Easy Citrus Herb Turkey Brine Recipe for a Juicy Thanksgiving Turkey
This simple wet turkey brine recipe uses fresh citrus and herbs to guarantee a moist and flavorful turkey for your holiday dinner. It is an easy method for achieving the best roast turkey moisture secret.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours (for roasting)
- Total Time: 22 hours
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
- Category: Holiday Preparation
- Method: Wet Brining
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 whole orange, halved
- 1 whole lemon, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 (14-16 pound) whole turkey
- Water, as needed (about 1 gallon)
Instructions
- Combine the salt, brown sugar, orange halves, lemon halves, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and peppercorns in a large stockpot.
- Add about 4 cups of water to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the brine cool completely to room temperature. This cooling step is important to prevent cooking the turkey.
- Once cool, add the remaining cold water to the pot until you have enough liquid to fully submerge your turkey.
- Place your whole turkey into a large, food-safe container or brining bag. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, making sure it is completely covered.
- Cover the container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. For a 14-16 pound bird, 18 hours is a good target.
- Remove the turkey from the brine. Discard the brine solution.
- Rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out under cold running water to remove excess salt and herbs.
- Pat the turkey completely dry with paper towels. This step helps the skin crisp up when roasting.
- Proceed with your preferred roasting method. Do not add extra salt to the turkey before cooking.
Notes
- For a 10-pound turkey breast, reduce the brine ingredients by half.
- If you do not have a large enough pot, you can make a concentrate by boiling the aromatics with less water, then adding the remaining cold water and ice cubes to cool it quickly.
- Brining is the roast turkey moisture secret; do not skip rinsing the bird afterward.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of turkey
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 1800
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 20
- Cholesterol: 75