How to brine a turkey or chicken? I’m covering this simple method in today’s post and giving you my favorite go-to brine ingredients for succulent poultry every time.
I first started brining my chicken back when I got my hands on Mel Joulwan’s ahhhhmazing book Well Fed. Since then, I’ve created lots of different brines, mostly for lean chicken (think white meat) and pork.
Letting the meat soak in brine, a salted water sometimes infused with herbs and spices, is sort of like a marinade.
Instead of just imparting flavor though, the brine keeps the meat moist and juicy which is always a challenge with leaner cuts. How does it work? Basically the salt causes the muscle protein to soften and get less tough when cooked. More moisture is retained during the cooking process.
If a little brining time is good, more must be better…right? Actually no. Oversoaking the meat will eventually cause moisture to be drawn out of the meat. The following method works for any lean meat—chicken, turkey, and shellfish like shrimp are great—and you can scale up or down depending on the quantity of protein you’re dealing with.
How to brine a turkey or chicken? I'm covering this simple method in today's post and giving you my favorite go-to brine ingredients for succulent poultry every time.
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37 Responses
I think I will have a bird between 12-15 kilos so roughly between 25-35 pounds and I will only have 12-15 hours before I cook it. Would it make sense to brine it or is it too little time? Thanks Emily
I have brined my turkey for a few years and i love the results. I put my turkey in a clean 40lb cat litter tub that has a snap on lid, and store it inthe garage overnight where it is cold but not freezzing. Who has enough room in the fridg for a bucket of turkey. Good luck
I know, right?
I read recently that Kosher turkeys are pre-salted in the blood-removal process (or something like that). Do you know anything about this? I’m cooking a Kosher, pastured turkey for the first time this year, so my main question is if there is anything I should modify when I brine/cook the turkey? Thank you!
Hi Amber…hmmmm, I admit to knowing pretty much zero about the Kosher preparation of meat. If the meat has already been brined, you won’t want to do it again. But, if the outside only has been salted, you can probably give it a good rinse, then brine away. Hope that helps! Maybe one of my readers will know!
Is there any problem keeping the turkey in the refrigerator for another day after the brining process is complete?
Hi Christine…if you dry it off and properly cover it, it should be okay as long as the turkey hasn’t been thawed for too long before that.
I’m using a brine for the first time this year and I can’t wait to see how it turns out! Thank you for some clear guidelines to follow. Have a beautiful holiday!
All the spices I have are ground. Is this ok?
Hi Susan! I would maybe cut the quantities in half (except for the salt). Ground spices are a bit more intense than their whole counterparts 🙂
EEE brining a chicken for the first time! My mom gave me a soup blend from nuts.com (not paleo…but at least organic and she’s trying haha) and called for a whole chicken. I decided to brine it first, cook it, and then shred it before adding it to the soup 🙂 So I am hoping this turns out well. I also modified the salt, I used Himalayan pink salt so we’ll see how this turns out!
Keep me posted on the outcome! 🙂
Hi ! I want to brin a pork loin but wonder if this recipe could apply to it or what to do differently ? Your recipe is my go to for roasted brined chicken 🙂
Thank you
Hi Nolwenn…you certainly can brine pork and I do it all the time 🙂 This recipe should work as-is. Or you can try this one: https://www.stephgaudreau.com/2014/06/26/brined-pan-seared-pork-chops-plus-chance-win-paleo-season/. It’s got spices that might work better with pork. Have fun with it!
Thanks a lot Steph !
Do you have an idea of the brining time for a loin and if the volume of brine is the same than for the chops recipe ? Sorry for bothering you, I think once I will have it figured out, it will be easier 😉 thanks
Hi Nolwenn,
You’d go a bit longer for the loin since it’s thicker…I usually try to do 2-3 hours. It depends on the total weight of the meat but you’ll need enough brine to cover it.
It all sounds good I’m wanting to make turkey like a ham is that posable
Hi Eric…can you explain what you mean?
Hi Steph. This sounds like a perfect recipe for my Christmas turkey. Question: can I use pink Himalayan salt?? Look forward to your response and thank you!
I don’t see why not!
I have been roasting my chickens in a crock pot and they are coming out so very dry. I am planning to try this brining recipe to see if it will help them be moist and flavorful. Has anyone used a crockpot on low for 6-8 hrs with a brined bird?
How long are you cooking them for in the crock pot? 6-8 hours is too long for a chicken.
SO GOOD, I did this and put in the smoker and it was a hit
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, John!
Would brining for more than 24 hours be bad? Just might be easiest with my schedule to get that together Friday night, for it to go in oven Sunday morning. I guess I could always take it out of the brine Saturday night. imjust have a lot to Saturday night and this is my first time being in charge of Christmas dinner!
When I brine a turkey I use a large stock pot…large enough to accommodate the turkey and enough brine to cover. I place it in a large cooler and surround it with ice. I do this the night before and it has always turned out awesome!
Sweet!! Super glad to hear that, Dee!
should a turkey be marinade with the butter injection method before soaking it in the brine or after.
After…
Should I bring the brine to a boil first, then put it in the bag with the turkey?
Yes, bring to boil then allow to cool completely before putting it in the bag.
May I please have the recipe to brine a boneless Turkey breast?
The instructions will be the same. See the notes in the recipe card for how to adjust based on the size of the turkey breast.
I wondered how much sodium is absorbed into the turkey meat itself, my brother cannot have a lot of salt
I’m really not sure, Pat. Sorry I can’t give you a specific answer.
Hi Steph! Sorry I’ve been MIA in the FB group. I love the new website.
So here’s my question: How much brine do you suggest for Turkey legs (I have 4 of them), and how long should I brine them for?
I hope you and Z have an awesome Thanksgiving!!
Thanks Terri! Life happens and you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do 🙂
I would probably brine them for about half the recommended time, around 6 hours.