A great Turkey Brine Recipe is the difference between a good Thanksgiving turkey and a great one that people will be talking about for years to come. Knowing how to brine a turkey will make a huge difference in your bird whether you plan to roast it, smoke it, or deep-fry it! This quick and easy technique will ensure a deliciously juicy, moist turkey every time!
Whether you are planning a big holiday meal or just serving a special Sunday supper, we’ve got you covered with all the sides you love with a classic turkey dinner, including my favorite turkey gravy. Be sure to check out our collection of the Best Thanksgiving Recipes to see them all!Table of Contents
Frying a turkey is a popular cooking method for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. It produces a turkey with ultra-crisp, golden brown skin and moist, tender meat infused with flavor. But brining is a key step you shouldn’t skip if you want the best fried turkey possible.
What is Brining and Why Do it?
Brining involves soaking the turkey in a saltwater solution before cooking. The brine mixture contains salt, sugar, spices and aromatics.
There are several benefits to brining a turkey before frying
- Keeps the meat incredibly moist and juicy
- Allows seasoning to deeply penetrate the meat
- Tenderizes by breaking down muscle fibers
- Helps the bird retain its shape better
Brining guarantees your fried turkey stays succulent and becomes more flavorful It’s a simple process that makes a big difference in the end result
How Long to Brine a Turkey Before Frying
For proper brining, plan on approximately 1 hour of brining time per 1 pound of turkey.
So a 12 lb turkey needs a 12 hour brine. An 18 lb turkey requires around 18 hours.
Most experts recommend a minimum brining time of 8 hours, but no longer than 24 hours.
Shorter brine times don’t allow full flavor penetration or moisture retention. Going longer than 24 hours risks over-brining and making the turkey too salty.
Dry Brine vs Wet Brine for Fried Turkey
There are two brining methods to choose from:
Dry brine – Rubbing a salt/sugar/herb mixture directly onto the turkey. Then refrigerating uncovered overnight.
Wet brine – Submerging turkey in a saltwater solution for hours. Requires a large container.
Dry brining is ideal for frying because it doesn’t add any extra moisture. This helps ensure ultra crispy turkey skin. The close contact between the rub and meat also intensifies flavor.
Wet brining produces an incredibly juicy bird by hydrating it from the inside out. And the brine solution can include lots of spices, herbs and aromatics for added flavor.
Both methods work very well. Wet brining may help larger turkeys retain even more moisture when frying.
How to Make a Simple Fried Turkey Brine
An easy brine for fried turkey contains:
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 gallons water
Bring the salt, sugar and water to a boil. Cool completely.
Submerge turkey in brine solution, weighing down if needed. Refrigerate 8-24 hours.
Discard used brine. Rinse turkey, pat very dry. Season and fry.
Tips for Brining Turkey Before Frying
Follow these tips for best brining results:
-
Use the correct amount of kosher salt in brine. Table salt makes it too salty.
-
Cool brine completely before adding turkey.
-
Refrigerate at 40°F or below during brining.
-
Submerge entire turkey in brine, weighing down if needed.
-
Rotate turkey halfway through brining time.
-
Rinse turkey after brining and pat very, very dry.
-
Let sit 30 mins after rinsing to come to room temperature before frying.
-
Apply light seasoning after brining.
Frying a Brined Turkey
Once your turkey is brined, frying goes quickly:
-
Heat oil to 350-375°F in turkey fryer.
-
Carefully lower turkey into hot oil using rigging.
-
Maintain steady oil temperature of 350°F.
-
Fry 3-5 minutes per pound, up to 18 lb turkey.
-
Check internal temp of 165°F in thigh.
-
Drain oil, let rest 20 minutes before slicing.
The brined bird will be moist, juicy and packed with flavor in every bite when fried.
Common Brined Turkey Frying Problems & Fixes
Too salty – Reduce salt in brine. Rinse turkey after brining. Soak in water 1 hour.
Skin too soft – Dry turkey very well after brining. Fry at slightly higher temp.
Still dry inside – Brine longer up to 24 hrs. Inject brine into thick areas.
Dries out when frying – Don’t exceed 350°F oil temp. Cook no longer than 5 mins/lb.
Sticks to fryer – Don’t overcrowd. Keep bird fully submerged in oil.
With the right brining technique, your fried turkey will be the star of the table with crispy skin and tender, juicy meat full of seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you brine a turkey before frying?
Yes, brining is highly recommended to keep the turkey moist and infuse it with lots of flavor.
How long should you brine a turkey before frying?
About 1 hour per pound, so a 12 lb turkey needs a 12 hour brine. Minimum brine time is 8 hours, maximum 24 hours.
What’s the best brine for fried turkey?
A simple brine of 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar dissolved in 2 gallons of water works very well. Can add herbs and spices too.
Is dry or wet brining better for fried turkey?
Dry brining gives intense flavor and crispy skin. Wet brining keeps it super juicy. Both work great!
Brining your turkey is a critical step that guarantees the bird stays incredibly moist and becomes more flavorful when fried. With this complete guide, you’ll be rewarded with the best fried turkey possible.
What is Turkey Brine?
The brining process involves submerging a larger piece of meat in a water and salt solution. You can do a brine with just the water and salt, but we like to add extra flavor with fresh herbs, brown sugar, some spices, and citrus peel.
There is plenty of debate about how much of a difference this makes and you can get sucked down the rabbit hole of reading about brining techniques for hours, but I can say from much testing and experimenting that it’s well worth the minimal effort to brine your turkey.
One caution: Do NOT brine a turkey labeled as kosher. A kosher turkey already has a higher salt content and has essentially already undergone a process similar to brining. So if you brine a kosher turkey, it’s going to end up being way too salty.
A side benefit of brining a large turkey is that is solves the age-old dilemma that is every home cook’s Thanksgiving nightmare of whether the turkey will be completely thawed in time! Even if your partially frozen turkey isn’t quite as thawed as you were intending when you go to brine it, it will be fully thawed after a day in a cold, briny bath!
- A non-corrosive large stock pot, bucket, large cooler, or other container: If you have a small to medium-size turkey like the 12-pounder we used in these photos, you can usually just use a really large pot, which is my preferred approach because of the easy cleanup and it almost always fits easily in my fridge. If your turkey is larger, you may want to consider a large plastic cooler or even a clean plastic bucket from a hardware store so that you have room for a bag of ice to sit on top to keep the turkey cold overnight while it is brining.
- Coarse Kosher salt: This turkey brine recipe is pretty much foolproof except you have to make sure you are using the correct type of salt. I have written the recipe using coarse kosher salt, which is what we always use. It’s affordable, easily accessible, and gives great flavor without making the meat too salty.
- Water: Some brining recipes call for apple juice or apple cider but after experimenting, I’ve decided that we get better results with just 2 gallons of water for the liquid part of this brine recipe.
- Brown sugar: I love adding a little sweetness to the brine.
- Black peppercorns: Don’t substitute with ground pepper. You want whole peppercorns (any variety will work) for a brine.
- Garlic: No need to spend time mincing garlic cloves for this brine recipe. Just smash them flat with the back of a knife and throw them in.
- Fresh herbs: A couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme help infuse the brine with classic holiday flavors.
- Orange peel: I have found that a little citrus is the key to a really flavorful turkey brine recipe! Just use a vegetable peeler or shape knife to peel off the outer skin of the orange. Lemon peel would work well too, if you don’t have oranges on hand.
- Bay leaves: I always have some dried bay leaves in the cupboard so I throw them in. Honestly, I’m not 100% sure these make a difference, but I always include them anyway figuring it certainly won’t hurt!
- A whole turkey: Obviously you will want a good-sized turkey for a brined turkey recipe. But you could use this wet brine on a whole chicken as well.
Tips for the Best Turkey Brine
- Use the correct amount of the correct type of salt listed in this turkey brine recipe.
- Don’t try brining a Kosher turkey. It already has higher salt content than normal.
- Be sure to completely cover the turkey with the brine solution. If it wants to float up to the top of your brining bucket, weigh it down with a bag of ice or a heavy plate with some cans set on top. Some people find it helpful to use a brining bag if their container is large to make sure the turkey stays fully submerged.
- Remember that there is no need to salt the turkey after brining it. It absorb a significant amount of salt from the brine solution, and any drippings for gravy will already have a good amount of salt to them, so you may not need any additional salt.
- Be sure to put the turkey into the brine solution with the breast side down for the best penetration. If your turkey brine doesn’t quite cover your bird, then rotate it partway through brining for even coverage.