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The Essential Wet Turkey Brine Recipe for the Juiciest Holiday Turkey

A whole, perfectly roasted turkey with crispy, golden-brown skin, fresh from the oven after a turkey brine.
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Follow this easy turkey brine recipe to guarantee a moist and flavorful turkey for your next holiday feast. This method focuses on simple ingredients to achieve maximum juiciness.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 gallon cold water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 whole orange, halved
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, combine 4 cups of water with the salt and brown sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar fully dissolve. Do not boil.
  2. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the orange halves, lemon halves, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Stir well.
  3. Add the remaining 12 cups of cold water to cool the brine quickly. Stir to combine.
  4. Place your whole turkey (or turkey breast) in a large, food-safe container or brining bag.
  5. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, ensuring it is completely submerged. Add more cold water if necessary to cover the bird.
  6. Cover the container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. For a standard 12-14 pound turkey, 18 hours is a good target.
  7. Remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out with cold water. Pat the skin completely dry with paper towels.
  8. Proceed with your preferred roasting or smoking method for a flavorful roast turkey.

Notes

  • For a 14-pound turkey, you need about 1 gallon of brine. Adjust liquid volume proportionally for larger or smaller birds.
  • If you are smoking turkey, this wet brine recipe works well to keep the poultry moist.
  • After brining, you do not need to add extra salt to your turkey seasoning.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/turkey-brine-easy-recipe-for-juicy-bird/