11 Turkey Brine Recipes to Take Your Turkey to the Next Level (2024)

FAQs

What is the next step after brining a turkey? ›

After Wet Brining

After rinsing or soaking, thoroughly pat turkey dry with paper towels. Then, cook according to your preferred cooking method.

The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less). Remove turkey from brine after the recommended time.

Think of brining as insurance. A bird that has been wet-brined for just 12 hours will stay juicy even if you overshoot the cooking time a little. It's one less thing to worry about.

But a brined turkey that is not rinsed would be too salty to eat. Brining slows down the growth of bacteria but does not kill it, said Linda Harris, a microbiologist at the University of California, Davis. She and other food scientists have been trying to get Americans to stop rinsing poultry since the late 1990's.

Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture. If you're not ready to roast the bird after 18 hours, remove it from the brine, rinse it, pat it dry, and refrigerate for up to two days.

The basic ratio of salt to water for a brine is 4 tablespoons of kosher salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water. If you are using fine table salt, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons. Keep in mind, also, that different kosher salt brands vary in how salty they actually are.

Butterball turkeys are of the highest quality product and will be sure to impress your guests. Here's why Butterball is the right choice, especially for the holiday season: Butterball turkeys are always tender and juicy because we take the extra step of individually pre-brining them based on size.

Dry-brining is our preferred method for seasoning both large and small pieces of meat, poultry, and sometimes even seafood. Along with producing juicy, flavorful results, dry-brining also helps us get better Maillard browning and crispy skin.

To ensure an exceptionally juicy and flavorful turkey, this recipe calls for brining the bird and also rubbing it with a compound butter. During brining, the seasoned saltwater penetrates the meat, drawing in moisture and other flavorings.

What spices to add to brine? ›

Flavoring a Brine

Our Brining Mix features aromatic garlic and bay leaves, the citrus flavors of coriander, lemon, orange, and lemon verbena, as well as sweet allspice and sharp peppercorns.

Continue to roast until internal temperature reaches 165°F. NOTE: A brined turkey cooks slightly faster than an unbrined turkey, so check the internal temperature frequently. Remove turkey from the oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.

While it unquestionably injects a lot of flavor in the turkey and helps it to retain a lot of juiciness and moisture, it also can result in saltier drippings, which can cause problems with both the stuffing (if you stuff your bird, which I don't generally do) and the gravy, since the gravy is made from turkey drippings ...

If you've never brined a turkey, you'll just have to trust me on this. It really makes all the difference and adds so much flavor. You can buy ready-made brining solutions.

Don't roast a cold turkey. Take your bird out of the refrigerator (and out of the brine, if you're brining) an hour before you put it in the oven to ensure even cooking and a moist bird.

Do you have to cook immediately after brining? No, you don't have to cook meat immediately after removing it from the brine. In fact, most cooking methods (but especially smoking, grilling and roasting) benefit from a brief period of air-drying.

Absolutely not. You should allow the brined meat to rest at least a full day before cooking, for the same reason you should let roasted meats rest before carving.

No basting required. Thomas Keller's favorite roast turkey has you brine the bird for a day, then air-dry it for another day to achieve that dry skin before roasting. Once again, no basting, and ridiculously juicy, crispy results.