To roast a juicy, flavorful turkey without any butter or oil, put it in a brine bath overnight. After that, you’ll never cook a turkey any other way.
For those who have never done it before, roasting a turkey might seem hard, but I promise you, it’s easier than you think! All you need is some planning, space in your fridge, a probe thermometer, a turkey baster, and a roasting pan (a disposable one will do).
You can purchase a brining blend or you can easily make the brine solution yourself. It was just a mix of coarse sea salt, cane sugar, orange peel, lemon peel, rosemary, pink, red, and green peppercorns, thyme, sage, and bay leaves. You can switch out some of the water for a gallon of apple cider or vegetable stock. The ingredients are pretty flexible. I’ve seen some brine combinations with cinnamon sticks, star anise, chopped apple, candied ginger, etc.
You’ve just finished brining your Thanksgiving turkey—congrats! As exciting as it is to complete the brining process, your work isn’t quite done yet. There are a few important steps to take after brining and before roasting to ensure your turkey turns out juicy, well-seasoned, and delicious.
As an experienced home cook who has brined my fair share of birds, I’ve discovered some best practices for post-brine care. Follow these simple guidelines for handling your turkey after brining and you’ll be rewarded with mouthwatering holiday flavors.
Step 1: Remove Turkey from the Brine
Once your turkey has brined for the recommended time (I typically brine for 12-24 hours), it’s ready to be removed from the brine solution. Carefully take the turkey out of the container it was soaking in. This may be a large stockpot brining bag or even a cleaned-out bucket or cooler.
Safely discard the used brine, taking care to avoid spillage. Don’t be tempted to reuse a brine as it can harbor bacteria. It’s not worth risking foodborne illness.
Step 2: Rinse or Soak to Remove Excess Salt
Brining infuses the turkey with seasoned liquid, but it can also cause the salt to accumulate on the surface. Too much exterior salt leads to overly salty flavor and compromised skin crispiness.
You have two options for removing excess salt after brining
- Rinse under cold running water in the sink. This washes away surface salt quickly.
- Soak in fresh cold water for 10 minutes. A saltwater soak gently draws out salt.
I prefer the soak method as I’ve found rinsing can wash off spices and herbal flavors. But both techniques work well, so choose whichever you’re comfortable with.
Step 3: Pat the Turkey Completely Dry
However you remove excess salt the next vital step is thoroughly patting the turkey dry with paper towels. I cannot stress this enough every nook and cranny should be properly dried.
Any moisture on the skin will cause it to steam and become less crisp during roasting. Take your time and dry carefully, including inside the cavity. The dryer the surface, the better your brined turkey will brown.
Step 4: Let Sit Uncovered in the Fridge
After patting the turkey dry, transfer it to a roasting pan or sheet tray, uncovered. Place it in the fridge for the wet surface to fully air dry. This rest time, while not strictly necessary, is beneficial.
Letting the turkey chill out for a few hours or overnight helps the skin further dehydrate for ultimate crispness. It also allows the brining flavors to evenly distribute through the meat.
Step 5: Cook as Desired
Your brined beauty is finally ready to roast! Cook using your preferred recipe and technique, whether that’s spatchcocking, oven roasting, deep frying, grilling, or smoking.
Thanks to your diligent post-brine prep work, you can anticipate succulent, seasoned meat with crispy browned skin. Just keep in mind to monitor cook times since brined turkeys roast faster. Now bask in the glow of brining success!
What size bird should I buy?
Estimate roughly one pound of turkey for each person for ample portions and leftovers.
Don’t forget the thermometers
If you don’t already have one, add a thermometer to your shopping list. A cooked whole turkey is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165 F throughout the bird.
24 hours before you plan to cook your turkey, brine your turkey.
To minimize cleanup, line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Transfer the turkey to the bag, add brining mixture, remaining water, and the other ingredients. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.
Don’t roast a cold turkey. For even cooking and a moist bird, take your bird out of the fridge (and the brine, if you’re brining it) an hour before you put it in the oven.
Level Up Your Turkey Brine Game: Turkey Brine for Juiciness and Flavor
FAQ
What to do with your turkey after brining?
Do I rinse a turkey after brining?
How long should turkey sit out after brining?
Should meat rest after brining?
What should I do After brining a Turkey?
After brining a turkey, you should: * Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat it dry. * Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity. * Place the turkey on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. * Pour the brine over the turkey. * Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil.
How do you brine a Turkey before roasting?
Step 2 Place the uncooked turkey in a large brining bag or pot, pour in the brine solution to cover the turkey, and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. Step 3 Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine (discard the brine) and submerge the turkey in a pot or sink filled with fresh, cold water for 15 minutes.
Do I need to brine a turkey if I don’t brine it?
If you don’t brine your turkey, you don’t need to rinse it. But you should definitely brine it, just so I’m clear. Step 1 Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off the heat, cover, and allow the brine to cool completely.
Can You brine a Turkey a day in advance?
You basically need salt and a mix of other seasoning ingredients. You can even make the brine up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to submerge your bird. This really is the easiest and most effective way to season a turkey. Is brining a turkey worth it? Yes! Brined turkeys are so much more flavorful and juicy.
Do I need to season a Turkey After brining?
It’s not necessary to season your turkey after brining it. The salted brining liquid has penetrated the turkey from the inside. Though no additional salt is needed and could create a salty bird, feel free to coat the turkey in herbs or other spices for added flavor.
How do you Dry a cooked turkey after rinsing?
After rinsing the turkey, it is important to pat it dry with paper towels. This will help to prevent the turkey from drying out during cooking. To pat the turkey dry, place it on a cutting board or other flat surface. Use paper towels to gently press and rub the turkey all over, making sure to remove any excess moisture.