How to Marinate a Turkey for Thanksgiving: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

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Marinating a turkey is one of the best ways to add loads of flavor and help keep the meat moist and tender. With the right marinade you can infuse your holiday bird with incredible taste and aroma that will wow your guests.

In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to marinate a perfect turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s get started!

Why Marinate Your Turkey?

Here are some of the key benefits of marinating your Thanksgiving turkey

  • Adds moisture – Marinades help keep the turkey juicy and prevent it from drying out as it cooks. The liquid penetrates deep into the meat.

  • Infuses flavor – You can give your turkey any amazing flavor profile you want with a marinade – herbaceous, citrusy, spicy, savory, etc.

  • Tenderizes – Acids in the marinade (like lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt, etc.) help break down tough muscle fibers.

  • Enhances browning – Sugars and acids promote caramelization and Maillard reactions for better browning.

  • Prevents drying out – The extra moisture locks in juices and prevents the turkey meat from drying out.

  • Easy to make – Marinades are simple to prepare from ingredients you likely have on hand.

How Long to Marinate a Turkey

For best flavor penetration, marinate your turkey for 8 to 48 hours. The longer it soaks, the more time the flavors have to permeate deep into the meat.

Ideally, get your bird in the marinade 1-2 days before cooking day. If you’re short on time, 8 hours will work but go longer if possible.

Ingredients for Turkey Marinades

Turkey marinades often contain a combination of:

  • Acid – lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, yogurt
  • Oil – olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil
  • Seasonings – garlic, shallots, ginger, herbs, spices
  • Sweetener – honey, maple syrup, brown sugar
  • Soy sauce or broth – for flavor and moisture

Feel free to get creative with ingredients like fresh herbs, citrus juices/zest, spices, mustard, etc.

Simple Marinade Recipes

Here are some easy go-to marinade ideas to try:

Citrus Herb Marinade

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 2 tsp chopped sage
  • 2 minced garlic cloves
  • Lemon zest
  • Salt and pepper

Apple Cider Marinade

  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Cranberry Ginger Marinade

  • 3/4 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Mediterranean Herb Marinade

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp dried basil
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

How to Marinate a Turkey for Thanksgiving

Follow these simple steps:

  1. Make the marinade – Whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl.

  2. Place turkey in bag/dish – Put the raw turkey in a large sealable plastic bag or dish.

  3. Pour marinade over turkey – Reserve some marinade for basting later.

  4. Seal and massage marinade – Remove air, seal the bag, and gently massage to coat the turkey.

  5. Refrigerate – Marinate for 8-48 hours, flipping occasionally.

  6. Remove turkey – Take the turkey out of the fridge and discard excess marinade.

  7. Pat turkey dry – Use paper towels to pat the turkey dry before cooking.

  8. Cook as desired – Roast, grill, deep fry, etc. Baste with reserved marinade.

That’s all there is to it! For more specific recipes, check out this Citrus Herb Marinated Turkey or this Apple Cider Brined Turkey.

Turkey Marinating Q&A

Here are answers to some common questions about marinating turkey:

Should you marinate a turkey?

Yes, marinating is highly recommended. It adds a ton of moisture and flavor.

How long is turkey good for after marinating?

Cook the marinated turkey within 2 days for food safety. Don’t go over 48 hours in the fridge.

Can you reuse leftover marinade?

No, never reuse marinade that touched raw meat due to bacteria risk.

What’s the best marinade for grilled turkey?

Yogurt- or oil-based marinades work great for grilled turkey. Try Greek yogurt marinade.

What can I use if I don’t have certain ingredients?

Substitute vinegars, use dried herbs (half amount of fresh), swap oils, replace citrus with lime/lemon.

Should you marinate turkey breast or legs?

You can marinate any turkey pieces. Legs and thighs especially benefit from tenderizing.

How do you keep marinade from burning on turkey?

Avoid sugary marinades. Brush excess marinade off before cooking. Use lower heat.

Cooking Your Marinated Turkey

You can cook your marinated turkey any way you like – roasted, smoked, grilled, fried, etc. Just be sure to pat it dry first and use reserved marinade for basting.

Monitor the temperature with a meat thermometer. Turkey is safely cooked to 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thighs.

Let the cooked turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving for juicier meat. Enjoy your amazingly flavorful Thanksgiving turkey!

how to marinate a turkey for thanksgiving

Watch Now: Our Top Chicken (and Turkey) Marinade Recipes

  • 01 of 10

    Grilled Turkey Marinade

    The Spruce / Cara Cormack This basic turkey marinade is perfect for turkey because it doesnt overpower the flavor of the bird, but adds flavor and a protective layer for the grill. Enough to marinate a 16-pound bird, this blend of spices uses Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice to provide a tangy and salty base. Oregano and black pepper add a mild flavor to the meat. Choose a light oil with no flavor like canola, vegetable, or safflower.

  • 02 of 10

    Lemon Pepper Marinade

    Hero s/Getty s This marinade is particularly good on poultry like a whole chicken for roasting or turkey breasts for grilling. Dill and garlic add a pungent flavor, and the power of lemon juice helps tenderize and flavor the meat. Acid and citrus help break down the collagen in the meat, but remember that leaving the poultry in an acidic marinade for too long actually makes the meat too mushy. These types of marinades work best for brief periods of time.

  • 03 of 10

    Deep Fried Turkey Marinade

    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic When you make a deep-fried turkey, you want to get as much flavor as you can into the bird before it goes into the oil. This classic Cajun-inspired marinade will tenderize the turkey as it adds flavor. White vinegar, tabasco, cayenne, pepper, and Cajun seasoning dilute in vegetable oil. Rub the paste inside and out of your turkey and save some to run between the skin and the meat. Remember that when you deep-fry a turkey, the oil temperature is key, between 350 F to 325 F depending on the size of the bird. The right temperature will cook your bird without it soaking up too much oil.

  • 04 of 10

    Chinese Five Spice Marinade

    Chinese Five Spice Marinade. John Hay/Getty s Any meat that you want to grill will benefit from this Chinese-inspired marinade. Aromatic cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, and Szechuan peppers make the flavorful spice blend, and soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, chili oil, and green onions add heat and flavor. Make this marinade a day in advance to get the most out of the flavors and use on turkey, chicken or beef. Adjust the heat to your liking by mixing all the ingredients but the chili oil and tasting it before adding the full amount. Continue to 5 of 10 below

  • 05 of 10

    Pineapple Marinade

    Claire Cohen This sweet marinade has the fruity power of pineapple and cider vinegar to work its way into the meat, tenderizing it while adding flavor. Soy sauce, honey, vinegar, cloves, garlic, and ginger make a sharp blend that goes well with poultry and pork. Because of the sugar content in the marinade, both from the fruit and the honey, this marinade will make a delicious outer crust on the meat, but it also could burn easily if the heat is too high.

  • 06 of 10

    Sun-Dried Tomato Marinade

    Westend61/Getty s Using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil is a great way to start a marinade. The thick texture of blended sundried tomatoes makes a wonderful paste to coat any kind of meat. For a whole turkey, double the amounts and marinate for at least 12 hours, or overnight. Red wine, basil, garlic, and pepper add an Italian flavor profile. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes before using.

  • 07 of 10

    Jamaican Jerk Marinade

    Claire Cohen Youve heard of ​jerk seasonings and jerk rubs, and our jerk marinade gets that great jerk flavor deep into the meat. Usually a paste made out of spices, garlic, and peppers is considered to be a jerk flavoring, but true jerk marinades use Scotch bonnet peppers, so find the spiciest of peppers available to you. Onions, scallions, sugar, spices, peppers, thyme, Jamaican pimiento, nutmeg, cinnamon, oil, and vinegar make a thick paste that you can use to marinate any kind of meat. For small cuts of turkey use for two hours, and for a whole bird use overnight in a resealable bag.

  • 08 of 10

    Lemon and Rosemary Marinade

    The Spruce This quick and easy marinade uses lemons to tenderize the meat and adds a tangy flavor. Use fresh rosemary for a fragrant result. Add the lemon juice and herbs to olive oil, garlic, salt, and white pepper and use on poultry for at least 2 hours. Continue to 9 of 10 below

  • 09 of 10

    Smoked Turkey Marinade

    Credit: alle12 This 24-hour marinade is guaranteed to please every time, producing a turkey that is always moist and tender after the smoking process. Use 1/2 recipe for chicken or a full recipe for a turkey of any size. Mix fresh herbs like chives, sage, and oregano, with garlic, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and mustard. This marinade has to coat the meat for a day for the best results and the recipe suggests to fill the turkey cavity with oranges and apples to add more flavor from the inside.

  • 10 of 10

    Honey Mustard Turkey Marinade

    Honey Mustard Turkey Marinade. Sabrina S. Baksh/Regarding BBQ Inc. This marinade is thick enough to stick to the surface of the turkey. Made out of oil, lemon juice, coarse mustard, garlic, and honey, the paste will infuse the turkey meat with a mild but definite flavor. Inside of a big resealable bag, coat the turkey, inside and out, with the marinade and leave to rest for 20 hours, turning it upside down occasionally.

The BEST Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe | How To Make Juicy, Tender, Turkey With Crispy Skin

FAQ

What’s the best way to marinate a turkey?

In the clean stockpot, make the marinade by stirring together together sliced oranges, sliced lemons, onion, green bell pepper, parsley, cloves, garlic powder, cinnamon sticks, paprika, olive oil, and pepper. Place the turkey into the stockpot and rub the marinade into the turkey. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

How do I prep my turkey for Thanksgiving?

Prepare the turkey for roasting:

Remove any packaging, plastic, pop-up thermometer, neck, and the bag of giblets if present (check in the body and neck cavitys). Pat the inside and outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. Set the turkey in a roasting rack set in a roasting pan to give the skin time to dry out.

How do you season a turkey the night before Thanksgiving?

The night before your turkey goes in the oven, season it with a blend. Maybe fresh herbs, garlic, shallots and/or onions, with some olive or whatever your tradition. Spread this mixture under the skin.

How long can you marinate a turkey in the fridge?

SAFE PREPARATION – MARINATING

Poultry can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a marinade. For easy cleanup, use food-safe plastic bags during storage and discard the bags after marinating.

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