My Favorite Turkey Brine Recipe (Wet and Dry Options)

What’s the Difference Between a Wet vs Dry Turkey Brine?

Salt and sugar are the key ingredients in both wet and dry brines. Both methods infuse flavor into the protein by changing the turkey’s structure so it retains more moisture as it cooks.

Pros and Cons of a Wet Brine

A wet brine works quickly (in as few as 12-24 hours) to infuse moisture into the turkey; skin, meat, and all. The brine penetrates directly into the flesh and skin, plumping and adding water and moisture as it soaks in its salt bath. When cooked, this results in an amazingly juicy turkey.

But, a wet brine can be somewhat awkward to maneuver since you’ll need more fridge space for a container big enough to submerge a 14 lb turkey in 2 gallons of saltwater solution (or more if your turkey is larger) and keep it cold as it brines (I share a different way to do it below). A wet brine also adds more water to the skin, resulting in a lesser browned bird.

Pros and Cons of a Dry Brine

On the flip side, a dry brine draws out moisture from the meat, then resettles into itself as it cooks, as a self-marinade in its salty brine. Dry brines take longer to work their magic (at least 24-48 hours), but take less fridge space since you can set it on a baking sheet and let it do its thing. And, the salt pulls out the moisture from the skin so it tightens and browns easier.

Ingredients for the Wet Brine

The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.

• Kosher salt — I use Morton’s Salt. If you use Diamond Crystal, use ¼ more than what’s called for, as it’s not as concentrated as Morton’s. Definitely do NOT use iodized salt as it’s way too concentrated.
• Sugar — White or brown: sweeteners help with browning the skin.
• Water — From the tap is fine.
• Whole peppercorns — For flavor.
• Fresh herbs — Use something like rosemary, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme.

Additional flavorings to experiment with:

• Orange peels or lemon peels
• Sliced apples
• Cloves garlic
• Red or white onion
• Spices like juniper berries, mustard seed, star anise, chiles, allspice berries, cinnamon sticks
• Apple juice or cider in lieu of half of the cold water

How to Wet Brine a Turkey

1. Boil 8 cups of water with the salt, sugar, and other aromatics. Just boil for a minute or two until the salt and sugar are dissolved, or heat half of the water in a tea kettle at a time, and mix into the salt, sugar, and aromatics. Once dissolved, combine the salt water solution with more water to make 2 gallons of solution.
2. Add more water if needed. If the salt and sugar don’t seem to be dissolving, add more water to the solution and keep stirring. I’ve found that water can absorb only so much salt at one time, so the higher the proportion of water there is to take in the salt, the better it will dissolve.
3. Mix with ice water. Add the saltwater solution to the remaining amount of COLD water and ice to make up 2 gallons of the saltwater solution.

4. Submerge that bird. Take the turkey straight from the bag, draining any of the residual juices over a baking sheet, then transfer right to the brining bag (I use this box of three super strong brining bags or these single-sold brining bags that work like a charm). Pour the brine over the turkey and add the herbs. It’s important the turkey is completely submerged in the wet brine, especially the breast since it is the part most likely to dry out.
5. Let the brine do its thing. Allow 12-24 hours for the turkey to brine, then allow for an additional 12-24 hours for the skin to dry out so it browns and crisps when it cooks. If brining the turkey breast only, brine the breast for just 6-8 hours.

**NOTE!!! NEVER add hot or warm saltwater solution to a raw turkey or you’ll end up with a potentially very bad bacteria contamination situation. Always use room temperature or chilled saltwater solution. I always use ice cubes to make up part of my amounts of water.

How to Dry Brine a Turkey

1. Mix your brine. For a 14-16 lb turkey, I stir 4 tablespoons of kosher salt with 4 teaspoons of sugar.
2. Prep your turkey. Experts say never rinse a turkey before brining. Take it straight from the bag, draining any of the residual juices, into the brining bag. Place your turkey on a baking sheet with raised sides or in a roasting pan to catch the liquid the turkey will purge.
3. Rub a dub that bird. With your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breast and legs of the bird, as much as you can without tearing the skin. Rub the salt mix under and on top of the skin and inside the cavity of the bird.
4. Let the brine work its magic. Set the turkey in the fridge for 24-48 hours.

Which One Was Better? The Taste Tester Results

You’ve patiently waited for the final taste test results. So, which Thanksgiving turkey brine tasted best?

While the dry brine was deemed VERY good, the wet brine was declared to be better.

Pleasantly salty and plumped, the wet-brined turkey was moist, juicy, and everyone’s first choice. Although not as Malibu-Barbie browned as the dry-brined turkey, the wet-brined turkey’s uncovered rest in the refrigerator still produced a crisp skin that complemented the juicy meat.

So no matter which brine you choose, brining is the way to a better turkey every time. But don’t forget that gravy!

Brining FAQs