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Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any celebratory meal, preparing a holiday feast requires you to prioritize. Maybe homemade mac and cheese is nonnegotiable, but you’re fine with stuffing from the box. Maybe you prefer cranberry sauce from a can. But there’s one dish that accepts no compromises: the Thanksgiving turkey.
If you want the juiciest possible bird, you’re going to want to learn how to brine a turkey. The process may take a little time (start at least 2 days ahead of the feast), but properly brining a turkey yields the juiciest, most succulent meat—no dryness here. This easy turkey brining method from chef Thomas Keller gives you the best of both worlds: the crispy skin of a dry-brined turkey, but the supreme juiciness of a wet-brined bird. How, you ask? Let’s get into it.
Wet brine vs. dry brine:
You have two ways to go here: the wet-brining method or the dry-brining method. Dry-brining involves rubbing a turkey with salt (and possibly some aromatics), then allowing the skin to dry out in the fridge overnight or for up to 3 days. This method is best for achieving crispy skin—but if you want an extra-juicy bird, consider the wet brine.
Wet-brining involves soaking a turkey in a saltwater solution overnight, resulting in an incredibly flavorful bird, plump with moisture. A raw turkey left to soak in unsalted water will plump some, but when there’s salt present, the proteins absorb more of the brine and retain more of that water as it cooks. For example, a 12-pound turkey soaked overnight in a wet brine will weigh over 13 pounds when it emerges. In the oven this added moisture will offset the juices released during roasting, resulting in a very moist bird. A wet brine also provides an opportunity for introducing additional flavors—think apple cider, maple syrup, chile peppers, or star anise.
Detractors of wet brining complain a wet-brined bird can be slow to brown. But Keller’s foolproof method includes a smart final step that results in extra-crispy skin.
How to brine a turkey:
Every wet brine starts with this simple salt solution requiring just two ingredients: water and salt. Some cooks add aromatics, herbs, and spices to their brine for a more flavorful turkey, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
The water: You’ll typically need 1–2 gallons of water to brine a whole turkey. You can use tap or filtered water for your turkey brine—as long as you’d drink it, it’s suitable for a brine. It’s the temperature of the water that really matters. You never want to pour hot or warm water over a raw turkey, which can lead to bacterial growth. Many recipes will instruct you to heat the water first for a few reasons: First, for an even brine, you’ll want to dissolve the salt, which is easier to do when the water is hot. Second, if you like to incorporate aromatics, heating the water will help to draw out their flavors.
For this reason, you may also need a big bag of ice so that you can bring everything to a boil with half the recommended amount of liquid, let it steep, then cool it down quickly by adding ice to reach the prescribed volume. Whatever way you go, keep the turkey out of the equation until you have a bath of salty cold water ready and waiting.
The salt: Not all salts are created equal. Different varieties and brands of salt have varying densities, which means that a teaspoon of one brand of kosher salt might not have the same level of salinity as a teaspoon of another brand. As for table salt, that’s a whole other discussion. We prefer Diamond Crystal kosher salt; you’ll need about half the amount if you use Morton kosher. Fine sea salt devotee? Even less.
One way to bypass the confusion is to measure your salt by weight. But if you don’t have a kitchen scale, check out our salt conversion chart to determine how much you should use.
Oh, and about that table salt: Avoid it, especially when brining. Table salt contains additives that prevent it from clumping. In large quantities, these can lead to bitterness (and nobody likes a bitter bird).
The (optional) add-ins: Kick up the flavor of your brine by infusing the liquid with any number of aromatics, herbs, and spices. Some popular add-ins include bay leaves, whole peppercorns, star anise, whole allspice, dried chile, fresh rosemary sprigs, garlic, and orange peels. Many like to add sweeteners, like white or brown sugar, honey, or molasses. You could also swap out a portion of the water for apple cider, apple juice, or white wine.
Whether it’s your first time hosting a holiday party or you’re a seasoned pro, this easy turkey brining method will make a true Thanksgiving centerpiece (the sides aren’t stealing this show). Starting from frozen? Here’s how long to thaw a frozen turkey, depending on how much time you have.
Rather than measuring by volume, most brines are calculated by their concentration, or the ratio of salt to water. The basic proportion of salt to water for a whole turkey ranges from 2–5% salt (by weight) for the quantity of water. This gives you a relatively mild brine designed to season a whole turkey. This formula also works for brining turkey parts (like turkey breasts and legs) or other poultry, like a whole chicken.
Brine recipe for turkey, based on weight:
- For a 12–16-lb. turkey: 7 quarts (6.6 L) water + 145 g kosher salt
- For an 18–20-lb. turkey: 10 quarts (9.5 L) water + 216 g kosher salt
Want to infuse your brine with spices, fresh herbs, or aromatics? Bring the saltwater solution to a boil and allow the ingredients to steep. But remember: Pouring hot or warm brine over a raw turkey can cause bacterial growth, so you’ll have to ensure the water is completely cool before proceeding. If you’re short on time, bring only half the water to a boil. When the salt is dissolved and the aromatics smell fragrant (about 10 minutes), add half the water’s weight in ice to cool the brine.
Keller uses halved lemons, honey, thyme, parsley, garlic, and more to his wet-brined turkey recipe. If you want to add a sweetener to your brine, a good guideline is to add about ¼ the amount of sweetener as salt. (If you’re making a brine with 145g kosher salt, you’ll want to add 36g sweetener.) When roasting, any sweetener will cause the turkey skin to brown more quickly, so you may need to cover the top with aluminum foil if it gets too dark.
Arrange a turkey-sized brining bag in a large roasting pan, folding back the opening to form a collar. Place the turkey (giblets removed) into the brining bag and pour the brine over the bird. Squeeze out any excess air in the bag, ensuring the turkey is covered in liquid, and secure it closed.
Don’t have a turkey-brining bag? Use any container large enough to keep the turkey fully submerged, like a large stock pot or a 5-gallon bucket. Weigh the turkey down with a heavy plate to keep it submerged.
The brining time depends on the size of your turkey. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to let the turkey brine for at least 1 hour per pound of turkey. Here’s a breakdown of how long to brine a turkey based on size:
- 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
For the best results, turn the turkey every 6–8 hours so it brines evenly. Don’t leave the turkey in the brine for longer than recommended—over-brining can render the bird too salty and turn the texture spongy.
Don’t have room in the fridge? You can let the turkey brine in a cooler while covered in ice packs. Be sure to monitor the temperature (an instant-read thermometer—or, better, a probe thermometer—is helpful here) to ensure it stays between 32°–40°F.
Here’s where we diverge from other wet brine recipes. Instead of simply patting the turkey dry with paper towels and sliding it into the oven, you’ll pull it from the briny depths a day early and stick it in the fridge uncovered to dry out the skin (key for golden-brown and crisp Rockwellian glory).
Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days (the turkey needs ample time to dry off after its long bath). Now, all that’s left to do is cook that bird. We promise crispy skin and juicy meat, no basting necessary. Need some more guidance? Check out these turkey cook times and approximate serving sizes. Oh, and don’t forget to turn those flavorful pan drippings into a rich turkey gravy.
Additional reporting contributed by Becky Hughes and Molly Stevens.
