Presenting the BEST Turkey Brine Recipe for a flavorful, juicy, tender Thanksgiving bird that will impress your guests and make you proud!
Roasting a turkey for your holiday feast can be nerve-wracking, right? Well, not with this easy Turkey Brine Recipe! The turkey soaks for 12-24 hours in a simple brine of water, brown sugar, cirtus, herbs, and salt. Then it’s roasted with butter and poultry seasoning until the turkey is perfectly moist and full of delicious flavor with a beautiful golden, crispy brown skin!
To Brine or Not to Brine
Brine! That is the answer! It will save you from the unwanted fate of a dry, blah turkey! Trust me – once you brine, you’ll never go back!
Brining is a process of marinating the fresh (or frozen & thawed) turkey in a sweet and salty solution to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. It’s super easy and merely requires a little pre-planning. But trust me – it’s SO worth it! This brining recipe results in a mouthwatering turkey that’s totally worthy of the holiday centerpiece honor!
Other Recipes to Serve with Thanksgiving Turkey
- Spectacularly delicious, Brown Sugar and Maple Sweet Potatoes are a must-have for your Thanksgiving dinner!
- For a fresh twist to traditional holiday dressing, try this tasty Pear Pomegranate Stuffing!
Ingredients
Turkey: A fresh or frozen-but-fully-thawed turkey. (You’ll need 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of meat per dinner guest.)
Seasoning: To season the turkey, you’ll need a stick of butter, poultry seasoning, salt & pepper. It’s simple, but very effective!
Brine: The brine consists of brown sugar, oranges, lemons, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, and lots of salt (a whole cup).
How to Make Brine a Turkey
STEP ONE: Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity. In a container (big enough to submerge the turkey), mix all the water, salt, brown sugar, oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary.
STEP TWO: Place the turkey in the brine – it should cover the bird completely. Allow the turkey to sit in this mixture for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator (or a cooler with ice).
STEP THREE: When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it with fresh water. Place the turkey into a roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the skin with softened butter, then season all over with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning (don’t forget to season the wings and legs).
STEP FOUR: Place the turkey in the preheated oven. Baste every hour and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your bird – plan for 13-15 minutes of cooking time per pound. Once cooked, remove the pan from the oven and let the turkey rest for 30 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to recirculate throughout the meat.
Tips for Success
- Pat the skin dry before roasting to get that golden crispy finish!
- Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh.
- No room in the fridge? No worries! Brine your bird over a layer of ice in your largest cooler.
- Bake the turkey uncovered, but if it starts to brown too much before it’s fully cooked, loosely cover the top with foil.
- If the breasts or legs begin to get too dark, cover loosely with foil until the rest of the bird is fully cooked.
How Long Does it Take a Frozen Turkey to Thaw?
Frozen turkeys take longer than you think to thaw completely! Allow 6 hours for every pound of turkey. This can be 2 days for a smaller 8-pound bird or as many as five full days for a larger 20-pound bird! And remember: meat should always be thawed in the refrigerator and never at room temperature.
How Long Does it Take to Cook a Turkey?
In a preheated oven at 350°F, you’ll need about 13 minutes of roasting time for every pound of turkey. (You’ll want about a pound-and-a-half of turkey per dinner guest.) A 10-pound bird will cook for approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, while a larger 20-pound bird will require 4 hours and 20 minutes. If the bird is stuffed, adjust the roasting time to 15 minutes per pound. The turkey is fully cooked when the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Other Moist, Marvelous Meaty Recipes!
- Apricot Glazed Ham
- Spatchcock Chicken
- Beer Smoked Brisket
- Perfectly Moist Pork Loin
- Air Fryer Turkey Breast
- Homemade Chicken Apple Sausage
*This post originally posted on 11/12/2012.
Ingredients
Brine
- 2 gallons cold water
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 oranges quartered
- 2 lemons quartered
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Roasted Turkey
- Whole turkey thawed
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Brine
- In a big container, mix the cold water, salt, brown sugar, oranges, lemons, thyme, and rosemary. Set aside.
- Remove the turkey from the package. Rinse it off and remove the neck and giblets from the inside of the bird. Place the turkey into the container of brine. (If the turkey isn't completely submerged, make more brine to cover.)
- Allow the turkey to sit in the brine mixture for 12 to 24 hours, either in a refrigerator or in a cooler with ice. (If using a cooler, check the ice level periodically to ensure the cooler maintains a temperature below 40 degrees F.)
Roasted Turkey
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse it with fresh water. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Rub the turkey skin all over with softened butter. Season all over with poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, making sure to get the wings and legs. (If desired, you can place the turkey in an oven bag now.)
- If you are not using an oven bag you will want to baste the bird every hour
- Roast the turkey until its internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F in the thickest part of your bird. (see cooking time notes below) If the skin begins to darken too quickly, loosely cover the turkey with foil.
- Once fully cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
Jason N Kathy DeSilva says
I’m so excited! This is my first ever Brine Turkey!!!! It’s doing it’s thing as I type!!!! 🙂
Aubrey says
I’m so glad!!! How’d it go?
Rhonda says
Is it just regular iodized table salt you use? Not some kind of “special” salt?
Aubrey says
I’ve used regular table salt and kosher salt. It hasn’t made a difference.
Diana Rambles says
WOW! This sounds delish. Thanks for linking up to my Pin Me Party! I’ve pinned this! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Sharon says
I have been brining my turkey for years. Can’t believe I ever ate turkey without brining. The white meat is so tender and juicy. We even brine a turkey and then cook over indirect heat on the Weber grill. That is a great way to make a turkey, also.
I love your page.
Happy Holidays!!!
Sharon
Aubrey says
Thanks so much Sharon! I will have to try the indirect grill method one year. My husband got a smoker for Father’s day this year and wants to try that out too sometime. Happy Holidays to you too!
Evelyn @ My Turn (for us) says
Thanks for stopping by:) I grabbed your party button and will be back Friday to link up. I am also following via Facebook. I just pinned your Turkey Brine Recipe, I have always wanted try this, (great idea about your big old bucket from Lowes, very clever)
Hope your week is filled with Blessings!
Aubrey says
Thanks Evelyn! I can’t wait to see you again on Friday!