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A green Dutch oven filled with broth, orange slices, a whole mandarin, garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns, prepared to brine a turkey.

How to Brine a Turkey

How to brine a turkey the easy way: an apple cider brine with brown sugar, citrus, and herbs that keeps your holiday turkey moist and full of flavor.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8 Cups
Author Heather

Equipment

  • Turkey Brine Bag
  • Large Stock Pot
  • Food-safe Bucket with Lid
  • Large Cooler
  • Wire Cooling Rack
  • Large Rimmed Baking Sheet (10"x15"x1")
  • Roasting Pan with Rack
  • Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 gallon apple cider or apple juice
  • 2 cups kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3 medium oranges sliced
  • 1 head garlic whole cloves
  • 3 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 4 bay leaves fresh or dried
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

  • Add water, apple cider (or juice), kosher salt, dark brown sugar, orange slices, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and fresh herbs to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally until salt and sugar are dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely to room temperature.
    1 gallon water, 1 gallon apple cider, 2 cups kosher salt, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 3 medium oranges, 1 head garlic, 3 tbsp black peppercorns, 4 bay leaves, 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • Place turkey, breast side down, into brining vessel (brine bag, bucket, or large pot with lid). Cover with cooled brine solution. Cover and refrigerate according to brine times in notes.
  • Remove the turkey from the brine solution and rinse well inside and out with cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and either season and roast or place on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate overnight (uncovered) to dry it out further.
  • Cook turkey according to best cooking times for the size of your bird (see notes).

Notes

Brine Times:
  • 12–14 lb. turkey: 16–18 hours
  • 14–16 lb. turkey: 18–20 hours
  • 16–18 lb. turkey: 20–22 hours
  • 18–20 lb. turkey: 22–24 hours

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 28345mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 77g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg
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