Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (2024)

Table of Contents
Ingredients Directions FAQs

I brine a Thanksgiving turkey every year because it's the right thing to do. Brining involves soaking a turkey in a very salty solution for a certain length of time, long enough for the salt to infiltrate the turkey and actually alter the molecular structure of the meat. It doesn't turn it into a salty mess, either. It just results in a juicy, fantastic turkey. If you've never brined a turkey, you'll just have to trust me on this. It really makes all the difference and adds so much flavor.

You can buy ready-made brining solutions. I used to buy one at Williams-Sonoma. But making one is a cinch, too. You basically need salt and a mix ofother seasoning ingredients. I like to balance the saltiness with the mild sweetness of apple cider (and, okay, the not-so-mild sweetness of brown sugar). It's the easiest way toseason a turkey!

There's a couple important things to remember, though:

Though you can brine a frozen, thawed bird, it's best to brinefresh turkeys. Brining a frozen turkey isn't always necessary, because frozen turkeys are typically alreadyinjected with a sodium solution. Putting this into a well-salted brinecould lead to over-seasoning.There are, however,some organic frozen turkeys that have a much lower concentration of the sodium solution. That said, it's best to stick to a fresh turkey for optimal brining results and flavor!

Making homemade turkey gravy from the drippings of a brined turkey can result in a really salty gravy if you're not careful. Don't worry, I'll show you a few steps that will prevent this from happening.

What's the best way to cook a brined turkey?

I think roasting the bird is the way to go because it requires no special equipment (well, other than a good meat thermometer so you don't overcook it!). You could also smoke this brined turkey if you wanted. If you want to fry it, though, take the turkey out of the brine 24 hours before frying. Let it sit uncovered in your refrigerator during that time so the outside has a chance to dry. You never want to take a turkey from abrine straight tohot oil as the excess liquid can cause lots of dangerous splattering!

Do you spatchco*ck a turkey before or after brining it?

Brine, then spatchco*ck.Spatchco*cking a turkeyis a technique that essentially butterflies the bird. Youremove the backbone so the turkey lies flat and cooks quicker than a whole bird. That said,a spatchco*cked turkey also absorbs salt and seasoning quicker than a whole bird. So, to avoid a too-salty turkey, brine your bird first, then, do the spatchco*cking.

Can you make the brine ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it several days in advance and store it in the fridge until you're ready to submerge your bird!

How long should you brine a turkey?

Shoot for atleast 16 hours butno longer than 24 hours. If you brine it any longer than 24 hours the turkey will be too salty.

Do you have to refrigerate a turkey while brining it?

Yes! Do not leave aturkey brining on the counter or it'll spoil. Treat it just like you would a raw turkey, because that's what it is—always refrigerate it!

Do you rinse a turkey after brining?

Yes, you'll need to carefully rinse the turkey (inside and out!) to remove some of the saltiness from the brine. I actually like to soak mine in cold water for about 15 minutes.This is the only time you should ever rinse a turkey! 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.

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Yields:
18 serving(s)
Prep Time:
10 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
25 mins

Ingredients

Directions

    1. Step1Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Turn off theheat, cover,and allow the brine to cool completely.
    2. Step2Place 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.
    3. Step3Before 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. This removes excess salt from the outside.
    4. Step4Remove the turkey from the water, pat verydry, and cook according to your normal roasting method.

It's time. It's time for Thanksgiving recipes.

I don't care that it's not even Halloween yet!

Oh, I know how it goes. Every year around this time, I think I have all this time to post Thanksgiving recipes on this little food blog of mine. I think, "It's not even Halloween yet. I've got all the time in the world!" Then it happens. It's the same every year. We dress up our children in Iron Man and Richard Nixon costumes, go trick-or-treating in our quaint little town, then by the time they're on their last piece of candy—which is actually like twenty hours later—it's suddenly Christmas. And I’m looking around my kitchen and my little food blog like, "Okay… what just happened?"

And then I ask my children if they have any candy left because I'm having a wicked sugar craving. And they tell me to go bake a pie or something. Smart aleck little varmints. Anyway, today I'm sharing my step-by-step method for brining a turkey. I brine a turkey every year.

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Here's what you need:

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Cut off the top and bottom of each orange.

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Carefully slice off the peel in sections.

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Mmm. Fragrant to the max.

Strip the leaves off the rosemary sprigs, measure the salt, sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Inhale. Exhale. Thank the Lord above for the aromas that spring forth from the earth.

At least that's what I do every time I make this turkey brine.

(Oh, and you'll need some minced garlic. I just forgot that step. Happens.)

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Pour three cups of apple cider into a stock pot.

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Add two gallons of water…

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A cup and a half of salt…

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Two cups of brown sugar…

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Bay leaves…

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Rosemary…

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Peppercorns…

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And orange peel.

And the forgotten garlic.

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Loveliness!

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Now, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature; feel free to stick it in the fridge or freezer halfway through the cooling down process

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This is an alien hand (left) and a brining bag.

I'm obsessed with brining bags. Obsessed!

It's all I think about anymore.

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Here’s the turkey inside the brining bag.

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Once the brine solution is cooled, pour it over the turkey.

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Now you’ll just need to seal up the bag and refrigerate it for at least sixteen hours. Twenty-four hours is better, though, especially for a large turkey. Place the turkey, breast side down, in the bag, but 2/3 of the way through the brining, flip the turkey in the bag to make sure it brines evenly. Just pretend you’re an obstetrician and you’re trying to get a breach baby to flip!

Note: This is enough brine for a 20-pound turkey. If you feel as though the turkey needs even more liquid, just top it off with more water and it'll be fine. If you're using a much smaller turkey or a turkey breast, just halve the recipe.

Next up: Roasting this dang thing. (Here are the turkey roasting instructions!)

The fun has only just begun.

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet (2024)

FAQs

Ree's Turkey Brine Recipe Is the Key to Your Best Thanksgiving Bird Yet? ›

After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water for a few minutes. Take the brined turkey out of the brining bag or pot (or whatever vessel you set it in for brining), then discard the brine and set the turkey in a clean sink.

What is the best way to brine a turkey? ›

How to Brine a Raw Turkey
  1. Make the brine. Using the ratio of one cup kosher salt to one cup sugar per gallon of water, combine all your brine ingredients in a large pot, and bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. ...
  2. Prepare and submerge the turkey. ...
  3. Keep the turkey cold. ...
  4. Prepare to roast.

Should you rinse a turkey after brining? ›

After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water for a few minutes. Take the brined turkey out of the brining bag or pot (or whatever vessel you set it in for brining), then discard the brine and set the turkey in a clean sink.

Is brining a turkey worth it? ›

One key reason is the taste—whether you wet-brine or dry-brine, using all! that! salt! infuses the bird with flavor, giving it an extra boost before you add any spices or aromatics. It also helps the meat retain its moisture and can help you avoid over-cooking, our associate food editor Kelsey Youngman explains.

Does it make sense to brine a Butterball turkey? ›

"If you want to you can, but you don't have to," says Miller. "Most turkeys are already brined. Butterball turkeys have a solution in them that really helps to keep them moist and juicy and tender. If you're going to brine it, we do suggest that you cut down on the salt.”

How long do you leave a turkey in brine? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you'll want to let the turkey brine for at least 1 hour per pound of turkey. Here's a breakdown of how long to brine a turkey based on size:
  1. 12–14-lb. turkey: 16–18 hours.
  2. 14–16-lb. turkey: 18–20 hours.
  3. 16–18-lb. turkey: 20–22 hours.
  4. 18–20-lb. turkey: 22–24 hours.
Oct 23, 2023

Do you rinse off dry brine on turkey? ›

Do I Rinse Dry Brine Off of a Turkey? No, dry brine does not need to be rinsed off of the turkey. It's another reason this dry-brined turkey recipe is easy! The salt you use for the brine will also flavor the turkey as it cooks.

Do you fully submerge a turkey when brining? ›

This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution. Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey. Cover and refrigerate.

Are Frozen turkeys already brined? ›

Thaw one tonight or any time in next few months. Turkeys come pre-brined to lock in flavor whenever you enjoy it.

Do you need sugar in brine? ›

Sugar: This is an optional ingredient and is typically used to balance the saltiness of a brine. Use about 2 tablespoons per quart of liquid. You can decrease that amount if desired, but I wouldn't recommend using any more or it could make the final cooked protein burn easier and taste too sweet.

When not to brine a turkey? ›

Brining a turkey is totally optional. If you're short on time or just want the most straight-forward method to roast a turkey, skip the brining step and just use the Simple Roasted Turkey method. Some people swear that brining yields the most tender, juicy meat, but it takes planning ahead.

What is the ratio of salt to water for brining a turkey? ›

The basic ratio for a wet turkey brine is to use 2 cups of kosher salt or coarse sea salt for every 2 gallons of water. The benefit of a wet brine is that it can work slightly quicker than a dry brine because it infuses the entire turkey in a salty solution.

What happens if you brine turkey too long? ›

It's best to brine turkey for 12 to 24 hours. Brining it for longer than 24 hours can result in mushy meat and an overly salty flavor. If you do accidentally over-brine it, you can soak the turkey in cold water to remove some of the excess salt, but it likely won't have the best flavor or texture.

Why not stuff a brined turkey? ›

Q: Can I stuff a brined turkey? A: We do not recommend stuffing a brined bird because the drippings from the turkey can add too much salt to the stuffing. We prefer to cook our stuffing separately.

Is a 15 lb turkey enough for 10 people? ›

The general rule of thumb is 1–1½ pounds turkey per person. If that seems like a lot, remember that a whole turkey comes with a lot of parts that don't end up getting eaten.

Does brining a turkey make it taste salty? ›

In a 2008 article in The New York Times, he posited that brining did little more than fill a turkey with tap water, rather than flavor. The drippings were relentlessly salty, and thus useless for gravy. (Instead, Mr. McGee made a case for shredding turkey meat, which we will get to in a moment.)

What is the formula for brine? ›

Basic Brine

Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.

What is the best brine method? ›

Step 1: Mix together liquid, salt, and sugar (if using) until salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Step 2: Add the protein to the brine, making sure that it is fully submerged. Step 3: Leave the protein in the brine for an hour per pound.

What is the best container to brine a turkey in? ›

Tips & Techniques > Food Safe Containers for Brining

Bowls (glass, stainless-steel or ceramic), stainless-steel stock pots, brining bags or plastic containers are all suitable. Many restaurant-supply stores sell larger food grade containers, which are often sold to the general public as well.

Do brined turkeys cook faster? ›

Continue to roast until internal temperature reaches 165°F. NOTE: A brined turkey cooks slightly faster than an unbrined turkey, so check the internal temperature frequently. Remove turkey from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

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