This is the best turkey brine recipe that will give you the juiciest and most flavorful turkey that will wow all your guests. Not only is the turkey golden and crisp on the outside, it's moist and tender on the inside too.
Most people cook turkey once a year. It's usually for a big group of people, you're trying to impress everyone with your domestic skills and it doesn't make much sense to cook something that you don't actually get to practice too often. I mean, most of the dinner parties that we host we have our signature meals down pat and have perfected them in every way possible. Thanksgiving dinner for your family and all your aunts, cousins and in-laws, no pressure, right? With this recipe that I'm sharing, you can relax knowing that it will turn out perfectly and make everyone happy.
This is a recipe I got from Good Eats, Alton Brown's show on Food Network. This guy is a genius. Did you know that this episode is the most popular recipe from all the recipes on Food network? It's that good. This turkey has passed the test and has been enjoyed all around the country. I've been using this recipe for more than a decade and it's always my favorite.
You can rest assured that for this Thanksgiving, your turkey will be flavorful down to the bones of the bird, with juicy and moist meat and lovely golden crisp skin. That's how I rate my turkeys. We've all eaten our share of dry, dry, dry birds and the worst crime EVER is flabby, pale skin. No, no, NO. Let's do this right, folks:).
Watch the Video of How to Brine and Roast a Perfect Turkey
Why brine a turkey?
As the turkey soaks in the brine, the salt denatures the protein and allows the salt to enter the meat. As the turkey roasts, it loses moisture, but since it absorbed an excess amount, it still retains some of the moisture and stays nice and juicy. (And keeps the flavors too.) Surprisingly enough, there will only be about ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt per serving, so you don’t have to be nervous that you turned the turkey into a salt lick.
Brining is a way to add lots of flavor to the meat. As the turkey is soaking in the brine, the salt is penetrating all the way to the center of the meat, not just the outside. By adding other flavors to the brine, all those flavors will take a trip with the salt into the meat.
Other ingredients you can add to the brine: rosemary, apple slices, apple cider, lemon or orange slices, etc. Since I use homemade vegetable broth, I keep the brine very simple because the broth already has so much flavor.
Ingredients:
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the Printable Recipe with measurements)
1 whole turkey (12-20 pounds)
Brine:
- vegetable broth use store bought or homemade vegetable broth
- kosher salt
- brown sugar
- black peppercorns
- dry bay leaves
- 1 gallon heavily iced water
- garlic
- Aromatic Stuffing: (optional)
- You can choose to skip stuffing the turkey. You can definitely smell all these incredible aromas wafting from the turkey and I personally like to do it, especially for the holidays, but that's up to you.
- onion, garlic
- orange, lemon
- thyme, parsley
For the roasting pan: (optional, except for the broth)
If you're not making gravy, you can skip all the vegetables and only add the broth, to keep the bottom of the roasting pan from smoking. If you're going to make turkey gravy, I highly recommend using all the vegetables because it will make the gravy so much more delicious.
- onions
- carrots
- celery
- garlic
- fresh herbs (parsley, thyme)
- chicken or vegetable broth
- lemon, optional
How to Make the Best Turkey Brine:
- Combine the vegetable broth, salt, sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot. You can also combine a small portion of the broth or water that you'll be using for the brine with the salt, sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns and heat in a pot until the salt and sugar dissolve. (Make sure you pour in at least 2-3 cups of broth or water or the salt won't dissolve.) Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe
- Pour all the brine ingredients into a big bucket or cooler. Submerge the turkey in the brine. I put my container inside a large cooler and place ice all around it and brine it overnight.
- Brine the turkey for at least 8 hours, and up to 16 hours. If the turkey isn't completely submerged in the brine, halfway through, flip the turkey over onto the other side.
Roasting a Brined Turkey
- Preheat the oven.
- I have made this turkey so many times and have tried different oven temperatures.
- If you roast the turkey at 400-450 degrees, the turkey will roast quicker and will give you a crisp golden color faster. However, you have to be more vigilant about watching the turkey. You will most likely need to cover the breast meat up sooner with foil to protect it from burning.
- Roasting the turkey at 350 degrees Fahrenheit will cook it more consistently and more slowly. Since it's such a big bird, it will still get a lovely color, it will just take a little bit longer, but you don't have to watch it as closely.
- Prep the turkey.
- Discard the brine and pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Stuff the cavity of the turkey with orange, lemon, onion, garlic and herbs. All those amazing aromas will seep into the turkey as it roasts. (This is completely optional and you can skip this step.)
- Tuck the wings behind the back of the turkey. Tie the legs of the turkey together with kitchen twine, if they aren't already tucked in.
- Next, place the chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs and into the bottom of a large roasting pan. Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. This will prevent the turkey drippings from burning as the turkey roasts.
- Finally, place the turkey inside a v-shaped rack inside a roasting pan. (The roasting pan that that I have had for many years is discontinued, but this one has a very similar design and size. *Affiliate link)
- Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until it reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast meat and 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit in the thigh meat.
- Save the turkey drippings to make amazing gravy or use some of it to flavor your Challah Herb Dressing.
- Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before you carve it. It will stay hot for at least an hour.
Helpful Tips For the Perfect Turkey
It will add so much flavor and keep it juicy too. (If you don't want to brine it, I have an easy roast turkey recipe that doesn't require brining.)
At least 8 hours, or up to 16 hours. I usually make the brine in the evening and brine the turkey overnight.
Overcooking the turkey will make it dry and leathery. This is where a thermometer comes in. If you overcook it, the turkey will be dry. This thermometer* is really inexpensive and I've had it for years. (*affiliate link)
The turkey should be 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast meat and 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit in the thigh meat.
It's very tempting to take the turkey from the oven straight to the table and dig right in. Not so fast! Are you worried that it will get too cold before you eat it if you let it stand at room temperature?
As the turkey roasts, the muscles get very tight and push out the moisture from the bird. If you let it rest, the muscles relax and the juices redistribute into the meat. If you cut right it, all those juices will leak right out and pool under the bird instead of in it. Give it a good 30 minutes. Don't worry about the turkey getting cold too soon. It will stay warm for more than an hour.
I've done this in the past and it works well, but it's really hard to wrestle a 20 pound turkey, especially when it's really hot. I have found that it cooking the turkey breast side up is much easier and will give you really fantastic results. As long as you don't overcook the turkey, it will be very juicy.
What To Serve With the Turkey
- The Best Turkey Gravy
- Sausage and Mushroom Sourdough Dressing
- Cranberry Apple Chutney
- Garlic Green Beans
The Best Turkey Brine
This is the best turkey brine recipe that will give you the juiciest and most flavorful turkey that will wow all your guests. Not only is the turkey golden and crisp on the outside, it's moist and tender on the inside too.
- Prep Time: 10 hours
- Cook Time: 2-4 hours
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 1 turkey 1x
Ingredients
- 1 (12-20) lbs turkey
Brine:
- 1 gallon vegetable broth
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 dry bay leaves
- 1 gallon heavily iced water
- 1 head garlic, cloves slightly smashed
Aromatic Stuffing:
- 1 onion, cut in half or quarters
- ½ head garlic
- ½ - 1 orange, cut in half or quarters
- 1 lemon, cut in half or quarters
- thyme, parsley (small handful)
For the roasting pan:
- 3 onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 1 garlic head, cloves separated but not peeled
- a handful of fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc.)
- 1 ½ - 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 lemon, cut in quarters, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Turkey Brine:
- Combine 4 cups of the vegetable broth, salt, sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolves.
- Pour the hot brine mixture into a large container that you will use to brine the turkey. Add the rest of the cold vegetable broth, the garlic cloves and the iced water. (Heating up only part of the broth, then adding cold vegetable broth and ice water will cool it off really quickly so you can brine the turkey right away.)
- Submerge the turkey in the brine. Fill a gallon ziplock bag with ice, close and place on top of the turkey. I put my container inside a large cooler and place all around it and brine it overnight. You want the turkey to brine for at least 8 hours, and up to 16 hours. When the ice in the ziplock bag melts, discard and add more ice in the ziplock bag.
Roast the Brined Turkey:
- Preheat the oven to 350-400 degrees. (See note about the oven temperature.)
- Prep the turkey. Remove the turkey from the brine. (Discard the brine.) Pat it dry on all sides with a paper towel. Tuck the wings behind the back of the turkey. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine.
- Fill a large roasting pan with the vegetables and herbs, then pour in the broth. Place a v-rack inside the roasting pan. Place the turkey on the rack, breast side up. Fill up the cavity of the turkey with the Aromatic Stuffing (onion, garlic, lemon, orange, herbs).
- Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the turkey reaches 160-165 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast meat and 170-175 degrees Fahrenheit in the thigh meat. The time will vary significantly based on the oven temperature and the size of the turkey. A small turkey (12 lbs or so), can take as little as 1 ½ hours to cook through, while a larger turkey (20 + pounds), roasting at 350 degrees can take 3 - 3 ½ hours to roast.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before carving it. It will still be hot up to an hour after you take it out of the oven. (Save the drippings and broth to make turkey gravy.)
Notes
Oven Temperature
- If you roast the turkey at 400-450 degrees, the turkey will roast quicker and will give you a crisp golden color faster. However, you have to be more vigilant about watching the turkey. You will most likely need to cover the breast meat up sooner with foil to protect it from burning.
- Roasting the turkey at 350 degrees Fahrenheit will cook it more consistently and more slowly. Since it's such a big bird, it will still get a lovely color, it will just take a little bit longer, but you don't have to watch it as closely.
More Tips
- Let the turkey come to room temperature before putting it into the oven. Since it is submerged in really cold brine, it needs about 20-30 minutes to warm up a bit. Preheating the oven, then prepping the turkey and all the vegetables should give you some time to warm it through.
- If the turkey starts to get too brown on the outside but isn't cooked through on the inside, cover the breast with aluminum foil to prevent the turkey from browning too much. (This can sometimes happen because turkey is so big and needs a long time to cook through.) Spray the foil that's going to be touching the turkey skin with oil spray or use a pastry brush to spread the oil on the foil.
Would I be able to place the turkey into a bag and bake it like that? I’ve made this recipe years ago and we loved it but I’m curious to see if a cooking bag would be doable ?
I have never tried it, Anna, but I don't see why not. Let me know if you try it.
I used your recipe for my very first turkey this year and it was delicious. Everybody loved it. Thank you for sharing it. It will be my goto recipe for sure!
I'm so happy you were happy with the turkey recipe, Monica. Thank you for taking the time to write.
I’ll never make turkey any other way for the rest of my life!!!
OMG!!!! I’ll never in make turkey any other way!!!! The sauce with the citrus and fresh herb had a phenomenal taste. I added more of the orange, lemon juices to the sauce in the pan. It was absolutely the best. Thank you so much for the recipe. You made me proud!!!
That's wonderful, Collin! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the turkey:). This is my favorite recipe too.
Hi Olya, do you cover the turkey with foil at any point or cook it uncovered? I didn't find anything specific in the comments or your recipe. Thanks in advance 🙂
I don't cover it unless it's turning brown too quickly, otherwise I keep it uncovered.
Hi Olga!! My first time throwing a thanksgiving dinner at our place this year ! So excited and nervous.
Just have one question. We have a gas oven and I’ve noticed it tends to over cook some food sometimes. What kind of oven did you use for the turkey recipe? I’m thinking I should adjust the temp in the beginning from 500 to maybe less ? What do you think ?
And I think 350 should be fine for the last few hours. 🙂
That's so exciting, Natalie:). You can do it!
I used an electric oven for the turkey. Watch this video - Brined Roast Turkey Video.
It's the updated version of the brined turkey recipe that I changed a bit through the years to make it even simpler. I cook the turkey at 350, so you should have no problem with your oven.
This year is going to be my 3rd year using this recipe to make my turkey. It comes out perfectly every time. We are actually hosing Thanksgiving at our house this year and i'm confident that it will turn out great again 🙂 thank you for sharing this awesome recipe with us!
Oh, the only thing i don't do is flip the turkey because I'm afraid to drop it..:)))
hi Olya! Thank you for the recipe! Can you please tell what difference does it make between using frozen and fresh bird? is fresh alway better? thanks