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A good turkey brine is a simple way to add flavor and help keep turkey juicy, whether you’re roasting it in the oven, smoking it on a pellet grill, or cooking it on your grill. This Easy Turkey Brine recipe, which has been tested dozens of times, combines kosher salt, brown sugar, citrus, onion, and spices for a flavorful foundation for your holiday turkey.

I can’t tell you how many hundreds of turkeys we’ve cooked over the years, between catering and testing recipes for our cookbook, and we have learned that brining is a key technique when cooking poultry low and slow.

The best part about this recipe? It’s easy to customize. Keep it simple with salt, sugar, and aromatics, or add bourbon, fresh herbs, or other flavors to make it your own.

Here’s how to make a basic turkey brine, how long to brine a turkey, and everything you need to know to prepare your bird for Thanksgiving.

What is a Turkey Brine?

There are two types of brines.

• Wet Brine – A mixture of water, salt, and often sugar and aromatics. The turkey sits in the liquid for a set amount of time before cooking, allowing salt and flavor to penetrate the meat.
• Dry Brine – Uses salt and seasonings applied directly to the surface of the turkey without adding water.

Both methods can help season turkey, but this recipe uses a wet brine with citrus and aromatics for added flavor.

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Why Brine a Turkey?

Turkey is relatively lean, which means it can dry out if overcooked. Brining helps the meat retain moisture during cooking and adds flavor throughout the bird.

We especially like brining before smoking a turkey, when the longer cooking process can make moisture management more challenging.

This recipe provides a balanced starting point: salt and sugar form the base, while citrus, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, and optional bourbon add flavor.

Chef’s Tip: Be sure the turkey or poultry is not pre-brined, soaked in salt solution, or its equivalent. If you try this on a pre-brined turkey, it will get way too salty and not take on the ideal flavor we’re trying to get at with this recipe!

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Ingredients for Turkey Brine

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Choosing the Right Turkey

This recipe is designed for a 12–16 pound turkey. Check the packaging before buying: some turkeys are already injected with a salt solution or labeled as enhanced, kosher, or self-basting. DON’T BUY THOSE! These birds may already contain added salt, so an additional brine can make the finished turkey too salty.

For the best results, choose a natural, unenhanced turkey and allow enough time for it to thaw completely before brining.

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How to Brine a Turkey

1. Combine Water, Salt, and Sugar: Add the cold water to a large stockpot or food-safe container. Add the kosher salt and brown sugar, stirring until both dissolve. If you’re using smaller pots to prepare the brine, divide the ingredients proportionally and combine the mixtures in your final brining container.
2. Add the Aromatics: Add the quartered oranges, lemons, red onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, and optional cloves and bourbon. Squeeze the citrus gently as you add it to release some of its juices. Stir to distribute the ingredients.
3. Submerge the Turkey: Place the fully thawed turkey in the brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Cover the container and refrigerate for 24 hours.
   1. The turkey and brine must remain at 40°F or below for the entire brining period. If you’re using a cooler instead of a refrigerator, use a food thermometer to verify that the temperature stays safely cold throughout the process.
4. Remove and Prepare the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the used liquid. Do not reuse the brine.
   1. There’s no need to rinse the turkey. Remove any aromatics clinging to the skin and pat the bird dry with paper towels before applying seasoning or preparing it for cooking.
   2. For smoked turkey, drying the skin thoroughly is especially helpful. You can also refrigerate the turkey uncovered on a rack before cooking if your recipe calls for a drier surface.

*A note on salt: We use a salt ratio of 3/4 cups salt for every 4 quarts of water. Taste the water (before raw meat is immersed), it should taste like ocean salt water. If you use Morton kosher instead of Diamond Crystal, use about ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons in place of 1½ cups.

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How Long Should You Brine a Turkey?

For this recipe, we recommend brining a 12–16 pound turkey for approximately 24 hours.

Brining time depends on the size of the bird and the strength of the brine. For this recipe, 24 hours is ideal, but don’t go past 36 hours because prolonged brining can negatively affect the texture of the meat.

Plan ahead so the turkey has enough time to thaw before it goes into the brine. A turkey generally needs about 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4–5 pounds of weight.

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Turkey Brine Variations

A brine is a blank canvas. One of the best things about this basic brine is how easy it is to customize. Keep the salt and water ratio consistent, then experiment with the aromatics.

• Bourbon or whiskey: Adds a warm, distinctive flavor that works particularly well for smoked turkey.
• Fresh herbs: Rosemary, thyme, and sage complement turkey and other poultry.
• Apple juice: Replace some of the water with apple juice for a fruitier flavor. Keep the overall salt-to-water ratio consistent, and remember that juice adds sugar.
• Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and a subtle maple flavor.
• Red pepper flakes: Add a little heat.
• Extra citrus: Orange and lemon are classic options, but you can experiment with other citrus fruits.

Remember that the aromatics are flexible. It’s the salt and water ratio that you want to make sure to keep consistent!

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Brining Tools

• Large stockpot or brining container: Choose a food-safe container large enough to hold the turkey and enough brine to cover it.
• Brining Bags: A convenient option if you don’t have a large pot. Use a bag designed for food brining and place it inside a sturdy container to catch leaks.
• 5-Gallon Food Grade Bucket: (For Making Brine and Storage): Can work when a refrigerator cannot accommodate the container, provided you can keep and verify the turkey at 40°F or below throughout brining.
• Kosher Salt: Again, we use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt.

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Recipes That Use Turkey Brine

Once your turkey is brined, try one of these Vindulge recipes:

• Bourbon Brined Smoked Turkey
• Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey
• Turkey Breast with Maple Glaze
• Smoked Cajun Spatchcocked Turkey
• Cajun Grilled Turkey Breast

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About Vindulge

Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbooks — Fire + Wine and Fire + Wine Backyard Pizza — and have been creating content for the IACP-nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.

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