My Favorite Turkey Brine Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

FAQs

Should you add herbs to brine? ›

Brines can be simply salt and water however, the addition of herbs and spices can give your brine added flavor.

Bobby Flay treats two turkeys to a fragrant brine and spice rub. When it's time for roasting, one turkey cooks in a Cuban-style box for smoky results and the other in a green ceramic grill using smoked wood chips for bold hickory flavor.

The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less). Remove turkey from brine after the recommended time.

The basic ratio for a wet turkey brine is to use 2 cups of kosher salt or coarse sea salt for every 2 gallons of water. The benefit of a wet brine is that it can work slightly quicker than a dry brine because it infuses the entire turkey in a salty solution.

Flavoring a Brine

tend to work best. Our Brining Mix features aromatic garlic and bay leaves, the citrus flavors of coriander, lemon, orange, and lemon verbena, as well as sweet allspice and sharp peppercorns. It's a great all-purpose blend for brining turkey, chicken, pork, or shrimp.

Rather than fresh herbs, use 1 tablespoon of dried herbs. Other popular brine additions include whole peppercorns, lemon or orange quarters, bay leaves, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

You should always rinse the turkey after wet or dry brining. Once rinsed, you can let the turkey air dry, uncovered, in the refrigerator for several hours, or pat it dry with a paper towel.

Q: Can I stuff a brined turkey? A: We do not recommend stuffing a brined bird because the drippings from the turkey can add too much salt to the stuffing. We prefer to cook our stuffing separately.

One key reason is the taste—whether you wet-brine or dry-brine, using all! that! salt! infuses the bird with flavor, giving it an extra boost before you add any spices or aromatics. It also helps the meat retain its moisture and can help you avoid over-cooking, our associate food editor Kelsey Youngman explains.

Yes, it should absolutely be kept refrigerated while you are brining which is typically done for several hours and in some cases several days.

Can you brine turkey in aluminum pan? ›

When brining turkey or any other meat, you'll want to use a pan made from non-reactive material, such as ceramic, enamel, glass, plastic or stainless steel. Avoid aluminum and copper, as they react with salt and can ruin both your pan and the turkey.

Basic Brine

Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.

For brining a chicken iodized table salt will work just fine.

Yes! You can choose to use a seasoning blend, make your own, or salt-then-season. Just remember to omit salt from the seasonings you are using after you pre-salt or dry brine. If you choose to add seasoning when you dry brine, start with the salt on your food.

For all-purpose brine, a good rule of thumb is: ¼ cup of kosher salt and ¼ cup of sugar for every quart of water. You can also add aromatics or other flavorings to intensify the seasoning, like whole peppercorns, garlic cloves, dried herbs, whole spices, citrus or other fruit, mirepoix or fruit juices.

Brining adds flavor and it does it more quickly and effectively than marinating, but it also adds moisture. What happens in brining is that we place food (usually meat) into a salt and water solution (that solution is generally flavored with additional aromatics) that has a high ratio of sodium.

You can absolutely season your meat after brining. Keep in mind that the brine is very salt-rich, so you won't need to add any extra salt. Feel free to season with your favorite dry rub after brining. You can also toss the meat with low- or no-salt liquid marinades.