Description
Elevate your holiday meals with this simple yet flavorful turkey brine recipe. Perfectly brined turkey boasts a tender, juicy texture that will impress your family and friends. With a harmonious blend of herbs, spices, and citrus, this brine infuses your turkey with mouthwatering flavors while ensuring it stays moist during cooking. Whether it’s Thanksgiving or a casual gathering, this recipe guarantees a show-stopping centerpiece for your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 4 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine water, kosher salt, and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir until dissolved.
- Incorporate rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, garlic cloves, and lemon slices. Simmer for 5 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Remove from heat and add ice cubes to quickly cool the brine.
- Place the cleaned turkey in a large container or cooler and pour cooled brine over it until fully submerged.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours before cooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Category: Main
- Method: Brining
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 oz (85g)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Customize your brine by adding other herbs like sage or substituting citrus with orange slices for different flavor profiles. Ensure the turkey is fully submerged in the brine for even seasoning.