Cooking a whole turkey, especially a large one, takes 2½ to 5 hours. Often, the breasts and other lean parts of the bird cook in the first hour and are done before the rest of the bird is. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to solve this problem, and that’s brining your turkey before cooking. Brining a turkey keeps the water and salt inside so that the meat stays soft and moist after it comes out of the oven. It also infuses the turkey with loads of flavor, leaving you with juicy, tasty meat.
Please be aware that many of our turkey products come brined or ‘basted’. Check the label to see if your turkey has been brined. If so, we don’t recommend further brining as it may cause your turkey to taste overly salty.
You can brine your bird either wet or dry. But before we talk about how to brine a turkey, let’s look at some other good reasons to brine before cooking.
As Thanksgiving approaches, home cooks everywhere are gearing up to cook the star of the holiday meal – the turkey. While delicious turkey can often end up dry and flavorless if not prepared properly. This has led many cooks to start brining their birds before roasting. But does brining really make a difference and specifically, do brined turkeys cook faster than unbrined ones? Let’s take a closer look at the science behind brining to find out.
What is Brining?
Brining is the process of soaking meat or poultry in a saltwater solution before cooking. The brine is typically made by dissolving salt and sugar in water along with aromatics like garlic herbs, spices, and citrus.
There are two main types of brining:
-
Wet brining – The meat is fully submerged in the brine solution. This is best done in a large container like a cooler or bucket.
-
Dry brining – The brine ingredients are rubbed directly onto the surface of the meat.
Both methods result in increased moisture and flavor, but wet brining leads to more thorough seasoning and tenderization.
Why Brine a Turkey?
Brining provides two major benefits to turkey
1. Increased moisture
As the turkey soaks, the brine solution is absorbed into the muscle fibers. This adds extra moisture and prevents the meat from drying out during roasting.
2. Enhanced flavor
The salt in the brine seasons the turkey from the inside out. Spices, herbs, citrus, and aromatics infuse throughout the meat for well-rounded, delicious flavor.
Does Brining Reduce Cooking Time?
So brining makes turkey tastier and juicier, but does it actually cook faster?
The answer is yes…slightly faster. Here’s why:
-
The extra moisture from brining allows the turkey to reach safe cooking temperatures quicker.
-
The salt in the brine denatures (unfolds) proteins in the meat, allowing heat to penetrate faster.
-
Any sugar in the brine accelerates browning through the Maillard reaction.
However, most sources say a brined turkey cooks about 10-15% faster compared to an unbrined bird. So for a 15 lb turkey that takes 4 hours to roast, brining may shave off 25-45 minutes at most.
The accelerated cooking time is so minimal that it won’t make a huge difference for most home cooks. You should still allot about 15-20 minutes per pound when calculating total roasting time for a brined or unbrined turkey.
How to Tell When a Brined Turkey is Done
Since brined turkeys cook slightly faster, you need to be extra vigilant about checking for doneness. Use these tips to ensure your holiday bird is cooked through without overdoing it:
-
Invest in a good meat thermometer – this is the only way to accurately determine doneness. Avoid relying on the pop-up thermometer alone.
-
Check the temperature early and often. Start probing around the 4 hour mark for a 15 lb turkey.
-
Target 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thighs. For optimal juiciness, remove from oven when it reaches 165°F and allow the carryover cooking to bring it to 170°F.
-
Look for signs the turkey is done – clear juices running from the cavity, drumsticks loosened and wiggling easily. These are good indications to start checking temperature.
-
If brining a frozen turkey, add extra roasting time since the bird will require longer to thaw.
Other Tips for Roasting the Perfect Brined Turkey
Follow these additional pointers to ensure your brined turkey turns out mouthwateringly moist and delicious:
-
Pat the turkey dry before roasting to improve crisping of the skin.
-
Rub the skin with butter or oil and season with salt, pepper, and herbs for flavor and browning.
-
Use a roasting rack in the pan to elevate the turkey for even cooking. Tent with foil to prevent over-browning.
-
Start turkey breast side down, then flip halfway through roasting. This self-bastes the breast meat in drippings.
-
Roast at a low temp, 325°F, to allow time for the interior to cook through without drying out.
-
Let the turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving to allow juices to redistribute.
Enjoy Your Perfectly Brined and Roasted Turkey!
While brining does accelerate cooking time slightly, it’s not a major factor. For cooks used to roasting unbrined turkeys, applying the same guidelines will still result in a properly cooked brined turkey. Just be diligent about using a meat thermometer and checking temperature early.
With the right brining technique, careful roasting, and frequent temperature checks, you’ll have a succulent, full-flavored holiday bird the whole family will love.
How to Wet Brine a Turkey
If you like wet brining better than dry brining, here’s how to brine a turkey in saltwater:
- Other spices or aromatics (optional)
- A large, food-safe container
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Mix four tablespoons of kosher salt with one quart of warm water to make your saltwater solution. Also, if you need four quarts of water to cover the whole turkey, you will need 12 tablespoons of salt.
- To make the brine taste better, add aromatics like bay leaves, rosemary, or ginger.
- As soon as the brine is cool enough to touch, pour it over the turkey in the food-safe container. If the turkey floats, weigh it down with a plate. You can start the wet brining process with a frozen turkey or one that has already been thawed.
- You can keep it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours with the lid on. Your fridge’s temperature must not be over 40°F. If the temperature is higher, bad bacteria will grow in your turkey and spread to your fridge.
- With a paper towel, pat the turkey dry after brining. Then, take the turkey out of the water and throw away the brine. Before cooking, rub your choice of seasoning on the turkey’s body and insides.
Why Brine Your Turkey?
Below are some of the top reasons why you should never skip brining before cooking your turkey:
Brined turkey takes less time to cook. Since the brine has salt in it, it breaks down a lot of the protein. This makes the dark meat tender faster.
Brining forces turkey to absorb extra moisture. During cooking, a lot of that water stays inside the turkey. When it’s done, the white and dark meat are both juicy.
Putting seasoning on the outside of a whole turkey will only make the skin taste good; the inside will be bland. Brining allows salt and other brine seasonings to seep deep into your meat, giving you a tastier bird.
In a whole turkey, the white meat can get too done before the dark meat can reach 165°F temperature inside. Brining helps prevent this by keeping the white meat moist until the dark meat cooks completely.
Does a brined turkey cook faster?
FAQ
Does brining affect cooking time?
What is the downside of brining turkey?
Does brining make meat cook faster?
Does brining a turkey make a big difference?
How long does it take to brine a Turkey?
Wet brines take no longer than 24 hours, whereas dry brines can be effective for up to 72 hours. Remove giblets and neck from turkey and add to prepared container. Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt into 2 cups of hot water. Allow to cool. Pour salt solution over turkey. Add remaining water.
Can You brine a Turkey a day before cooking?
Refrigerate overnight. If your brine doesn’t completely cover the turkey, turn the turkey over half way through brining. Next day, an hour before you are ready to cook the turkey, remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry.
Can You Dry Brine a Turkey?
A bird that has been wet-brined for just 12 hours will stay juicy even if you overshoot the cooking time a little. It’s one less thing to worry about. You can also dry brine a turkey instead, which skips the water and involves rubbing the salt and seasonings directly onto the turkey before it sits for a few days in the refrigerator.
How do you brine a turkey breast before cooking?
Place the turkey in whatever container you will use for brining (stockpot, 5-gallon bucket, or bag) and add brine. Cover or seal tightly and leave at least 24 hours but no more than 48 before your planned cook time. TIP: Place breast side down and make sure brine is touching all sides, if possible. Before cooking, rinse well and pat dry.
Can You brine a thawed Turkey?
Be sure to thaw your turkey beforehand, as it’s not safe to brine a fully frozen turkey. You can brine a partially thawed turkey, though, since the thawing process will continue while the turkey is in the brine. Wet brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Don’t go longer than that or the meat will get a spongy texture.
How do you brine a fried turkey?
Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup kosher salt or 3 tablespoons fine salt per 1 quart water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate. If the turkey floats, weight it down with a dinner plate. Cover and place it in the refrigerator. Brine for 12 to 24 hours.