Ditch that dry bird and trade it in for a tender moist highlight of the meal like it should be with our easy turkey brine recipe. This citrus turkey brine will be make the tastiest thanksgiving turkey you've ever had.
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe brings out the best in a turkey. Rather than a dried out and bland bird, this recipe transforms your turkey into a moist and delicious poultry. The ingredients are simple, as is the method - making this a go-to every holiday. This really is the best brined turkey recipe!
What Is Brining?
How do you get your turkey tender and moist? Brining of course!
- Brining is soaking your meat in a salt solution - adding moisture and flavor to your bird before it is cooked.
- Muscle fibers absorb liquid during the brining. Some of this liquid gets lost during cooking, but since the meat is more moist at the start of cooking, it ends up juicier.
- Often times ingredients in brines work to break down fats resulting in a more tender meat.
Pro Tip: Do not brine a pre-basted or kosher turkey. These varieties of turkey already have a salt treatment. Brining them will result in a very salty bird.
About The Ingredients
A few items to note about the ingredients:
Kosher Salt - make sure you select kosher salt. It dissolves a bit better and works better in a brine. I really like Redmond Real Salt Kosher Salt.
Maple Syrup - select a real maple syrup, rather than the imitation stuff.
Garlic Herb Compound Butter
To take your brined bird to the next level, I recommend rubbing it with a compound butter before baking. Compound butter is easy to make. You'll need:
Salted butter - use salted butter. Skip the unsalted, and use salted which will add more flavor to your bird.
Fresh herbs - in the compound butter - fresh is best! Select fresh herbs when possible.
How To I Make Garlic Herb Butter?
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Stir until well combined.
How Do I Make A Turkey Brine?
1. In a large stock pot combine 1 quart of water and 1 ½ cups of kosher salt.
2. Add in your citrus.
3. Toss in your aromatics (citrus, and herbs).
4. Add maple syrup. Place stock pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Make sure all of the salt is dissolved.
Pro Tip #1: Depending on the size of your bird you may be able to make your best brined turkey recipe in your stock pot like I did here - or you may have to use a brining bag or a 5-10 gallon bucket. Regardless of where you brine - the bird needs to be kept at 40 degrees. So choose your container of choice and insert your bird. I like to start breast up and flip it half way through the brining time. If your bird floats, weight it down with a bowl or plate.
5. Remove from heat and add 3 quarts of apple juice. Set aside and let cool completely.
6. While brine is cooling you can prep your bird. Remove the neck and giblets (yuck) and rinse and dry the outside and cavity. Add bird to brine.If the liquid does not cover your turkey, add water until it does. Now let it sit for 8-24 hours.
7. After your turkey has brined, remove from liquid and discard remaining brine. Rinse and pat your bird dry. Place in a roasting pan and generously seasoning the outside and cavity with salt and pepper. Place compound butter under the skin of the bird and rub the entire outside with the butter.Stuff cavity with herbs, onion, and lemon.Insert probe of your ThermoWorks chef alarm thermometer and bake.
8.Preheat your over to 450 degrees. Right before you put the bird in, reduce the heat to 325. From there you are going to bake 15 minutes per pound. The internal temperature of the bird needs to reach 165 degrees for safe consumption.
Pro Tip #2: Do not brine for longer that 24 hours. Over-brining is possible - the bird will become to salty and the tissue will become spongy.
Let's Chat Thermometers
When it comes to cooking thermometers - ThermoWorks is simply the best. I've thrown out so many cheap thermometers that are unreliable and low quality - that when I discovered ThermoWorks I vowed I'd never go back. They have a wide range of thermometers for every budget. I own the Thermopop, the Thermapen, and the Chef Alarm. All will work great for your turkey, but the Chef Alarm takes out all of the guess work.
Brined Turkey FAQ
I suggest preheating your over to 450 degrees. Right before you put the bird in, reduce the heat to 325. From there you are going to bake 15 minutes per pound. The internal temperature of the bird needs to reach 165 degrees for safe consumption.
To ensure you reach that temp and don't overbake - use the Chef Alarm. You simply set your max temp and an alarm will sound with your turkey has reached that temperature. ThermoWorks really makes your Thanksgiving Turkey come out perfect.
I promise you'll be left with a moist flavorful turkey at your Thanksgiving table.
When brining you do not risk over seasoning. Rather - brining breaks down the meat making it tender and delicious. You also rinse the bird after brining, so you aren't adding extra salt.
I suggest brining it the night before. You can over brine - so I do not suggest preparing more than 24 hours before baking.
They actually do! A brined turkey cooks slightly faster than an unbrined turkey, so check the internal temperature frequently, or use a thermometer like the thermoworks chef alarm to ensure you do not over bake.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Did You MAKE THIS RECIPE? HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Turkey Brine
Ingredients
Citrus Brine
- 1 quart water
- 1 ½ cups kosher salt
- 2 lemons quartered
- 2 oranges quartered
- 2 fresh springs rosemary needles removed and stem discarded
- 10 fresh bay leaves
- 10 fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 3 quarts apple juice
- Water to cover the bird
- 12 lb turkey giblets removed
Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme minced
- 5 cloves garlic mined
- 1 lemon zested
Bird Prep Ingredients
- salt and pepper
- 2 lemons quartered
- 5 fresh sage leaves
- 5 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 5 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 onion quartered
Instructions
- In a large stock pot combine 1 qt water, salt, lemons, oranges, rosemary, bay, sage, thyme, peppercorns, and syrup
- Bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add apple juice.
- Let cool completely.
- Place cleaned turkey in a large container (stock pot, brining bag, 10 gallon bucket, or unscented garbage bag)
- Pour brine over the bird. If bird is not submerged add water until it is. If bird floats, weigh it down with a bowl or plate.
- Keep bird in brine at 40 degrees F for 8-24 hours, turning the bird once.
- Once brining time is complete rinse and dry turkey and prep for cooking.
Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- In a medium bowl combine all ingredients.
- Stir until well combined.
Bird Prep
- Preheat over to 450 degrees.
- Once brining is complete, rinse and dry bird.
- Place bird in a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place compound butter under the skin of the bird and rub the entire outside of the bird.
- Stuff cavity of bird with herbs, lemon, and onion.
- Reduce oven heat to 325 degrees. Place bird inside oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. About 15 minutes per pound.
- Let bird rest 15 minutes before carving.
Leslie M says
The turkey was delicious, but I found the herb butter to have way too much butter for a 14-pound turkey. Half of that amount would have been lots.
Scott K Hall says
Should you cover the turkey when baking?
Kadee says
No you do not need to cover. I have used a turkey baking bag in the past, or just forwent them bag most often. If you feel the skin is browning more than you prefer you can cover with foil during the last half of cooking.
Christina says
if i use fresh garlic in the her butter wont it burn?
Kadee says
It does not burn.
Nicole Krause says
Where do these items go in the directions?
salt and pepper
▢2 lemons quartered
▢5 fresh sage leaves
▢5 fresh rosemary sprigs
▢5 fresh thyme sprigs
▢1 onion quartered
Kadee says
They are part of the brine. They are mentioned in the recipe card instructions for making the brine.
Kara says
You stuff them into the cavity of the bird.
Vuthy says
In your write-up, you season the bird inside and out with salt and pepper after brining, but in the recipe itself down below you don't mention this step. Is it necessary? Will it make the turkey too salty? I already have a pre-basted turkey and plan to do the butter part, plus herbs and citrus in the cavity, but not sure if I should season the bird with salt and pepper first.
Kadee says
I Vuthy, I'm so sorry I didn't see your questions prior to thanksgiving. I hope your turkey turned out delicious. If you have a pre-basted turkey I would not recommend brining at all. This will result in a salty bird. I think a sprinkle of salt and pepper will be fine though, along with the butter rub.
Khloe says
This is by far the best turkey I've ever made. That herb butter is money!
Richard Kohout says
Your missing the onion in the list of stuffing ingredients!
Kadee says
Thanks for catching that! I'll fix it up.
Foodjunkie says
I would like to add one important rule for brining. Do not attempt to brine a pre-basted or kosher turkey. These turkeys are already salt treated and if you brine them they will be too salty to eat.