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.
Brining is a time-tested technique that helps guarantee a moist, well-seasoned turkey on the big day. But how long should you brine that bird for maximum impact? The magic number is 48 hours. Giving your turkey a leisurely 2-day soak in a salty aromatic brine transforms it from dry and bland to succulent full-flavored perfection.
What Happens During a 48-Hour Brine
Brining, also known as wet brining, involves submerging meat in a saltwater solution for several hours or days. For a turkey, a brine typically contains water, salt, sugar or honey, and aromatics like herbs, spices, citrus, onions, or garlic.
During a 48-hour soak, the brine thoroughly penetrates and tenderizes the turkey meat. The salt helps retain moisture so the turkey cooks up juicy. Sugar adds caramelized browning. And flavorful aromatics infuse the bird with seasonal notes. It’s a simple process that delivers huge results.
Why 48 Hours is the Sweet Spot for Brining Turkey
Poultry can be brined for as little as 2 hours to as long as 3 days. But 48 hours hits the ideal balance between practicality and maximum impact. Here’s why it’s just right:
- Allows brine to penetrate deep into thick breast meat
- Gives time for turkey to absorb brine without becoming overly salty
- Fits neatly into standard refrigerator space and Thanksgiving prep timeline
- Enough time to dissolve salt and sugar fully for well-balanced flavor
You can adjust a few hours in either direction, but sticking close to the 48-hour mark will ensure the brine has time to thoroughly do its work.
How to Store a Turkey During a 48-Hour Brine
To brine a turkey for 48 hours you’ll need a container large enough to fully submerge the bird. Options include
- Extra-large pot or stockpot
- Bucket or other food-safe plastic container
- Clean cooler
- Large plastic bag placed in roasting pan
The container should have enough space for the brine to fully cover the turkey with a few inches to spare. Refrigerate the entire time, keeping the turkey submerged with plates or another heavy object. Change the brine once after 24 hours.
What Happens if You Brine Longer than 48 Hours?
You can technically brine a turkey for up to 3 days. Going up to 72 hours can further boost moisture retention. The meat will become very saturated with brine, taking on intense seasoning.
However, longer brining also increases the chances of an overly salty flavor. The turkey may absorb too much salt without having time to reach equilibrium. And the skin will look quite desiccated and discolored, even if it still crisps up fine.
Quick Brine as a Time-Saving Alternative
If 48 hours won’t work with your schedule, a quick overnight brine still makes a difference. 12-24 hours allows the brine to penetrate a few inches deep and impart some flavor.
Quick brines use more salt to accelerate the process. You won’t get quite as juicy or seasoned of a turkey, but it’s still much better than no brining at all.
Add Brining to Your Turkey Toolkit
However long you decide to brine, the technique is a game-changer for guaranteeing delicious, foolproof holiday turkeys. For the best possible bird with ready-to-eat moistness and nutty, seasoned meat, allow 48 hours for the brine to totally transform your turkey.
Follow up with careful roasting and resting, and your holiday table will be graced with an incredible centerpiece turkey that looks beautiful and tastes even better. Give it a try – your new brining converts will be asking for your secrets!
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
If you prefer dry brining, here’s how to do it:
- Kosher salt
- Dried herbs (such as thyme, sage, and rosemary)
- Black pepper
- A large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan
- Create your dry brine rub. That’s how much kosher salt you need for a 14- to 16-pound whole turkey. Half a teaspoon of thyme, paprika, black pepper, oregano, and rosemary should be mixed with the salt.
- Thaw the turkey all the way through and use paper towels to dry it off. Rub the brine all over the turkey’s body and inside its cavity.
- Put the turkey on a rack inside a rimmed baking sheet that has been seasoned. Leave it out in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
- When the turkey is ready, remove it from the fridge, wipe off any extra salt, and let it warm up at room temperature. You can cook the bird in any way you want once it’s at room temperature.
Before you brine the turkey, rub some butter between the skin and the meat to make it extra moist. During cooking, the butter will melt and baste the turkey to make it juicier and more flavorful.
How to Wet Brine a Turkey
If you like wet brining better than dry brining, here’s how to brine a turkey in saltwater:
- Kosher salt
- Water
- A large, food-safe container
- Other spices or aromatics (optional)
- 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.
72 Hour Turkey Method
FAQ
Is 48 hours too long to brine a turkey?
Is 48 hours too long to brine?
Is it safe to dry brine a turkey for 3 days?
Can you brine for 36 hours?
How long does it take to brine a Turkey?
Giving your Thanksgiving turkey a bath in salt water isn’t complicated, but there a few things to keep in mind before you start the brining process. Perhaps the most important part of brining is planning ahead. Not only does the process take anywhere from 8 to 18 hours, but making the solution itself can be time-consuming, too.
How do you brine a Turkey a day before roasting?
One day before roasting your turkey, bring 1 quart water, the salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool for 5 minutes. Line the container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag to minimize cleanup. Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place the turkey in the bag.
How do you brine a Thanksgiving turkey?
But let’s back up: There are two ways to brine your Thanksgiving turkey: a wet brine or a dry brine. Dry brining simply involves rubbing a turkey in a salt-and-herb mixture and letting it sit in the refrigerator for many hours (usually about one hour per pound).
Can You brine a raw turkey?
Then, you need to cool the brine to room temperature before using it, since pouring hot or warm brine over a raw turkey can cause bacteria growth. When you begin the brining process, set a timer or reminder to remove the turkey from the salt solution. Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture.
Does brining a turkey make it juicier?
Salt in the brine seasons the turkey and promotes a change in its protein structure, reducing its overall toughness and creating gaps that fill up with water and keep the meat juicy and flavorful. Brining works faster than salting and can also result in juicier lean cuts since it adds, versus merely retains, moisture.
How much does a turkey weigh if soaked in brine?
A raw turkey left to soak in unsalted water will plump some, but when there’s salt present, the proteins absorb more of the brine and retain more of that water as it cooks. For example, a 12-pound turkey soaked overnight in a wet brine will weigh over 13 pounds when it emerges.