Description

This Best Turkey Brine Recipe infuses your turkey with vibrant flavors and juiciness by soaking it in a carefully balanced mix of apple cider, kosher salt, brown sugar, citrus juices, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh herbs. The brining process ensures a moist, flavorful turkey perfect for roasting or your preferred cooking method.

Ingredients

Scale

Turkey

1 14 lb turkey (giblets and neck removed)

Brine Liquid

2 gallons liquid (apple cider preferred; water also works)

Brining Agents

1 cup coarse kosher salt or good quality coarse sea salt
1 cup brown sugar

Flavors and Aromatics

8 cloves of garlic, smashed
2 oranges, juiced and halved
2 lemons, juiced and halved
4 tablespoons peppercorns
4 bay leaves
Handful of fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley)

Instructions

Prepare Brine Base: Transfer about 8 cups of apple cider or water to a saucepan. Add the kosher salt and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Remove from heat and let the brine cool to room temperature. To expedite cooling, you may add ice.
Combine Brine Ingredients: Pour the cooled brine into your brining container. Add the remaining cider along with smashed garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and peppercorns. Squeeze juice from the oranges and lemons into the mixture and place the spent halved fruit into the pot as well.
Submerge Turkey: Slowly and carefully submerge the turkey into the brine liquid, ensuring it is fully covered; watch for rises in liquid level. Cover the container and refrigerate for one hour per pound of turkey, approximately 14 hours for a 14-pound bird.
Rinse Turkey: After brining, carefully transfer the turkey to a sink lined with plastic for sanitation. Rinse the turkey under low water pressure thoroughly to remove excess salt. This step prevents an overly salty flavor in the cooked turkey.
Dry and Prepare for Cooking: Pat the turkey dry completely with paper towels. Transfer it to your cooking vessel and proceed to season and cook the turkey according to your preferred recipe.

Notes

Use coarse kosher salt or sea salt, not iodized table salt, for proper brining concentration.
Ensure the brine is fully cooled before submerging the turkey to prevent partially cooking the bird.
Brining time is crucial: allow one hour per pound for optimal flavor and moisture retention.
Thorough rinsing after brining is important to avoid excess saltiness.
Patting the turkey dry ensures better skin crispness when roasting.
Apple cider in brine adds a subtle fruity sweetness that complements turkey well.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes (brining only)
Category: Brining
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: turkey brine, Thanksgiving turkey, apple cider brine, brining turkey, holiday turkey preparation