Turkey Brine 101
Q: I need a basic brine recipe!
A: Sure thing! 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, flavorings (such as 1/4 cup of mixed dry herbs).
Apple Sage
Here are the instructions for the Turkey Perfect - Apple Sage Brine Kit, please let me know if you need anything else. Happy Thanksgiving!
What You'll Need:
- 1 package Turkey Perfect - Apple Sage Brine Kit
- 1 cup sugar
- 5 quarts water
- 2 quarts apple cider or juice
- 1 turkey (up to 25 lbs), thawed
- 1 EL-Zip, single use brining bag (included)
- 1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 2 quarts ice
Brining Directions
Dissolve brine mix, sugar, and 4 quarts water in large pot over medium; cool to room temperature
Place turkey (neck and giblets removed) into brine bag, breast side down, and set inside ice filled cooler or roasting pan for support.
Pour remaining 1 quarts water, prepared brine, vinegar, and ice into bag, seal tightly, removing excess air. Brine in refrigerator or ice filled cooler for 1 hour per pound of turkey. (do not over-brine)
Remove turkey from bring bag; pat dry. Brush lightly with melted butter and roast, smoke or fry. For crispy skin, air dry turkey in refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
8-12 lb turkey: Use half bring mix and cut recipe in half.
Turkey Breast/s: Use half of brine mix; cut recipe in half. Brine for 5 hours.
**DO NOT COOK IN BRINE BAG**
Herb
Here are the instructions for the Turkey Perfect - Herb Kit, please let me know if you need anything else. Happy Thanksgiving!
What You'll Need:
- 1 package Turkey Perfect - Herb Brine Kit
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 quarts water
- 1 turkey (up to 25 lbs), thawed
- 1 EL-Zip, single use brining bag (included)
- 1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 2 quarts ice
Brining Directions
Dissolve brine mix, sugar, and 4 quarts water in large pot over medium; cool to room temperature
Place turkey (neck and giblets removed) into brine bag, breast side down, and set inside ice filled cooler or roasting pan for support.
Pour remaining 3 quarts water, prepared brine, vinegar, and ice into bag, seal tightly, removing excess air. Brine in refrigerator or ice filled cooler for 1 hour per pound of turkey. (do not over-brine)
Remove turkey from bring bag; pat dry. Brush lightly with melted butter and roast, smoke or fry. For crispy skin, air dry turkey in refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
8-12 lb turkey: Use half bring mix and cut recipe in half.
Turkey Breast/s: Use half of brine mix; cut recipe in half. Brine for 5 hours.
**DO NOT COOK IN BRINE BAG**
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Cajun
Here are the instructions for the Turkey Perfect - Cajun Kit, please let me know if you need anything else. Happy Thanksgiving!
What You'll Need:
- 1 package Turkey Perfect - Cajun Brine Kit
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 7 quarts water
- 1 turkey (up to 25 lbs), thawed
- 1 EL-Zip, single use brining bad (included)
- 1/2 cup vinegar (apple cider or white)
- 2 quarts ice
Brining Directions
Dissolve brine mix, sugar, and 4 quarts water in large pot over medium; cool to room temperature
Place turkey (neck and giblets removed) into brine bag, breast side down, and set inside ice filled cooler or roasting pan for support.
Pour remaining 3 quarts water, prepared brine, vinegar, and ice into bag, seal tightly, removing excess air. Brine in refrigerator or ice filled cooler for 1 hour per pound of turkey. (do not over-brine)
Remove turkey from bring bag; pat dry. Brush lightly with melted butter and roast, smoke or fry. For crispy skin, air dry turkey in refrigerator for up to 24 hours prior to cooking.
8-12 lb turkey: Use half bring mix and cut recipe in half.
Turkey Breast/s: Use half of brine mix; cut recipe in half. Brine for 5 hours.
**DO NOT COOK IN BRINE BAG**
Turkey Dry Brine
Here are the instructions for the Turkey Dry Brine.
- Remove giblets and neck from fresh or partially frozen turkey and pat turkey dry with paper towels.
- Using hands, loosen skin under breasts and meaty part of legs. Season inside cavity with 1 teaspoon dry brine and rub 4 teaspoons of brine under skin of breast and legs. Sprinkle remaining dry brine over breast and legs of turkey, making sure to coat sides and wings.
- Bend wings back and tuck under breast.
- Place turkey breast side up in refrigerator, uncovered, and brine for 2-3 days.
- Do not rinse before cooking. Brush with oil and cook to your liking.
*Turkey Breasts: Dry brine with 1 tablespoon brine per 5 pounds of turkey.
Turkey Brine FAQ
Q: Does brining reduce roasting time?
A: No. Our rule of thumb is to gauge meat readiness by internal temperature. The turkey breast should reach 165°F.
Q: Can I use the Turkey Perfect Brine Kit as a dry brine?
A: Yes. Since our brine kits already include salt, please make sure you don't add any additional salt.
Q: Can I brine my turkey for longer than the instructions recommend?
A: Do not brine your turkey for longer than the instructions recommend. It will not make it more flavorful - just too salty. There is no rescue for over brined meat.
Q: I forgot to brine my turkey until today and I don’t have enough time! What happens if I don't brine for the required time?
A: Accidents happen! As long as you are able to brine for at least 30 minutes per pound of turkey, the turkey will be juicier than if you don't brine at all. Brining for shorter than the recommended time period might not give the brine time to get to the center of the turkey, but you'll still notice a difference in flavor!
Q: How far in advance can I brine my turkey? Can I do it 2 days ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge?
A: Yes, you can brine your turkey ahead of time. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry, and place on rimmed baking sheet or inside roasting pan. Store turkey in refrigerator, uncovered, for up to 24 hours before cooking. Allow turkey to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Q: Will brining make my turkey taste salty?
A: If you have followed the Turkey Perfect brining instructions, then the salt content of the turkey will increase less than 1% after brining. Unless you over brine, the turkey should not taste salt at all.
Q: I need a basic brine recipe!
A: Sure thing! 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, flavorings (such as 1/4 cup of mixed dry herbs).
Q: Can I brine a turducken?
A: No. A turducken combines meats from a turkey, chicken, and duck—all of which will be affected by the brine at different rates. That could lead to salty parts of your meat and overall uneven flavor.
Q: Can I brine a Kosher turkey?
A: No, Kosher turkeys have already been heavily salted, and we do not recommend brining a kosher bird.
Q: Can I brine a tofurkey?
A: No, we don't recommend it. Tofu is a differently shaped protein than meat and brining will not have the same effect on it.
Q: Do I have to rinse my turkey after brining?
A: If you plan on making gravy from the drippings, we do recommend rinsing your turkey. Otherwise, rinsing is not necessary.
Q: Will rinsing my turkey after it is brined take the flavor out of it?
A: No, it will remove the salt from the skin but will keep the brine flavor that was infused into the turkey.
Q: Do I have to add sugar to my Turkey Perfect Brine?
A: Sugar aids in the browning of your turkey skin and helps balance out the salt in the brine mix. If sugar is a problem for you, however, you can reduce the amount slightly or omit it all together and brine your turkey a few hours less. We do not recommend substituting Splenda, Truvia or other artificial sweeteners for sugar.
Q: Can I substitute Splenda or other artificial sweeteners for the sugar needed for the brine?
A: No, definitely don’t use any artificial sweeteners when brining a turkey. They don’t interact with the vinegar, salt, and herbs in the brine mix the same and will not produce good flavor.
Q: Can I brine a self-basted or injected turkey (such as Butterball)?
A: It is best to start with an all-natural turkey for maximum flavor. Self-basted or injected turkeys are injected with a flavorless brine solution. You can still brine with our flavorful Turkey Perfect (to add delicious herb flavor), but we recommend reducing brining time to 40 minutes per pound.
Q: May I brine in other liquid besides water?
A: Fruit juice (apple, orange, and cranberry), beer, wine, and buttermilk can be used, but do not substitute more than 1/3 of the total water content. General rule of thumb: use 1 part substitution liquid to 2 parts water.
Q: Do I have to use vinegar in my brine?
A: No, vinegar is optional. The vinegar serves as an anti-microbial (and precaution) helping prevent bacteria growth while brining your turkey. If the turkey is stored in an environment that is at least 38° F then you do not need the vinegar.
Q: How much brine mix do I need for a 6-pound turkey?
A: For any turkey under 12 pounds:
- Prepare brine solution by using 1/2 the brine mix and 2 quarts of water.
- Cut the brining recipe in half (1 qt of ice, 1-1/2 qts water, prepared brine solution, and 1/4 c vinegar.
- Brine for 1 hour per pound of turkey
Q: Can I brine my turkey while it is thawing?
A: When wet brining your turkey, you must start with a fully thawed turkey. If you would like to try dry brining (link to dry brining blog) with Turkey Perfect then you can start with a frozen turkey. Check out fireandflavor.com for a recipe on using Turkey Perfect as a dry brine.
Q: Can I brine a frozen turkey?
A: When wet brining your turkey, you must start with a fully thawed turkey. If you would like to try dry brining (link to dry brining blog) with Turkey Perfect then you can start with a frozen turkey. Check out fireandflavor.com for a recipe on using Turkey Perfect as a dry brine.
Q: Is there a best way to position my turkey in the brine bag?
A: Yes. Place the turkey breast-side down in the brine bag for best results. This ensures that the largest concentration of meat is submerged as much as possible.
Q: Where should I store my turkey while it is brining?
A: Your turkey can be placed inside a roasting pan in your refrigerator or store directly on ice in a cooler. Make sure the cooler/refrigerator is 35-38°F.
Q: I need a basic brine recipe!
A: Sure thing! 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, flavorings (such as 1/4 cup of mixed dry herbs).
Q: How do I make sure my turkey is completely submerged in the brine solution?
A: If you are putting your turkey and brine solution in a cooler, it is best to use a small cooler so that the bag, brine, and turkey fit snuggly in the cooler. This will hold the liquid around the turkey. You can also use a zip tie to tighten up the bag below the zip closure.
Q: Can I brine two small turkeys at the same time in the same bag? What if the turkeys are different sizes?
A: Yes. Use the whole box of brine mix but only leave each turkey in the brine for 1 hour/pound. So if you had a 6 pound turkey and an 8 pound turkey, take the 6 pound turkey our after 6 hours and leave the 8 pound turkey in for 8 hours.
Q: Can I brine my turkey for longer than 24 hours?
A: No. Brining works much faster than a marinade so brining a turkey for longer than recommended will oversaturate the bird. An over-brined turkey will taste salty.
Q: Can I brine a small turkey or turkey breast?
A: Yes, just cut the brine mix and recipe in half.
- Prepare brine solution by using 1/2 the brine mix and 2 quarts of water.
- Cut the brining recipe in half (1 qt of ice, 1-1/2 qts water, prepared brine solution, and 1/4 c vinegar.
- Brine for 1 hour per pound of for a whole turkey or 5 hours for a turkey breast
Q: Can I make gravy out of brined turkey drippings?
A: Yes, you can make gravy from a brined turkey, but do not add additional salt—that would make the gravy too salty. A good basic recipe is cup of drippings + 1 cup of water + 1 cup of chicken stock = 3 cups of gravy. If too salty, add more water.
Q: Can I add more rub/seasonings after I brine?
A: Yes, just don’t add any more salt.
Q: What is ice water used for?
A: Add ice to brine mixture to continue to cool down the room temperature brine mixture. The mixture is room temperature which is warmer than the bird.
Q: My brine bag broke, what should I do?
A: Do not fret! Use an unscented garbage bag.
Q: Why is an additional quart of water needed after the mixture has been dissolved?
A: Additional water is needed to continue to dilute the brine mixture.
Q: Should I keep the brine mixture in the refrigerator if using it the following day?
A: Yes, we recommend using it within 48 hours.
Q: Can I brine my already brined turkey?
A: We recommend brining natural or fresh turkeys. If you only have a brined turkey on hand, reduce the brining time in half.
Q: I accidentally put the rest of the ingredients in step 1 instead of step 2. Is that okay?
A: Yes, that’s not going to affect the taste of the brine!
Q: Are there any peanuts or tree nuts in the brine or in the facility where the brine was made?
A: No, there are no nuts used in the production of our brine mixes. Our blends are also not run on machines that process nuts.
Q: I have diabetes. Can I cut out the sugar when I make the brine?
A: Sugar aids in the browning of your turkey skin and helps balance out the salt in the brine mix. If sugar is a problem for you, however, you can reduce the amount slightly or omit it all together and cut the brine time by ¼. Make sure you use real sugar and don’t substitute with Splenda, Truvia, or other artificial sweeteners
Q: How much can your Fire & Flavor brine bag hold?
A: Up to a 25-pound turkey plus 2 gallons of brine.
Q: Can I cook my turkey in a brine bag?
A: No. The brine bag is not a roasting bag. It will melt in a heated oven.
