I’m focusing in this post on how to easily brine a turkey. Brining is the easiest, best way to ensure moist, flavorful meat in your perfectly cooked turkey. Once you’ve brined it, you are ready to roast, fry, or smoke your moist turkey to perfection.
Brining is a game-changing technique that helps turkey stay incredibly moist and packed with flavor. But if you’ve never brined before, the process can seem a bit mysterious. Luckily, Real Simple has broken it down into a simple, foolproof method anyone can master.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn the basics of brining along with Real Simple’s tips for infusing your turkey with delicious seasoned flavor. Let’s get started!
What is Brining and Why Bother?
Brining involves soaking your raw turkey in a saltwater solution before roasting. This allows the turkey to absorb moisture and seasonings, altering its texture and flavor in amazing ways.
The benefits of brining turkey include:
- Incredibly moist, juicy meat
- Well-seasoned flavor throughout
- Prevents drying out, even if overcooked
- Provides insurance for perfect results
The little effort of brining pays off big time at the dinner table when your turkey is a guaranteed hit
Selecting Your Brining Candidate
-
Choose a fresh or thawed turkey – not one that is pre-brined or injected. Read labels carefully.
-
Optimal size is 10-18 pounds; smaller turkeys brine faster,
-
Make sure you have a container big enough to submerge the turkey.
-
Clear fridge space! It takes up room for 24+ hours.
Gather Your Brining Supplies
You’ll need:
- 1 whole turkey (10-18 lbs)
- Large pot or brining bag
- 4 quarts cool water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- Herbs, spices, citrus etc. for flavoring brine
- Cheesecloth for spices (optional)
- Large spoon for stirring
Creating the Basic Brine
Real Simple’s basic brine formula contains:
- 4 quarts cool water
- 1 cup kosher salt
Bring 1 quart of the water to a boil. Add salt and stir until completely dissolved.
Remove from heat and add remaining 3 quarts cool water. The brine should be lukewarm or room temp before pouring over the turkey.
Infusing Flavor with Aromatics
Add your choice of herbs, spices, citrus zest or other aromatics to the brine to infuse the turkey with flavor.
Popular options include:
- Herbs: sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley
- Spices: peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, allspice
- Citrus zests: lemon, lime, orange
- Others: garlic, ginger, vanilla, chili flakes
Use cheesecloth bags for whole spices like peppercorns.
Submerging the Turkey in Brine
Place turkey breast-side down in brining container. Pour in brine, ensuring turkey is fully submerged. If needed, weigh down with a plate. Add more cool brine if necessary.
Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours, turning turkey occasionally. The longer it brines, the more flavorful the meat.
Removing Turkey and Final Prep
Once brined, remove turkey from brine and rinse well. Pat the outside dry.
From here, cook as desired! Roast, deep fry, grill or smoke per your recipe. Brined turkey cooks slightly faster, so reduce oven temp by 25°F and check early for doneness.
Let rest 20 minutes before slicing for juicy results!
Brining Tips from Real Simple
Follow these tips from the brining experts at Real Simple:
-
Make extra brine in case needed to submerge turkey fully.
-
Clear fridge space! Brining takes up room for 24+ hours.
-
Use a disposable brining bag to save space.
-
Weigh turkey down if it floats.
-
Brine even if turkey is partially frozen; thawing continues in brine.
-
Rinse turkey well before cooking to remove excess salt.
-
Cook brined turkey 25oF lower temp than usual.
Real Simple’s Favorite Seasoning Combos
Spice up your holiday bird with these tasty brines from Real Simple:
Citrus & Herb: Orange, lemon, thyme, sage, garlic
Spicy Cajun: Bay leaves, garlic, cayenne, black pepper
Fruity & Bright: Orange, cranberry, cinnamon, ginger
Aromatic Italian: Lemon, rosemary, oregano, fennel
Tangy Greek: Lemon, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes
Frequently Asked Questions
Got brining questions? Real Simple has the answers!
How long should you brine a turkey?
12-24 hours for best flavor and moisture. Even a few hours helps.
Can you brine a frozen turkey?
Yes, it will thaw in the brine. Allow extra time.
Is it okay to stuff a brined turkey?
Absolutely! Just cook until stuffing reaches 165°F.
Can you brine turkey parts like breasts and legs?
Yes, adjust brine ratio to fully cover. Brine time remains 12-24 hrs.
How much salt is needed per quart of brine?
Use 1/4 cup kosher salt dissolved per quart of cool water.
The Takeaway
Brining turkey seems complicated but just requires a salt-water soak. Follow Real Simple’s easy tips for intensely juicy, flavorful holiday birds. With a few aromatics and seasonings, you can give your turkey amazing customized flavor.
Next Thanksgiving, wow your guests with a masterfully brined turkey! It takes some planning but the incredible results are worth the effort. Just be prepared for requests for your secret brining recipe.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/basic-turkey-brine-3062170-step-07-644c3ccc47dd47f79268de2254ac474d.jpg)
How Do You Brine a Turkey? the Basics
There are two types of brine: a wet brine, and a dry brine. I use both, depending on the method I intend to use to cook the turkey.
Salt is a key component in both brines. The salt breaks down the muscle and enables water to be absorbed into the meat.
Wet Brine vs. Dry Brine
Both wet brines and dry brines have their advantages and disadvantages. Both will take up space in the fridge, but the wet brine will take up the most because the bird has to be completely submerged in it. Below, I’ll cover the solution to that problem.
In essence, a wet brine plumps up the bird with moisture. The turkey absorbs up to 40% more water in a wet brine. The salt breaks down the muscle, which lets the water get into the meat and stay there while it cooks.
A wet brine ensures moist meat, to be sure. However, unfortunately, the flavor of the turkey may suffer. With a wet brine, you may be left with an overly moist but bland-tasting bird. One solution is to add more aromatics like bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, whole spices, rosemary, and thyme.
In a dry brine, the salt pulls the water out of the meat, mixes it with it, and then goes back into it. A dry brine breaks down the protein and muscle fiber, so the bird stays moist while it’s cooking. There will still be some space in the fridge for the bird to brine, but not as much as if you used a wet brine.
Though a dry brine may not be quite as moist, it really packs in the flavor.