Simple Brine for Turkey
This simple brine for turkey of salt, sugar and fresh herbs is super simple and versatile--you can also use it with pork or chicken. It's the perfect amount for a turkey but it's easily adaptable to a whole turkey. Best of all with this recipe, you won't be throwing a lot of extra ingredients away because each ingredient serves a real purpose.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 8 cups hot tap water (1/2 gallon)
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 small bunch fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 sprig fresh sage leaves
- 1 (2-3 pound) boneless turkey breast half
Instructions
- Run the tap to get the water as hot as it will get. Measure 8 cups into a stainless steel bowl.
- Add the kosher salt and granulated sugar and whisk until the salt and sugar have dissolved and the water clears.
- Place the herb sprigs and peppercorns on a cutting board and crush them with a rolling pin until they're well-bruised and fragrant. Add to the water.
- If your water was extremely hot, let it cool to room temperature.
- Slip the turkey breast into the brine and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
- Pat dry to cook or pat dry and place in the refrigerator uncovered overnight to dry out the skin then proceed with your recipe.
Notes
- The general rule of thumb for brining a turkey depends on its weight, but it's generally one hour per pound. Therefore, a 12-pound turkey would need 12 hours, an 18-pound turkey would need 18 hours, etc.
- This simple brine for turkey recipe is easily doubled or tripled. Keep in mind the ratio of salt to the water. Generally, you want 4 tablespoons of salt (1/4 cup) for each quart (4 cups) of water.
- You can use dried herbs but if using dried, you'll need to apply some heat to get their flavoring ability started. Place them in a cup of water in a small saucepan on the stove and bring it to a boil. Alternatively, place in some water and heat in the microwave.
- Before adding the herbs and black peppercorns, grab your rolling pin and vigorously crush them to release their flavor. They should become very aromatic.
- Avoid using a cooler to brine a whole turkey unless you are SURE you can keep the temperature at a safe temperature BELOW 41 degrees. The danger zone for bacterial growth is between 41 and 135 degrees.
- You should never pour hot brine over a raw turkey because it promotes bacterial growth, and you can start to “cook” the turkey.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 108g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 56686mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 100g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 3mg