How To Brine A Turkey

September 5, 2026

2 Views 0

SaveSavedRemoved 0

How Do I Brine A Turkey?

Brining a turkey is a delicious way to prep your turkey for cooking. It involves soaking your turkey for many hours or overnight, up to 24 hours. The turkey absorbs some of the brine while soaking in the liquid, and the salt dissolves some muscle proteins, which helps in losing less moisture as it cooks. All the spices just make it delicious.

Brining just helps overall in making your turkey even better. Guest writer. Mr. Cherry shares his recipe. Enjoy!

***If you are planning to smoke the turkey, check out our recipe here.

Hard Apple Cider & Broth Turkey Brine Recipe

3 32oz Chicken Broth
2 12 oz Hard Cider (orange or any citrus)
1 Sweet Onion
1 Purple Onion
1 Whole Head of Garlic
2 tbsp Salt
3 tbsp Garlic Salt
3 tbsp Uncle Chris’s Seasoning (optional) *Or your favorite all seasoning
1 teaspoon Chupacabra Seasoning (optional) *Or your favorite BBQ seasoning
1 teaspoon Chili Powder
3 Bay Leaves
1 tbsp Oregano
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Rosemary
1 teaspoon Thyme

Cut onion into large pieces. Separate garlic into cloves, remove protective skin and crush.
Bring large pot to boil with all ingredients. After full boil, let simmer 5 minutes.
After simmering, fill the pot the rest of the way with ice. Refrigerate until cool. Brine MUST be cold before use on the turkey.
Remove turkey from packaging and remove giblet pack. Rinse bird inside and out and pat dry. Turkey neck will be in the chest cavity, the giblet pack will be in either the chest or neck cavity.
Set up brine bag in large baking pan or for smaller turkey in a crock pot. This will help prevent from getting turkey brine or blood everywhere.
Put turkey in brine bag and cover turkey with ice. Pour the brine solution over the turkey and tie a secure knot. Turkey must be completely submerged. If you need more liquid, add water.
Let turkey in brine sit for up to 24 hours.

***If you are planning to smoke the turkey, check out our recipe here.

The brine has really made a difference in the outcome of the bird. Plump, moist turkey is always a win. Brining prior to cooking infuses the turkey with spices, breaks down the muscle proteins and tenderizes the meat, and allows the softened tissue to retain moisture during the cooking process, and we all know turkey takes forever to cook!