How to Brine a Turkey: Wet and Dry Brine

Brine is the key to a moist and succulent turkey that will delight your guests. It imparts moisture and flavour to all types of meat. Since turkey is lean meat, this technique ensures your festive dinner isn't tough and dry.

Looking for the best turkey brine recipe? We've got you covered with both wet brine and dry brine directions. These two types of brines, infused with aromatic ingredients, will become your go-to method to get the most tender and juicy turkey you'll ever eat.

What is brining?

Brining means making a salt and water solution and soaking the turkey for about 24 hours to allow the salt to infiltrate the turkey and change the molecule structure of the meat. This treatment keeps the turkey moist during roasting and prevents it from drying out. Spices and seasonings are often added to brine recipes to enhance the flavour.

There are two types of brines: wet and dry. A wet brine soaks the turkey in salt water. As the meat absorbs the water, the salt helps the muscles retain the liquid, resulting in a juicy turkey. A dry brine, on the other hand, doesn't contain water. The salt combines with the meat juices and is absorbed into the turkey. With this technique, instead of submerging your turkey in a brine solution, rub it with salt and let it sit in the fridge for 24-72 hours.

Both methods produce delicious results and require little effort. Choose the option that works for you, and get ready to savour a mouthwatering turkey for this holiday season.

Wet and dry turkey brine

Total time: 15 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the wet brine

16 cups water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp dried red pepper flakes
1 tbsp dried sage
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 heads garlic sliced in half
14 to 18- pound turkey, innards removed

For the dry brine

8 tbsp kosher salt
4-8 tbsp freshly cracked black peppercorns
4 tbsp dried oregano
4 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp paprika

Preparation

For the wet brine

Step 01

Combine 8 cups of water, salt, dark brown sugar, red pepper flakes, sage, thyme and garlic in a large pot over medium heat.

Step 02

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until everything is well combined and the sugar is dissolved.

Step 03

Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Stir in the remaining 8 cups of water.

Step 04

Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the turkey. Add the turkey, adding more water to cover the bird entirely.

Step 05

Turn the bird a few times and then place it breast-side down in the water. Chill for at least 8 hours and up to 72 hours. Remove the bird from the brine and roast it.

For the dry brine

Step 01

Combine all the seasonings. Set a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and place the turkey on it. Rub ½ cup of the dry brine on the back side of the turkey, ½ cup on the legs and 1 cup on the breast.