Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions FAQs

I brine a Thanksgiving turkey every year because it's the right thing to do. Brining involves soaking a turkey in a very salty solution for a certain length of time, long enough for the salt to infiltrate the turkey and actually alter the molecular structure of the meat. It doesn't turn it into a salty mess, either. It just results in a juicy, fantastic turkey. If you've never brined a turkey, you'll just have to trust me on this. It really makes all the difference and adds so much flavor.

You can buy ready-made brining solutions. I used to buy one at Williams-Sonoma. But making one is a cinch, too. You basically need salt and a mix ofother seasoning ingredients. I like to balance the saltiness with the mild sweetness of apple cider (and, okay, the not-so-mild sweetness of brown sugar). It's the easiest way toseason a turkey!

There's a couple important things to remember, though:

Though you can brine a frozen, thawed bird, it's best to brinefresh turkeys. Brining a frozen turkey isn't always necessary, because frozen turkeys are typically alreadyinjected with a sodium solution. Putting this into a well-salted brinecould lead to over-seasoning.There are, however,some organic frozen turkeys that have a much lower concentration of the sodium solution. That said, it's best to stick to a fresh turkey for optimal brining results and flavor!

Making homemade turkey gravy from the drippings of a brined turkey can result in a really salty gravy if you're not careful. Don't worry, I'll show you a few steps that will prevent this from happening.

What's the best way to cook a brined turkey?

I think roasting the bird is the way to go because it requires no special equipment (well, other than a good meat thermometer so you don't overcook it!). You could also smoke this brined turkey if you wanted. If you want to fry it, though, take the turkey out of the brine 24 hours before frying. Let it sit uncovered in your refrigerator during that time so the outside has a chance to dry. You never want to take a turkey from abrine straight tohot oil as the excess liquid can cause lots of dangerous splattering!

Do you spatchco*ck a turkey before or after brining it?

Brine, then spatchco*ck.Spatchco*cking a turkeyis a technique that essentially butterflies the bird. Youremove the backbone so the turkey lies flat and cooks quicker than a whole bird. That said,a spatchco*cked turkey also absorbs salt and seasoning quicker than a whole bird. So, to avoid a too-salty turkey, brine your bird first, then, do the spatchco*cking.

Can you make the brine ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it several days in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready to submerge your bird!

How long should you brine a turkey?

Shoot for atleast 16 hours butno longer than 24 hours. If you brine it any longer than 24 hours the turkey will be too salty.

Do you have to refrigerate a turkey while brining it?

Yes! Do not leave aturkey brining on the counter or it'll spoil. Treat it just like you would a raw turkey, because that's what it is—always refrigerate it!

Do you rinse a turkey after brining?

Yes, you'll need to carefully rinse the turkey (inside and out!) to remove some of the saltiness from the brine. I actually like to soak mine in cold water for about 15 minutes.This is the only time you should ever rinse a turkey! If you don't brine your turkey, you don't need to rinse it. But you should definitely brine it, just so I'm clear.

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Yields:
18 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
25 mins

Ingredients

Directions

    1. Step1Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off theheat, cover,and allow the brine to cool completely.
    2. Step2Place the uncooked turkey in a large brining bag or pot, pour in the brine solution to cover the turkey, and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
    3. Step3Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine (discard the brine) and submerge the turkey in a pot or sink filled with fresh, cold water for 15 minutes. This removes excess salt from the outside.
    4. Step4Remove the turkey from the water, pat verydry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

It's time. It's time for Thanksgiving recipes.

I don't care that it's not even Halloween yet!

Oh, I know how it goes. Every year around this time, I think I have all this time to post Thanksgiving recipes on this little food blog of mine. I think, "It's not even Halloween yet. I've got all the time in the world!" Then it happens. It's the same every year. We dress up our children in Iron Man and Richard Nixon costumes, go trick-or-treating in our quaint little town, then by the time they're on their last piece of candy—which is actually like twenty hours later—it's suddenly Christmas. And I’m looking around my kitchen and my little food blog like, "Okay… what just happened?"

And then I ask my children if they have any candy left because I'm having a wicked sugar craving. And they tell me to go bake a pie or something. Smart aleck little varmints. Anyway, today I'm sharing my step-by-step method for brining a turkey. I brine a turkey every year.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (2)

Here's what you need:

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (4)

Cut off the top and bottom of each orange.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (6)

Carefully slice off the peel in sections.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (8)

Mmm. Fragrant to the max.

Strip the leaves off the rosemary sprigs, measure the salt, sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Inhale. Exhale. Thank the Lord above for the aromas that spring forth from the earth.

At least that's what I do every time I make this turkey brine.

(Oh, and you'll need some minced garlic. I just forgot that step. Happens.)

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (12)

Pour three cups of apple cider into a stock pot.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (14)

Add two gallons of water…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (16)

A cup and a half of salt…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (18)

Two cups of brown sugar…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (20)

Bay leaves…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (22)

Rosemary…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (24)

Peppercorns…

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (26)

And orange peel.

And the forgotten garlic.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (28)

Loveliness!

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (30)

Now, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature; feel free to stick it in the fridge or freezer halfway through the cooling down process

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (32)

This is an alien hand (left) and a brining bag.

I'm obsessed with brining bags. Obsessed!

It's all I think about anymore.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (34)

Here’s the turkey inside the brining bag.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (36)

Once the brine solution is cooled, pour it over the turkey.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (38)

Now you’ll just need to seal up the bag and refrigerate it for at least sixteen hours. Twenty-four hours is better, though, especially for a large turkey. Place the turkey, breast side down, in the bag, but 2/3 of the way through the brining, flip the turkey in the bag to make sure it brines evenly. Just pretend you’re an obstetrician and you’re trying to get a breach baby to flip!

Note: This is enough brine for a 20-pound turkey. If you feel as though the turkey needs even more liquid, just top it off with more water and it'll be fine. If you're using a much smaller turkey or a turkey breast, just halve the recipe.

Next up: Roasting this dang thing. (Here are the turkey roasting instructions!)

The fun has only just begun.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (2024)

FAQs

How to brine a turkey for Thanksgiving? ›

Wet brines take no longer than 24 hours, whereas dry brines can be effective for up to 72 hours.
  1. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and add to prepared container.
  2. Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt into 2 cups of hot water. Allow to cool.
  3. Pour salt solution over turkey. Add remaining water.
Sep 21, 2023

What's the longest you should brine a turkey? ›

The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less).

What is the difference between dry brine and wet brine for Thanksgiving turkey? ›

Both ways produce a flavorful and moist turkey but have other important considerations that may impact your choice. Wet brines infuse flavor and moisture more quickly than dry brines; however, a larger vessel for the brining process will be needed as well as enough refrigerator space.

Should you rinse a turkey after brining? ›

According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There's only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.

Should you brine a frozen turkey? ›

Yes, you can brine a frozen turkey! Whether dry brining or wet brining, you'll want to start by defrosting the turkey enough to remove the giblets from the cavity. From there, you can prep the turkey as you please.

How long should you dry brine a turkey? ›

Dry-brining for more than 24 hours will produce even juicier and better-seasoned meat. To brine longer than 24 hours, loosely cover turkey with plastic wrap or cheesecloth before refrigerating, to prevent excess moisture loss through evaporation. Let rest for up to three days.

What happens if you don't rinse a turkey? ›

Wash your hands, but not the turkey! Many consumers think that washing their turkey will remove bacteria and make it safer. However, it's virtually impossible to wash bacteria off the bird. Instead, juices that splash during washing can transfer bacteria onto the surfaces of your kitchen, other foods and utensils.

Can you over wet brine a turkey? ›

It's best to brine turkey for 12 to 24 hours. Brining it for longer than 24 hours can result in mushy meat and an overly salty flavor. If you do accidentally over-brine it, you can soak the turkey in cold water to remove some of the excess salt, but it likely won't have the best flavor or texture.

What happens if you leave turkey in brine too long? ›

When you begin the brining process, set a timer or reminder to remove the turkey from the salt solution. Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture.

Should a turkey be fully submerged in brine? ›

This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate.

Are butterball turkeys brined? ›

Butterball Fresh Whole Turkey is all natural*, never frozen, gluten free, and raised without hormones on American farms. Every fresh turkey is pre-brined before packaging for meat that's always tender and juicy. *All natural means minimally processed and no artificial ingredients.

Do brined turkeys cook faster? ›

Yes, a turkey that's been brined will cook faster than one that hasn't!

What is the formula for brine? ›

Basic Brine

Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.

Can you brine a turkey that has been injected with a solution? ›

Finally, you may choose to brine an injected turkey but can cut the amount of salt by half.

Do you have to boil the water to brine a turkey? ›

Tip: There is no need to boil all the brine liquid because you can fully dissolve the salt and sugar and extract the flavor out of any seasonings in 1½ cups of liquid. Step 2: Allow boiled brine to cool completely to room temperature.

How do you prepare a turkey before brining? ›

The night before you plan on cooking the turkey, remove the innards and rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Boil 1 gallon of water and brining blend for 2 - 3 minutes, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. To speed things up you can add some ice to it.

Is it better to salt or brine a turkey? ›

One key reason is the taste—whether you wet-brine or dry-brine, using all! that! salt! infuses the bird with flavor, giving it an extra boost before you add any spices or aromatics. It also helps the meat retain its moisture and can help you avoid over-cooking, our associate food editor Kelsey Youngman explains.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 6553

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (67 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.