Super Easy Turkey Brine Recipe - moist, juicy, and succulent meat every time. With very little effort, and a few ingredients including water, apple juice, aromatics, and seasonings, the brine does all the work tenderizing the meat and infusing it with the most delicious flavor!
Whether you’re looking for a new easy turkey brine recipe or you’re just wanting to learn the tips and tricks behind getting more moisture into your meat, learning how to brine a turkey is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
It’s an easy way for any home cook to feel like a professional chef!
You can brine anything from a whole turkey to chicken breast, to pork loin because sometimes cooking lean meat that doesn’t have a lot of fat can be finicky. It’s easy to overcook and dry out, which is why allowing it to sit in a brine ahead of time is magic!
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Why Brine a Turkey?
A brine is composed of two main ingredients. Salt and water. Sometimes sugar, and of course other ingredients for flavor. There is also often an acidic component whether it be apple juice or lemon juice.
The salt helps the protein in the meat absorb and retain more water. It plumps up the bird and allows it to hold onto that moisture as it cooks. There will always be a loss of moisture as the meat cooks, but because we’re starting off with even more moisture, it balances it out.
If we were to not use brine and still lose that moisture, we may be left with less than moist meat.
Using brine isn’t always a must but it’s definitely always a bonus!
Easy Turkey Brine Recipe Ingredients
- Water: The base of most brine is water. It’s the liquid in which all other ingredients are combined and what helps to add moisture to the meat.
- Apple juice: Adds flavor and acidity which helps break down the fibers to tenderize the meat.
- Herbs: Fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and dried bay leaves give the brine an herbaceous element.
- Aromatics: Cloves of garlic and sliced onion. They are there to impart flavor, so no need to chop or dice anything. All of the brine will be discarded once the meat is ready to use.
- Seasoning: Salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, Montreal Steak spice or original Mrs. Dash spice. Salty, sweet, and deliciously spiced!
See the recipe card for the full information on recipe ingredients and quantities.
How to Brine a Turkey
Step 1: In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, or whatever big soup pot you have, add all of the ingredients except the onion. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat.
Step 2: Add a gallon of ice and the onions. Allow it to cool and then add your turkey and make sure it’s completely submerged.
Step 3: Transfer the pot with the turkey to the fridge or cover it and keep it in a cold garage. Leave it sitting in the brine overnight.
Step 4: Once it’s ready, remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels. Use it as directed in any of your favorite turkey recipes like this easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe with stuffing!
How Long to Brine a Turkey?
This depends on how big your bird is, how much time you have, and when you plan on cooking it. If you’re cooking a whole bird, leave it in for at least 8 hours to 18 hours. Depending on the size of your turkey, some people have been known to leave theirs in for 72 hours!
If you plan to leave it for that long, be sure to check on it occasionally. When you leave it for too long, then the salt starts to break down the meat too much leaving it soft and overly salted.
Recipe Tips
- Bringing a big turkey in a large pot can take up a ton of room in your fridge. If you live in a cold climate, it’s always a great space saver to keep it covered in your garage or cold room.
- If you’ve left the turkey in longer than 8 hours, feel free to rinse it off before patting it dry. You may want to get rid of any salt that’s sitting on the surface of the skin. Or not, it’s up to you!
- You can brine the turkey in advance. Once the 18 hours is up, even if you’re not ready to cook it, rinse it, pat it dry, and leave it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Discard the brine. Do not use it! It’s been contaminated with raw poultry, so you can’t use it for anything else.
Recipe FAQs
Not necessarily! The brining adds so much flavor, plus there will be residual salt on the skin so some people find this is enough. Others like to season as directed, so it’s really up to you!
The best way is to make sure to pat the bird dry and allow it to sit uncovered in the fridge for a while. Once it’s completely dry, drizzle oil or add some butter to the skin to help it brown up nicely.
Yes! It’s actually an easy way to thaw the turkey at the same time. You’ll want to leave it in longer, maybe even up to 48 hours (longer if it’s a huge one) as it’ll not absorb anything until later on in the process.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe with Best Turkey Stuffing
- Last Minute Turkey Cheese Platter
- Easy Marinated Mushrooms
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Best Green Bean Casserole Recipe with Creamed Mushrooms
- Best Caesar Salad Recipe
- Crunchy Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Poppers
Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes
- Cinnamon Roll Apple Roses Recipe
- Moist Carrot Cake Recipe From Scratch
- Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake Balls
- Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins (with Cream Cheese or without!)
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies (Soft, Chewy & Easy)
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📖 Recipe
Super Easy Turkey Brine Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 3 cups apple juice
- 2-3 stems fresh rosemary
- 5 stems fresh thyme & bay leaves
- 1 whole garlic sliced
- 1 cup Kosher salt or to taste
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons Montreal Steak spice
- 1 gallon ice
- 2 onions sliced
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large stockpot, add water, apple juice, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and Montreal steak spice.
- Heat the Brine: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.
- Cool the Brine: Turn off the heat and add the ice and sliced onions. Stir to cool the liquid down quickly. The brine must be completely cool before adding the turkey.
- Brine the Turkey: Submerge the turkey in the cooled brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight (12–24 hours). If you live in a cold climate, you can also store it in a covered pot in the garage, as long as the temperature stays under 40°F (4°C).
- Prepare for Roasting: Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the liquid. Pat the turkey thoroughly dry with paper towels before roasting to ensure crispy, golden skin. Use this How to Cook Turkey Recipe.
Notes
- Cool Completely Before Adding Turkey – Never add raw turkey to warm brine. Always let it cool fully with ice or refrigerate to prevent bacteria growth.
- Use a Food-Safe Container – A large stockpot, food-grade bucket, or brining bag works best for holding both the brine and turkey.
- Don’t Over-Brine – 12–24 hours is plenty. Longer brining can make the turkey too salty or give it a spongy texture.
- Weigh It Down – If the turkey floats, place a heavy plate or bowl on top to keep it fully submerged.
- Dry Thoroughly – Patting the turkey dry ensures crispy, golden-brown skin when roasted.
- Save Fridge Space – If your refrigerator is too full, you can keep the turkey in a cooler with plenty of ice (just check the temperature stays below 40°F).
Nutrition
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Have a wonderful day!
Abjrdby
Does the brine need to be rinsed off before roasting, or will that wash away some good flavor?
Love Keil
You can rinse the brine off if you prefer, but you definitely don’t have to. The turkey won’t be too salty, and patting it dry really well before roasting works perfectly. 😊
Maureen Lydon
Do you need to place onions in the brine? How important is this step?
Love Keil
Hi Maureen! Great question! The onions aren’t required, but they are an important part of the flavor. They add a lot of depth to the brine, which is why we like to include them for the best result. 😊 If you can, I definitely recommend adding them!
Jessica Stifel
Can you make the brine a day in advance of adding in the turkey?
Love Keil
Absolutely! You can make the brine a day in advance — just keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to add the turkey. It actually makes things even easier on prep day. 😊