Easy Turkey Brine Recipe for Thanksgiving

Courtesy of Butterball.ca

Turkey brining made simple

So, you want to brine your Thanksgiving turkey this year. But you're a little bit worried it's going to be complicated and time consuming, right? Well, you have no reason to fear! We have the best, easy turkey brine recipe that will give you the best Thanksgiving turkey you've ever had.

Read: Turkey Cooking Times, How Long is Too Long?

Brining a turkey will leave you with an incredibly juicy and tender bird... And I promise not much work is involved. Sure, you need to think about brining your turkey ahead of time and can't just wake up on Thanksgiving ready to get started. But with over a week left before Thanksgiving, now is the perfect time to start thinking about brining your turkey. It's easy!

All you really need to brine a turkey is a salt water solution. Of course, you can add herbs to this solution for even more flavor. But don't look at a turkey brine recipe and get overwhelmed by the amount of ingredients listed; you can use whatever herbs you want!

Read: The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Ever

Easy Turkey Brine Recipe (for a 16 lb. turkey):

* 2 gallons of water
* 1 C table salt (or 2 cups kosher salt)
* Any herbs or spices you choose (I like to add rosemary, sage, bay leaves, and pepper)

Note: Begin brining process the day before you want to eat your turkey. It needs 24 hours to sit in brine solution, so plan accordingly. Also, make sure your turkey is thawed before you start the brining process.

1) Combine water with salt and seasonings in a large pot over high heat, until water is boiling and salt is dissolved.

2) Let cool for about 10 minutes.

3) Line a 5-gallon container (or a container or stock pot that will fit your turkey and solution) with an oven-roasting bag. Place turkey in bag and pour the salt/herb mixture over the turkey. Tie bag the bag and refrigerate (or leave outside in cool temperature) for 24 hours. Make sure you flip the turkey once in this time period.

After 24 hours, take the turkey out of the bag and cook it like you normally would. And there you have, the easiest turkey brining recipe ever! When you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner, you'll enjoy the most tender, juicy turkey you've ever had.

Don't be scared off by brining! It's simple and easy, as long as you give it a little thought beforehand.

Now that you know the easiest way to brine a turkey, you can learn all about the best turkey brine recipe. Perhaps you'll be ready to tackle it next year.

Happy Thanksgiving!