This recipe will help you make the best Turkey Brine. It has simple but delicious flavors that will make your Thanksgiving turkey taste even better.
There is some controversy for sure surrounding brining or not brining a Thanksgiving Turkey. I’ve made a lot of turkeys over the years—maybe even hundreds—and I think brining is worth the time if you can.
Bringing turkeys isn’t hard. The extra, easy step of brining your turkey makes it the absolute juiciest!
For this wet brining method to work, the turkey must not already be “pre-brined” or “self-brining.” Check the turkey’s packaging for more information about how to brine it. You want to find a turkey labeled “Natural” if you plan to brine it.
Most of the time, “natural” turkeys are the ones you want to buy for brining. This means that nothing has been added to them yet.
Get ready! I’m about to share all of my tips and tricks to make the best turkey brine. You’ll be amazed at what this simple wet brine brings to the Thanksgiving table.
Brining is one of the secrets to incredibly moist, delicious turkey While Butterball turkeys are naturally tender and juicy, soaking them in a savory brine solution pumps up both moisture and flavor. A good brining recipe infuses the meat with seasoned liquid to make every bite juicy, tasty, and succulent
As your go-to turkey experts, we want to share our favorite brine recipes perfect for soaking Butterball whole turkeys, breasts, drumsticks, and more Read on for brining basics and step-by-step instructions for moist, foolproof holiday birds and anytime turkey meals.
Why Brine Butterball Turkey?
Brining, aka wet salting, does two key things:
- Infuses turkey with moisture
- Boosts flavor throughout the meat
The salt in the brine gently seasons the turkey and allows it to absorb more liquid. This gives you incredibly juicy results as the turkey cooks, releasing all that lovely brine-infused moisture into the meat.
Flavors from herbs, spices, citrus, sugar, and more also permeate the turkey, taking your holiday centerpiece to new heights of taste.
While Butterball turkey is already super tender and moist when roasted, brining makes it even more luscious, succulent, and packed with flavor. Let’s get brining!
How to Make a Simple Brine
Brining a turkey is easy. Here is a basic formula:
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Herbs, spices, citrus etc.
Bring the water just to a boil to help dissolve the salt and sugar. Cool completely before adding turkey. Feel free to experiment with other flavors! Garlic, peppercorns, lemon, and rosemary make a nice herbed brine.
Leave the turkey submerged in the brine solution in the fridge for 8-24 hours depending on size. Rinse, pat dry, and roast as desired. It’s that simple for deliciously juicy birds!
Quick & Easy Brine Recipes
Beyond the basic brine above, here are some easy flavored brine recipes perfect for soaking Butterball turkeys:
Apple Brine
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice
Citrus Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
Herb Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Sprigs fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley
**Spicy Sriracha Brine **
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup Sriracha sauce
Get creative with your own signature brine! The options are endless for flavoring your holiday centerpiece.
Brining Tips and Tricks
Here are some handy brining tips for the very best results:
- Make sure brine is completely cooled before adding turkey.
- Submerge turkey completely, weighing down if needed.
- Brine in the fridge in a large covered container.
- Allow 8-24 hours of brining time depending on size.
- Rinse turkey well after brining, pat dry.
- Roast immediately after brining for max moisture.
- Reserve and strain brine juices for gravy if desired.
With these simple steps, you’ll have incredibly moist, delicious brined Butterball turkey for Thanksgiving or anytime. Let’s get to some FAQs about brining Butterball turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any other questions about brining turkey? Here are some common questions answered:
What size turkey should you brine?
You can brine turkeys of any size. Allow 8-12 hours for 12 lbs or less, 12-18 hours for 12-16 lbs, and 18-24 hours for birds over 16 lbs.
Can you brine a frozen turkey?
No, only brine fully thawed or fresh never-frozen turkeys. Frozen tissue won’t absorb brine properly.
What about pre-brined or kosher turkeys?
Avoid brining pre-brined or kosher turkey, as this can make it overly salty. Check labels.
Should you rinse turkey after brining?
Yes, always rinse turkey under cool water after brining, then pat dry inside and out before roasting.
Can you brine too long?
Yes, overbrining longer than 24 hours can turn the meat mushy. Stick to recommended times.
Can you reuse a brine?
For food safety, make fresh brine each time. Don’t reuse brine with raw turkey juices.
Now that you’re a brining pro, go forth and soak those Butterball turkeys! With these easy, flavorful brines, your family and guests will rave about the juicy, tender, and delicious results.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- That’s It: Any way you cook a turkey can be pretty complicated, but this brine recipe is really simple to make. Just bring everything to a boil and let it cool down.
- Great Flavor: The best thing about brining a turkey is that you can flavor the meat all the way through. Brining adds salty, sweet, savory, and herbal flavors. Oranges and brown sugar work well together in this brine for turkey.
Best Turkey Brine Ingredients
Nothing very fancy is needed to make the most amazing turkey brine ever. Simple herbs and pantry ingredients do the trick.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Two gallons of water are added to this wet brine to begin with. This will make enough to brine a large turkey.
- Brown Sugar: Sugar is what makes a brined turkey taste so good. It tastes even better with molasses when you add brown sugar.
- Sea salt: A lot of sea salt is needed to brine turkeys. Just plain table salt, one cup, is used in this turkey brine.
- Spices: This is where the flavor magic happens! We’ll add orange slices, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and fresh garlic cloves.
Lightly smash the garlic cloves to get more flavor from them!