This Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine is quick to prepare and will make your bird exceptionally moist and flavorful.
Why brine?
Brining—soaking poultry in a salt, sugar and herb solution—infuses the meat with seasoned moisture that is retained throughout cooking. Lean cuts like the breast stay juicier and become more flavorful than unbrined poultry. Brining is an easy way to ensure a tender, well-seasoned bird every time.
Leftovers are another benefit: thick-cut chicken club sandwiches, hearty wraps, or chilled slices for salads often taste even better the next day.
This brine takes about 5–10 minutes to assemble and can be mixed the night before or the morning of cooking.
I particularly like this brine with roasted spatchcock chicken, roasted turkey breast with gravy, and other simple roasted poultry preparations.
What type of salt should I use? Are there differences?
Yes. I recommend coarse kosher salt (such as Morton’s). Different salts vary in crystal size and may contain additives, which changes how salty a brine becomes. Using the wrong type or amount can result in an overly salty bird.
Note: brined poultry often cooks slightly faster than unbrined poultry. If a recipe doesn’t account for brining, begin checking doneness with a meat thermometer a little earlier than the recipe’s suggested time.
For same-day brining (4–5 hours), use 1 cup of coarse kosher salt per gallon of water. If you brine overnight or longer than 8 hours, reduce the salt to 1/2 cup per gallon and halve the other flavoring ingredients.
If one gallon of brine doesn’t fully cover your bird, increase the water to 1.5 or 2 gallons and scale the brine ingredients proportionally.
Plans change—if you decide not to cook the bird when planned, remove it from the brine and rinse thoroughly to stop the brining process. Wrap or seal the poultry and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook. Avoid leaving poultry in brine more than 24 hours; even with reduced salt for long brines, it can become too salty.
If you try this Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine or any other recipe here, please rate it and share your results in the comments—I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Simple Turkey and Chicken Brine
Ingredients
- 16 cups water – divided 16 cups = 1 gallon
- 1 cup coarse kosher salt such as Morton’s
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1/4 cup fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1 4-6lb whole chicken (or turkey breast) see recipe notes for a large turkey
Instructions
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Boil 2 cups of water in a small saucepan.
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Add the sugar and salt to the boiling water and stir until dissolved.
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Remove from heat, add the rosemary, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns, and let the herbs steep in the hot water for about 1 minute.
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In a tall stockpot, combine the boiled mixture with the remaining 14 cups of cool water and stir to combine.
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Add a 4–6 lb chicken (or turkey breast) to the brine and refrigerate for 4–5 hours.
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Remove the poultry from the brine and rinse thoroughly before cooking.
Video
Notes
– If brining overnight or longer than 8 hours, use 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water and halve the other flavoring ingredients.
– Do not brine poultry for more than 24 hours; it can become too salty even with reduced salt for long brines.
– If one gallon of brine won’t cover the bird, increase water to 1.5–2 gallons and scale ingredients proportionally.
– If you decide not to cook the bird as planned, remove it from the brine, rinse thoroughly, then seal and refrigerate. Previously brined and rinsed poultry can be refrigerated up to two days before cooking.
Nutrition facts are approximate and reflect the brine ingredients only.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 14g
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Sodium: 14147mg
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Potassium: 38mg
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Sugar: 12g
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Vitamin A: 90IU
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Vitamin C: 3.3mg
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Calcium: 30mg
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Iron: 0.7mg
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