Description
This flavorful turkey brine recipe uses citrus, fresh herbs, and spices to tenderize and infuse your whole turkey with juicy, aromatic goodness. The brine balances saltiness with subtle sweetness from brown sugar, enhancing the bird’s natural flavors to make your roast turkey moist and delicious.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Brine Ingredients
- 1 orange, cut into rounds
- 1 lemon, cut into rounds
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh sage
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. allspice berries (optional)
- 2 gallons water, divided
- 1 (12- to 14-lb.) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
Instructions
- Prepare the Brine: In a large pot over medium heat, combine the orange and lemon rounds, smashed garlic, fresh rosemary and sage sprigs, dried bay leaves, kosher salt, light brown sugar, black peppercorns, allspice berries if using, and 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve the salt and sugar. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until completely dissolved.
- Cool the Brine: Remove the pot from heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 gallons (24 cups) of water to the brine. Stir to combine everything evenly, then allow the brine to cool completely at room temperature, which takes about 1 hour. Cooling is crucial to avoid partially cooking the turkey during brining.
- Brine the Turkey: Fully submerge the turkey in the cooled brine, ensuring it is covered adequately. If the turkey isn’t fully submerged, make additional brine by dissolving 2 tablespoons of salt in 1 cup of water and add as needed. Refrigerate and allow the turkey to brine overnight or for up to 24 hours for optimal moisture and flavor infusion.
- Prepare for Roasting: When ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the brine, thoroughly rinse under cold water to remove excess salt, and pat dry carefully with paper towels. The turkey is now ready to be roasted following your preferred roasting recipe.
Notes
- Ensure the brine is completely cooled before adding the turkey to prevent bacterial growth and partial cooking.
- If you need to make more brine, use the ratio of 2 tablespoons kosher salt per 1 cup water to maintain proper salt concentration.
- Brining time ranges from overnight to 24 hours depending on how moist and flavorful you want the turkey.
- Always rinse the turkey well after brining to remove excess salt on the skin.
- This brine recipe works best with a refrigerated brining process to keep the turkey safe during soaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 1/12 of 14 lb turkey)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
