How Many Days Before Thanksgiving Should I Brine My Turkey?

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Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any celebratory meal, preparing a holiday feast requires you to prioritize. Maybe homemade mac and cheese is nonnegotiable, but you’re fine with stuffing from the box. Maybe you prefer cranberry sauce from a can. But there’s one dish that accepts no compromises: the Thanksgiving turkey.

If you want the juiciest possible bird, you’re going to want to learn how to brine a turkey. Brining a turkey the right way may take some time (start at least two days before the feast), but the meat that comes out of it is the juiciest and most delicious. Chef Thomas Keller’s simple turkey brining method gives you the best of both worlds: a dry-brined turkey with crispy skin and a wet-brined turkey with the most juicy meat. How, you ask? Let’s get into it.

Brining a turkey before roasting is a great way to help ensure moist, flavorful meat on Thanksgiving. But when exactly should you start the brining process? Getting the timing right is important to brining success. Follow these tips on when to brine your bird.

Why Brine a Turkey?

Brining is the process of soaking a turkey in a saltwater solution prior to cooking. This allows the turkey to absorb extra moisture, resulting in juicier meat.

When there is salt present in the solution, the proteins in the turkey absorb more liquid. A 12 lb turkey soaked overnight in a brine can gain over a pound in water weight! This extra moisture offsets the natural juices lost during roasting.

Brining also allows you to infuse flavor into the turkey through aromatics like herbs, spices, citrus, onions, and garlic

How Many Days In Advance Should I Brine My Turkey?

The ideal brining time is 2-3 days before Thanksgiving. While an overnight brine will work, a longer brining time of 48-72 hours allows the salt and flavors to fully penetrate deep into the meat

Here are some general brining timelines based on turkey size:

12-14 lb turkey: Brine for 48-72 hours
14-16 lb turkey: Brine for 48-72 hours
16-18 lb turkey: Brine for 48-72 hours
18-20 lb turkey: Brine for 48-72 hours

Brining for the full 2-3 days will provide the most flavorful, juicy turkey. But if you’re short on time, you can get away with brining overnight. Just note that the flavors may not penetrate as deeply.

Don’t Brine Too Early

You don’t want to brine your turkey too far in advance. Over-brining can make the turkey taste overly salty and turn the texture unpleasantly spongy.

Brine for no longer than 3 days total. After 72 hours, bacteria can start to grow even when refrigerated.

If your brining container space is limited, you can brine for 1-2 days, rinse the turkey, pat it dry, and refrigerate until roasting day.

Tips for Timing Your Brine

Make the brine 1 day ahead. This gives you time to fully dissolve the salt, cool the brine, and get everything chilled before submerging the raw turkey.
Start brining 2-3 days before roasting. 48-72 hours allows maximum flavor penetration.
Don’t brine for longer than 3 days total. Over-brining leads to issues.
** Factor in thawing time if starting from frozen.** Safely thaw in the fridge 1 day for every 4-5 lbs.
Dry the turkey thoroughly after brining. Let sit uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours so the skin dries out. This helps it get crispy when roasted.

Brining Tips for the Best Results

Use a container large enough to fully submerge the turkey in brine. A 5 gallon bucket or large stockpot works well.
Chill the brine before adding the raw turkey. Never pour warm brine over a turkey.
Weigh down the bird to keep it fully submerged.
Flip the turkey every 6-8 hours while brining for even exposure.
Rinse the turkey, pat it dry, and let it air dry in the fridge after brining.
Roast immediately after brining and drying for the freshest result.

For the juiciest, most flavorful Thanksgiving turkey, start brining 2-3 days in advance. Allow 48-72 hours for full penetration of salt and flavors. Don’t brine for longer than 3 days total to prevent over-brining. Thoroughly dry the turkey after brining before roasting. With proper timing, brining delivers amazingly moist and tasty holiday centerpiece.

how many days before thanksgiving should i brine my turkey

Wet brine vs. dry brine:

You have two ways to go here: the wet-brining method or the dry-brining method. For dry-brining, you rub a turkey with salt and maybe some aromatics, then put it in the fridge overnight or for up to three days to let the skin dry out. This method is best for achieving crispy skin—but if you want an extra-juicy bird, consider the wet brine.

Soaking a turkey in a saltwater solution overnight is called wet-brining. The result is a very flavorful bird that is full of water. A turkey that is left to soak in water that doesn’t have salt will get plumper, but when there is salt, the proteins soak up more of the brine and hold on to more of that water as it cooks. One 12-pound turkey that has been soaked in a wet brine overnight will weigh more than 13 pounds when it comes out. This extra water will balance out the juices that are lost during roasting in the oven, making for a very moist bird. Adding more flavors, like apple cider, maple syrup, chile peppers, or star anise, is also possible with a wet brine.

Detractors of wet brining complain a wet-brined bird can be slow to brown. But Keller’s foolproof method includes a smart final step that results in extra-crispy skin.

What happens if I brine my turkey for 2 days?

FAQ

How far in advance should I brine a turkey?

Usually 8-24 hours is best so brining it the night before works great. Just be careful because you can over brine – so I do not suggest preparing more than 24 hours before baking.

How long should you store a turkey to dry it after brining?

After 12 to 18 hours, remove the turkey, dry carefully with paper towels, and roast. For crisper skin, brine a couple days in advance, and let your turkey air-dry at least overnight and up to two nights, uncovered, in the refrigerator on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.

Does brining a turkey make a difference?

Most brines are in the range of 5 to 8% salt to water by weight. Over the course of the night, the meat absorbs some of that water. More importantly, that water stays put even after the meat is cooked. By brining meat, you can decrease the amount of total moisture loss by 30 to 40%.

Do I rinse turkey after brining?

You should always rinse the turkey after wet or dry brining. Once rinsed, you can let the turkey air dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours, or pat it dry with a paper towel.