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Roasted turkey with lemons and thyme in a glass baking dish.
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5 from 2 votes

Turkey Brine Recipe

This simple wet brine will infuse tons of extra flavor and moisture into your turkey before roasting. It's the easiest way to make sure it comes out pefect!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Brine Time1 day
Total Time1 day 25 minutes
Course: seasoning
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 batch
Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

  • gallons water (24 cups)
  • cups kosher salt
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1 bunch fresh sage
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 head garlic cut in half to expose the cloves
  • 16 cups ice optional, see notes
  • 1 turkey (8-16 pounds)

Instructions

  • Add the water, salt, brown sugar, black peppercorns, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic to a pot.
    1½ gallons water, 2¼ cups kosher salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 1 bunch fresh thyme, 1 bunch fresh sage, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 3 bay leaves, 1 head garlic
    A pot filled with herbs and spices.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil. Continue to cook, and stir, until all the salt and sugar are dissolved.
    A pot with herbs and vegetables in it.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the ice.
    16 cups ice
  • Once the ice has dissolved, pour the brine into a container large enough to hold your turkey with extra room for the brine.
    1 turkey
    A glass bowl filled with lemon slices and sprigs of sage.
  • Submerge the turkey in the brine. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Before cooking, drain off and discard the brine and pat the turkey dry.
    A chicken in a glass bowl with lemons and sprigs of thyme.

Video

Notes

  • If you don’t have 16 cups of ice, stir in 1 gallon of cold water in its place. Let the mixture cool completely before adding the turkey.
  • Very large pots or coolers are great containers to use for bringing your turkey. Just be sure to clean your cooler first.
  • Don’t use a pre-seasoned, kosher, salt-injected, or self-basting turkey. It will turn out too salty!