced and halved
- 4 TBSP peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- Handful of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley.
Instructions
- Transfer about 8 cups of cider or water to a saucepan. Add the salt and sugar. Bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let it go, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar have dissolved. When done, set it aside and let the liquid cool completely. (You can speed this up by adding ice.)
- Pour the cooled brine to your brining container. Add the rest of the cider along with the garlic cloves, herbs, and peppercorns. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the pot (don’t worry about the pits), and place the squeezed orange and lemon into the pot as well. Slowly and carefully submerge the turkey into the brine (careful, the liquid level will rise). Cover and refrigerate for an hour per pound.
- When brining time is up, carefully transfer the turkey to the sink. (I line mine with plastic grocery bags to try and keep things more sanitary. You could also use plastic wrap.) Carefully but thoroughly rinse the turkey with low water pressure to avoid splashback. This will rinse of excess salt. If you skip rinsing, you will end up with too salty of a turkey.
- After the rinse, pat the turkey dry with paper towels and transfer it to a cooking vessel. You can now prepare it and season it as you normally would.
I have used this brine for the last 4 years, and my turkeys have been delicious. As I replied down below in a fellow Thanksgiving hostess’s post, Dana has made my Thanksgiving turkey the most delicious, moist and tender it has ever been! My husband and I love hosting this, our favorite holiday, and we love to hear our company gush over Dana’s deliciously brined Turkey! Have a blessed Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for Dana Sandonato!! ;-)
Oh Christina, this comment made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to bring us this feedback. I’m so thrilled I could lend a hand in helping you feel like a superstar host. I am endlessly thankful for readers like you :) Happy holidays!
Did you season the outer layer? If so, what seasoning did you use?
Hi May, after brining you can use any seasoning you want. Sometimes I use poultry seasoning, sometimes an herb blend. For my air fryer turkey breast I have a blend I whip up myself that includes the following:
1/2 tsp ground dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
You may want to double up the measurements for a large bird. I hope this helps! Let me know how it goes :)
Hi! Is there a next recipe, for cooking the turkey? Thanks and I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Paige! I don’t have a recipe for a large turkey but do have two great recipes for turkey breasts, not sure that that helps. Here they are just in case!
Air fryer’s are Turkey Breast
Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
I’ve made this a few years now.
I think it’s delicious.
However I’m curious…
Am I able to cut back on the salt?
Like cup in a half? Or does it have to be 2 cups?
My family said the bird was salty.
I rinsed it and dried it after.
I don’t know why it was so salty.
I’m thinking it’s our taste buds.
As we don’t use salt at all we are a pepper family.. ☺
11pounds I’m making this year.
Hi Leslie! If you found the turkey too salty, even after rinsing it, you could definitely cut back on the salt a bit and see if it’s a better fit for you and the family. I hope it works! Please let me know how it goes!
I have been using this recipe for several years now and we absolutely LOVE it!! I actually have it noted on my paper that I printed 4 years ago…REDUCE SALT TO 1.5 CUPS. I also use 3 oranges. Dana has made my husband and I look like Thanksgiving experts! Thank you Dana, and a blessed Thanksgiving to all!! xo
Thanks again, Christina, for your lovely comments. Readers taking the time to leave feedback means more to us bloggers than you know <3 Happiest of holidays to you and yours!
Somehow, even after 3 days, my 13.15 turkey is semi semi to solidly frozen. Do you think I could extend the brine with ice? Let it go from tonight, Tuesday to Thursday morning? Trying to decide. I do not want to miss out on the flavor. Thank you for your post. Your recipe is almost identical to what I do. I just forgot the salt to water ratio. Happy Thanksgiving !
Hi Katie! What I’d do in this case is pop the turkey into a vat of water and keep it out on the counter for a few hours to speed up the thawing process. Keep an eye on it. Make sure the water is cold to prevent the meat hitting an unsafe tepid temperature. I’ve never brined a turkey from frozen or semi frozen for a longer period of time so I’d hate to say go for it and set you up for a badly textured turkey. I run into slow thawing meat quite often though, so I say let it sit in water at room temp tomorrow for a few hours and see where it goes! Keep me posted :) And happy thanksgiving!
The instructions say to add the cider water to a small saucepan. 2 gallons don’t fit in one. Can you please confirm the amount?
Hi Shellie, adding about 2 cups to a small saucepan with the sugar and salt speeds up the process a bit because you don’t have to wait for the whole two gallons to cool so that’s what I do. Simmer until the salt and sugar have dissolved, add some ice cubes to the pot to speed cooling, then add it to the rest of the cider
I have a 20lbs Turkey, how would I figure the ratios?
Thanks!
Hi Taryn! You’d be fine with the same exact recipe. Just ensure that the entire bird is covered and you can add more cider/water to the vessel in order to cover the bird if need be, but you should be totally fine. Good luck! Please let me know how it goes :)
What if u put apple cider vinegar instead of cider
Cider and vinegar aren’t interchangeable in this recipe, but if you don’t have cider on hand, what you can do is add 12 cups or so of apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon of water. Other options are you could swap apple cider for apple juice completely, or just use water. I hope this helps! Please let me know how it goes!
I love the sound of this and will definitely be trying it out on my immediate family 😁
That said, I’m hosting the extended family for Thanksgiving this year and some of them are VERY traditional and take Thanksgiving dishes extremely seriously. I’ve always brined my turkeys in the past, but with a much simpler, more savory recipe.
My question is — does this brine give off a noticeable difference in flavor, to where those with very basic palates might be put off? Or is it just subtle hints of flavor that kick it up a notch, but those eating it think it’s the best “traditional” Thanksgiving turkey they’ve ever eaten? I just don’t want to make a bunch of people mad because they think I got too “adventurous” with the main dish. This has happened before with side dishes other family members made (God forgive my cousin for his gruyere garlic mashed potatoes) and I don’t want it to happen to me with the main dish 😅
Hello! I completely understand where you’re coming from. I can assure you that there is no noticeable offbeat flavor in a turkey when this brine is used. For the most part, the brine just makes the turkey super duper juicy and tender. You’ll get very subtle hints of citrus and herbs, but the herbs used are traditional poultry herbs, so you’re good to go. I’ve used this for several people who like things to be, let’s say “less adventurous”, and they loved it. Be sure to rinse the turkey prior to seasoning it with a rub to rid of excess salt, and you should be good to go. Good luck! Please let me know how it goes :)
Second year in a row using this brine. Last year I wasn’t able to find apple cider so I used apple juice and it turned out well. So moist and flavorful, everyone was blown away. I used all the spices suggested and fresh herbs as well, you can tell it makes a huge difference. The only thing different I did from the recipe was boil all the ingredients together not just the sugar and salt. This year I added cranberries as well. I add the same fresh herbs in the butter mixture I put on my turkey and it’s phenomenal. Thank you for sharing!
I want to clarify one ingredient please. It it apple cider vinegar or apple cider?
Apple cider! Definitely not vinegar.