For your Christmas turkey, there are a variety of brines available, many of which share ingredients. The fundamental idea is that brining a turkey—or any meat—helps it retain moisture throughout lengthy cooking times. According to my husband, this recipe produced the juiciest turkey he has ever tasted. The meat was so delicate and juicy that even after over 4 hours of cooking, you could squeeze the juice from it. And there was just the right amount of the savory and sweet flavors to balance the brine and give the turkey those flavors. Happy eating!
| Prep Time: | 15 mins |
| Cook Time: | 5 mins |
| Total Time: | 20 mins |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 gallon vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups sea salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 gallons water
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 apples, cut into quarters
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
Instructions
- Combine vegetable broth, sea salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Pour the water, broth mixture, and apple cider vinegar into a 5-gallon bucket; stir until brine is combined. Add the apples, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic to the brine mixture.
- Crushed peppercorns can be substituted for whole, if desired.
- Fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme can be substituted for dried.
- To brine the turkey:
- Wash and dry the turkey; remove the innards. Place the turkey, breast down, into the brine making sure that the cavity gets filled. Seal the brining container; brine for 12 to 24 hours. Remove the turkey. Carefully drain off excess brine; pat dry. Discard excess brine. Cook as desired.
- You should always roast your turkey to the recommended internal temperature, as ovens and cooking times will vary.
- Always brine foods in a food-grade, nonreactive container such as a stainless steel or enameled stockpot, a brining bag, or a food-grade plastic bucket.
- Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary.
Reviews
Followed the recipe exactly
Easy recipe that made the most delicious and tender turkey!
I brined a turkey years ago and it was amazing. I have not been able to find the recipe trying several that just didn’t cut it til now. This one is just as good as the first one. I got so many compliments on how juicy the turkey was not to mention my stuffing. Will use it every year. So glad I found this.
I brined my turkey using this recipe. it was FANTASTIC!!!!! It had a perfect taste, all of the meat was juicy – even the white meat that I usually hate because it is so dry was moist and tender! AWESOME!!