If you’ve never tried a wet brine for your Thanksgiving turkey, then you’ve seriously been missing out on something truly magical!
This Simple Turkey Brine bursts with flavor thanks to the use of fresh fruit and herbs, stock, and an array of aromatics. Combine it with our Best Juicy Turkey Recipe and listen to all those compliments roll in when served!
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If you’re not familiar with brining turkey, fear not! There really isn’t anything complicated or technical when it comes to whipping up a fresh pot of wet brine or the process of brining the turkey itself. In fact, this same recipe can even be used with a whole chicken.
Sure, you’ll definitely need to plan ahead since it’s best that your turkey rests in the liquid for at least 8 hours, but other than that?...you know you got this!!
Serve your flavorful turkey alongside our delicious Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes or Honey Glazed Baby Carrots for the best Thanksgiving dinner yet!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Brining your turkey will produce the juiciest turkey you’ve ever tasted. Since turkey meat is naturally quite lean, brining is an excellent method to help prevent it from drying out!
- While most wet brines are basically just salt water and a few aromatics, I’ve decided to jazz mine up by using vegetable stock, fresh fruit, fresh herbs and seasoning, in addition to the usual aromatics called for in brines. All the flavors infuse beautifully with the turkey for unbelievable results.
- This recipe is really as easy as adding the ingredients to a stock pot, cooling the liquid and then combining the turkey and liquid. No special or complicated cooking techniques are required.
- You can easily make this flavorful turkey brine 2-3 days before brining the turkey and store it in the refrigerator to chill, saving you some time when it comes to preparing your Thanksgiving turkey.
- This brine recipe is super versatile. Try it as is or swap out some of the ingredients to suit your preferences - I’ve added a section in this post specifically on possible recipe variations.
🧂 Ingredients
This recipe is a variation on a recipe from Alton Brown. This combination of ingredients will add great flavor to your roasted turkey.
- kosher salt
- light brown sugar
- vegetable stock
- whole black peppercorns
- whole allspice berries
- whole cloves
- fresh fruit: orange, apple, pear
- fresh herbs: thyme, sage
- broccoflower (optional)
- fresh garlic cloves
- water and ice
This is meant to be a brief overview of this Simple Turkey Brine recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
🔪Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the stock, cup of kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaves and orange.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so that the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Remove the brine from the heat and add in the garlic, broccoflower, apple and pear.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Remove the innards from the turkey, rinse and place breast side down in a 5-gallon bucket.
- Add the salt water solution and ice water to cover the turkey. Cover and refrigerate from 8-16 hours. (You can also put it outdoors if you live in the Northeast like us – just be sure to put something heavy on the lid so no critters can get at your turkey!)
- About half way through, turn the whole turkey and stir the brine a bit.
- Once you’re ready to cook the turkey, line a large baking sheet with paper towels.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, and rinse it inside and out with cold water to remove excess salt.
- Set the brined turkey on the baking sheet and pat dry.
- Discard the brine.
Now you're ready to cook your turkey! We highly recommend this, our Best Juicy Turkey Recipe for the most flavorful turkey you've ever eaten! Seriously, this roasted turkey is the one your family will talk about for years to come, so get your roasting pan ready, and let's go!
Related: 50+ Best Thanksgiving Recipes
Equipment
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- Measuring Spoons
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Cutting Board
- Santoku Knife
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large stock pot
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💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about thawing and cooking a turkey, as well as the brining process. We hope you'll find this information helpful for making our Easy Turkey Brine recipe.
For the best results, turkeys should always be thawed completely before brining or cooking.
It will take about 1 day to thaw a 4lbs of frozen turkey in the refrigerator. Place the turkey breast side up (unopened) on a baking sheet in the fridge.
It will take about 3 days for a 12-pound turkey to thaw completely. Check out this very helpful thawing calculator to find out how long you need.
Fill a large clean bucket, or your sink, with cold water and immerse the turkey breast side down. You will need to change the water every 30 minutes or so.
A 12lb turkey will take about 6 hours in a cold water bath.
Once thawed, your turkey can stay in the fridge for up 4 days before cooking.
As a rule of thumb, you should brine your turkey 45 to 60 minutes per pound. Therefore, if you have a 12lb turkey, plan on at least 9 hours.
Yes, if you leave a turkey in a brine too long it will become very salty. Do not brine for more than 18 hours.
Obviously there are liquids involved in a wet brine and not a dry brine, but that's not all. Both will result in a moist turkey.
A wet brine helps a turkey stay moist and juicy by absorbing the salt water.
On the other hand, a dry brine draws moisture out of a turkey, mixes with the salt and is reabsorbed by the turkey.
📖 Variations
We recommend that you try our brining recipe for the first time just as it is written for the best results, because that is how the recipe has been tested. And, we happen to think it's the very best turkey brine recipe. 😋
However, the next time you make it, you might consider one of these different ways of making this great recipe.
- Substitute a lemon for the orange if you like.
- Use all apples or all pears - whichever you have on hand.
- Chicken or turkey stock will work just as well as vegetable stock. You can also use apple juice or apple cider instead of stock.
- If you like, you can also include a cinnamon stick in the brine.
🦃 More Thanksgiving Ideas
Now that you have the best brine figured out, you're ready for side dishes! If you're in charge of Thanksgiving dinner this year, you have to check out these awesome Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes. There are some serious time-savers here that you're going to love! And, you are definitely going to want to also try these tasty recipes our readers adore:
- Make Ahead Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
- Oven Roasted Acorn Squash - easy and delicious.
- Cranberry Walnut Stuffing - I love this yummy twist on classic stuffing.
📋 Simple Turkey Brine
Not ready to brine your Thanksgiving turkey yet? Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later! When you do make it, please be sure to tag me on Instagram @jugglingactmama or #jugglingactmama – I’d love to see your pictures! And finally, if you get a chance, please comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Simple Turkey Brine Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 gallon vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 large bay leaves
- 1-½ teaspoons allspice berries
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 large orange sliced
- 6 cloves of garlic smashed
- 1 cup broccoflower optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
- 1 large apple sliced
- 1 large pear sliced
- 1 gallon heavily iced water
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the stock, cup of kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaves and orange.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so that the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Remove the brine from the heat and add in the garlic, broccoflower, apple and pear.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Remove the innards from the turkey, rinse and place breast side down in a 5-gallon bucket.
- Add the salt water solution and ice water to cover the turkey.
- Cover and refrigerate from 8-16 hours. (You can also put it outdoors if you live in the Northeast like us – just be sure to put something heavy on the lid so no critters can get at your turkey!)
- About half way through, turn the whole turkey and stir the brine a bit.
- Once you’re ready to cook the turkey, line a large baking sheet with paper towels.
- Remove the turkey from the brine, and rinse it inside and out with cold water to remove excess salt.
- Set the brined turkey on the baking sheet and pat dry.
- Discard the brine.
Equipment
- Large stock pot
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