Skip to content

Dinner Β· Turkey

Brined Roast Turkey

A turkey soaked overnight in cold salt water with brown sugar, peppercorns and bay. Brining makes the meat juicy and well seasoned, and it’s forgiving if the breast runs a little over.

⏱ 15 hr 50 min (30 min prep, 3 hr cooking, 12 hr 20 min waiting) 🍽 Serves 10 · about 1 lb of turkey as bought, with some leftovers make aheadleftoversfreezer friendly gluten free

Part of our Thanksgiving dinner: menu, timeline and shopping list β†’

πŸ“… Add to my plan

ContainsMilk. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 10 servings
  • 11 lb Whole turkey, thawed, neck and giblets removed; not basted, self-basting, enhanced or kosher

  • Brine (most of it is poured away)

  • 1Β½ cup Kosher salt, coarse kosher salt; ΒΎ cup if using table salt
  • Β½ cup Brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Ground black pepper, whole peppercorns
  • 4 leaf Bay leaves
  • 1 Orange, quartered (optional)
  • 1Β½ gallon Water, cold, divided

  • For roasting

  • 3 tbsp Butter, unsalted, melted, or olive oil
  • 1 Yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 cup Turkey broth or stock, unsalted, for the pan

Make it yourself

Out of brown sugar? Make it β†’ Make the butter yourself β†’ Make the turkey stock yourself β†’

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

Steps

You’ll need: large food-safe brining bag or a clean container that holds the turkey and fits in your refrigerator, large pot, roasting pan with a rack, food thermometer, paper towels.

  1. Check the label first: a basted, self-basting, enhanced or kosher turkey already contains salt, so skip the brine.
  2. Make the brine: heat 4 cups of the water with the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns and bay leaves, stirring until the salt dissolves. Take it off the heat, add the orange, and stir in the rest of the cold water. Let it cool completely, then chill it. The brine must be cold before the turkey goes in.
  3. Put the thawed turkey (neck and giblets out) in the brining bag or container, set it in a pan to catch drips, and pour in the cold brine to cover. Seal the bag, pressing out the air.
  4. Refrigerate it for 12 to 24 hours, no longer, turning it once if it isn’t fully covered. The turkey and brine have to stay in the refrigerator, at 40Β°F or colder, the whole time (USDA).
  5. Lift the turkey out, let the brine drain from the cavity, and throw the brine away. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels. For crisper skin, refrigerate it uncovered for a few hours. Wash the sink and anything the brine touched.
  6. Heat the oven to 325Β°F. Set the turkey on the rack, brush with the butter, put the onion in the cavity and pour the broth into the pan.
  7. Roast 2ΒΎ to 3 hours for an 8- to 12-lb turkey (USDA’s time at 325Β°F, unstuffed; brined birds often cook a little faster, so start checking early). Tent the breast with foil once golden.
  8. Check the temperature with a food thermometer in three places, not touching bone: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh and the innermost part of the wing. Every spot must read at least 165Β°F (USDA).
  9. Let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving, so the juices settle (USDA). Tent it loosely with foil; it stays hot for 40 minutes or more. The drippings are salty: make the gravy with unsalted broth and taste before adding salt.

🌑 Safe temperaturesTurkey 165°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadMake and chill the brine the day before you brine; start brining the night before roasting.
❄️ FreezerFreeze carved leftover turkey 2 to 6 months for best quality (USDA).
β†Ί LeftoversCarve the meat off the bones and refrigerate it within 2 hours; use it within 3 to 4 days or freeze it (USDA). Reheat to 165Β°F. Make stock from the carcass.
πŸ§’ With kidsKids can measure the salt and sugar and stir the brine while it’s cool. A grown-up handles the heavy, slippery bird.
No fridge space swapIf the turkey won’t fit in your refrigerator in a container, try the dry-brined turkey instead; it needs only a sheet pan.

Goes well with

πŸ«• Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy🍞 Classic Sage and Onion Bread StuffingπŸ₯” Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Good to know

Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Stock vs. broth Food Safety Basics

An original Teddy Rook Book recipe, written for our Thanksgiving dinner; safety steps follow USDA. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.