If you're looking for an easy way to add flavor and moisture to your Thanksgiving turkey, look no further than this easy turkey brine recipe. There are two options: a dry brine and a wet brine. Both methods are simple and produce delicious results. So choose the option that fits your schedule and get ready to enjoy a juicy, flavorful turkey on Thanksgiving Day!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Here's the deal, if you've never used a brined turkey for your Thanksgiving feast... you're missing out. Here's a step by step guide for an easy turkey brine recipe to get the most delicious juicy turkey you'll ever eat!
Who here has brined a turkey before?! If you haven’t, prepare for your life to change. It’s everything and this year’s recipe is beyond. It’s loaded with all sorts of aromatics that will infuse the bird with even more flavor.
Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Wet Brine
- Water divided
- Kosher Salt
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Dried Sage
- Fresh Thyme
- Garlic
- Turkey cleaned, innards removed
For the Dry Brine
- Kosher Salt
- Black Peppercorns freshly cracked
- Dried Oregano
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Basil
- Dried Thyme
- Paprika
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Brine a Turkey
For the Dry Brine:
Step 1: Combine all the seasonings together. Set a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and place the turkey on the rack.
Step 2: Rub ½ cup of the dry brine on the back side of the turkey
Step 3: Rub ½ cup on the legs and 1 cup on the breast.
Step 4: Transfer the turkey, uncovered to the fridge and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours.
For the Wet Brine:
During the brining process, you soak the turkey in a salt and water mixture (with other aromatics if you want to get jazzy) and the turkey absorbs that extra moisture from the liquid. (note: you'll need a large vessel to store the turkey and liquid in) This process helps it stay moist and juicy during cooking! Which then means it's still moist and juicy once you carve it and serve.
Brining also helps season the turkey from the inside out so no matter what piece you get, it'll be delicious! If you don’t have room for the large vessel as mentioned above, a dry brine is the easier way to go.
How to Store Brined Turkey
I recommend that you should let the turkey brine for roughly 24-72 hours in the fridge. Trust me, its worth it. The mixture gets slathered on the bird and then permeates the turkey for about 24 hours. Then pat it dry and proceed with my favorite turkey recipe!
You don't want to brine a bird for more than 3 days in my opinion. 72 hours is just the right amount of time for the turkey to soak up those flavors without getting too salty.
Tips & Tricks
Choose your preferred method and get ready to enjoy the most delicious turkey ever. Whether you go with a wet or dry brine, the key is to give yourself plenty of time for the flavors to penetrate deep into the meat. And don’t forget to let your bird rest after roasting for the juiciest, most succulent results.
FAQs
Why should you brine a turkey and is it worth it?
Good question. Brining your turkey is a key step to keeping it moist once it's cooked. Turkeys are mostly lean meat, which means there isn't a lot of fat to help it from drying out. And really there's nothing more disappointing than a dry piece of turkey at the Thanksgiving table.
What is a turkey brine and what does it do to a turkey?
It's basically just salt and different aromatics and maybe some water. I like to add brown sugar to give it a little hint of sweetness, some red pepper flakes, sage and lots of garlic. The whole mixture will just give the bird that extra subtle flavor everyone is looking for on Thanksgiving. And it helps the bird make incredible drippings for gravy.
What kind of bird should you use for this turkey brine recipe?
This is super important!! You basically just want a plain old turkey. Don't get one with any other “enhanced” or “self-basting" descriptors on the package. Those mean that the turkey has already been brined or treated and I'd rather do it myself so I have full control over what is going into my bird and brine.
Can you brine a frozen turkey / should you brine a turkey before roasting?
Absolutely! I do almost every year. This process will also help thaw the bird out before cooking.
What do you do after you brine the turkey?
Treat it like you could a normal bird. Most of the dry brine will fall off and you can remove a lot of that excess spice/salt from the bottom of the baking dish. Pat it dry, season it accordingly and then roast! This is my favorite recipe for a cooked bird! The herb butter makes for the best drippings which make the gravy out of this world!
What should I brine my turkey in?
For the wet brine you should use any container just large enough to hold the turkey comfortably. For the dry brine you can use a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet.
Do I need to rinse a brined turkey before cooking?
No. In fact you really shouldn't rinse any meat before cooking. According to the Center for Disease Control, you should never wash raw meat or poultry before cooking it! Washing it can spread bacteria to surfaces like your kitchen countertop, all over the sink, utensils, and nearby foods. The USDA agrees.
So all that's left is to decide if you're going wet or dry turkey brine. If wet: grab a large vessel that will fit 1: the liquid brine mixture 2: and the bird and 3: will fit into your fridge. If you have an extra fridge in your garage, that's the perfect place to store this as it won't be in your way when you're stocking your fridge with the rest of the Thanksgiving ingredients.
If you choose the dry brine: combine all the seasonings and slather the bird with the herbs. Then let it take a chill in the fridge for 24-72 hours.
Get ready guys… THANKSGIVING this year is going to be mega delish.
PS – Check out the full What’s Gaby Cooking menu here along with the master prep schedule to keep things organized and on track!
And if you need more Thanksgiving Ideas check out this roundup of 80+ Thanksgiving Recipes and Ideas
Related Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Easy Turkey Brine Recipe (dry brine or wet brine directions) + step by step pics
Ingredients
For the Wet Brine
- 16 cups water divided
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 heads garlic sliced in half
- 14 to 18- pound turkey cleaned, innards removed
For the Dry Brine
- 8 tablespoons kosher salt
- 4-8 tablespoons freshly cracked black peppercorns
- 4 tablespoons dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons dried basil
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons paprika
Instructions
For the Wet Brine
- Combine 8 cups of the water, salt, dark brown sugar, red pepper flakes, sage, thyme and garlic in a large pot and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes until everything is evenly combined and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in remaining water and cool completely.
- Pour the brine into a container just large enough to hold the turkey comfortably. Add the turkey; adding more water if needed to cover the bird entirely. Turn bird a few times and then leave breast-side down in the water. Chill for at least 8 hours, and up to 72 hours. Remove bird from brine, discard brine and roast as needed.
For the Dry Brine
- Combine all the seasonings together. Set a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and place the turkey on the rack. Rub ½ cup of the dry brine on the back side of the turkey, ½ cup on the legs and 1 cup on the breast. Transfer the turkey, uncovered to the fridge and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours.
- After the brine period, brush off all the dry brine and discard. Let the bird sit naked in the fridge for 4 hours if possible to dry out or pat the bird dry and proceed with my Herb Roasted Turkey recipe. Remove any excess dry brine that is in the bottom of the roasting pan so your gravy isnt too salty before roasting.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
I followed your measurements for the dry brine but I think it seems like too much salt. I used sea salt , Will my turkey taste too salty?
nope!
I accidentally got some dry brine on the inside of my turkey. Should I rinse it out? It seems like a lot and just a pat it dry or rub off the dry brine the excess
just brush it out tomorrow before roasting
I only have Pink Sea Salt-should I use the same amount of that as The Kosher salt called for in the recipe (dry brine)? TIA
that's fine!
Hi nervous about using 1T of red pepper flakes in the wet brine…will this make it too spicy??
nope - but if it makes you nervous you can omit
Hi Gaby!
I used the dry brine recipe as written for my 13lb turkey… are these measurements okay for that size? Now I’m scared if I used too much it’s going to turn out too salty! Plan on making your herb butter turkey. We made it years ago and it was insanely delicious, but this is the first year I’ve tried brining the turkey myself.
It'll be perf!!
Hi Gaby! I’m going to try your wet brine for the first time this year. We usually deep fry ours but doing oven this year. My husband accidentally bought regular table salt how much should I use in my brine and how long should I leave it in? I was going to do it for 48 hours is that okay?
Reduce by half
Hi Gaby- I just noticed that I’m out of dark brown sugar and only have light brown sugar in my pantry. I do realize that there is a difference to flavor when it comes to baking. Curious if there would be a significant difference in flavors if I substitute for the wet brine recipe? I’m not sure I feel like running back out to the store when I have everything else I need at home. 🙂
no - you're totally fine to use them interchangeably!
You mention not to rinse turkey when it comes out of brine. But in an article in Chicago Tribune a few years ago it said to rinse so turkey is not too salty. Mentioned Chef Adam Mali of Nick's Cove restaurant in California.
NEVER rinse my bird!! I pat off the dry brine salt if it doesnt fall off
I have never used a wet or dry brine before. Excite to try - but a little anxious too.
Quick question - This looks like a lot of dry brine. Will I use all of it for an 18 lb turkey, or should there be some( lots?) left over? Just mixed it up and wanting to check on amount.
You can slather it all on!! Lots will fall off
Gabby, We bought an 18 lb fresh Turkey that was killed and dressed out on Nov. 17 and delivered to me today the 19th. I put it in the freezer immediately and my thoughts are to take it out Monday night and dry brine it till Thursday morning. What would you do?Do I need to take it out Sunday night to allow to defrost some? I don’t think it will be fully frozen in 24 hours.
I'd take it out now and start to thaw it and then dry brine it tomorrow night
Hi Gaby, I'm going to try your Dry Brine this year and I am roasting two 7 lb. Turkey Breasts. So since this Dry Brine is used for a 14-18 lb Turkey, I'm good for two breasts? And, after I dry brine, the day of roasting, I still follow your Roasted Turkey Breast recipe? In essence, I do both recipes, correct? Thanks so much!!!!!
yes - dry brine will fall of mostly once you do the herb mixture! Just scrape up most of the salt so it doesnt make your drippings too salty for the gravy
can you brine just the turkey leg and breast...if you're only doing a portion?
absolutely!
Can I use a wet brine mix (dry) for the dry brine seasoning? Just happen to have a couple packages from Traeger. Orange brine and Turkey rub kit.
Thanks
Not being able to see the ingredients, I would assume so!!
Dear Gaby,
Do you know of a brine recipe that includes a full jar of chicken flavored "Better Than Bouillon"?
i've never seen that!
I first found this recipe while looking for dairy-free options for my toddler with a milk allergy. Two and a half years later, he’s outgrown the allergy, but these chicken thighs remain a family favourite. Great for a quick weeknight supper, and I’ve also used when having guest for dinner. They loved them!