This smoked turkey brine is our secret recipe for tender and juicy smoked turkey on Thanksgiving Day 🦃 Say goodbye to dry turkey and hello to a mouthwatering, flavorful bird with our easy and aromatic brine.
Follow our easy, step-by-step recipe instructions updated with pictures!
If you’re making a whole smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, then our smoked turkey brine is the perfect recipe!
We’ve prepared a simple water, salt, and sugar brine elevated by oranges, lemons, and limes. We also added fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage and garlic cloves and onion for aromatics and flavor.
Brine your turkey 12 to 24 hours before smoking for the best moisture and to reduce the chances of it drying out!
Plus, check out our Thanksgiving prep timeline below so you’ll know exactly what to do and how to plan ahead before smoking your turkey.
❤️ What we love most about this recipe
- It’s easy to make: This easy brine recipe is so easy to make, and requires just a handful of simple ingredients like salt, water, and sugar.
- It’s results in juicy, flavorful turkey: Because nobody likes a dry turkey! This brine will make your smoked turkey tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
- Helps with Thanksgiving prep: Making the brine ahead of time helps free up your schedule for other Thanksgiving prep tasks that need to get done.
What is a brine?
A brine is a salty water solution used to soak poultry, like turkey or chicken, before cooking. You can also add ingredients like sugar, herbs, citrus, and spices to the brine for added flavor.
The salt in this smoked turkey brine helps the meat absorb moisture, making it juicier and more tender and flavorful. By soaking your turkey in a brine, it prevents it from drying out during smoking or roasting.
We use a brine for smoked turkey breast, fried chicken and smoked chicken wings, too!
📝 Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Water: Enough to submerge the entire turkey completely (about 1-2 gallons, depending on the size).
- Kosher Salt: The only type of salt we use is Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using table salt, reduce the amount by half.
- Granulated sugar: Balances the salt and acidity, helps with retaining moisture, and tenderizing the turkey.
- Citrus: Oranges, lemons, and limes help tenderize the turkey and add bright, fresh flavor.
- Fresh herbs: Thyme sprigs, rosemary, and sage are used for earthy, aromatic flavor.
- Garlic and onion: For savory flavor.
Tools and equipment needed
- A large stockpot: To make the brine solution. We actually used two stockpots, one to make the brine in, and the other one to help fill up our brining bag. We lined the second pot with the bag, put the turkey inside, and then poured the brining solution in the bag to cover the turkey.
- Brining container: Big enough to hold the brine and the turkey. You can use the same stockpot you made the brine in, or a brining bag, brining bucket, or other a food-safe container. Just keep in mind that the entire turkey must be fully submerged.
How to make a brine for smoked turkey
Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Slice and quarter the oranges, lemons, limes, and onion.
Step 2. In a large pot, heat 1-2 gallons of water (depending on the size of your turkey) until it’s warm but not boiling. Stir in the kosher salt and sugar and simmer until dissolved.
Step 3. Add the citrus quarters, garlic, and quartered onion.
Step 4. Then, add the thyme sprigs, rosemary, and sage leaves.
Step 5. Stir mixture, then remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Step 6. Place the turkey in a large food-safe brining bag or brining container. Pour the cooled brine over the turkey, ensuring it’s completely submerged. If needed, add more water to cover the bird fully.
Step 7. Seal (or cover) the container and refrigerate the turkey for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight (up to 24 hours), to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
Step 8. Alternatively, place it in a cooler with ice to keep it cool.
Step 9. After brining, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it well under cold water, and pat it dry. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before seasoning with dry rub and smoking.
Smoked turkey brine tips
- Cooling the brine completely before adding the turkey. If you’re short on time, you use ice cubes to cool the brine down faster.
- If the turkey floats in the brine, use a sealed bag of ice to weigh it down to make sure that it stays fully submerged.
- Use a brining bag for easy cleanup and to ensure that the turkey is fully submerged. The bag also makes it convenient so you don’t have to use huge pot or container which will need to be sanitized later.
- Brine the turkey for at least 4 hours, but for the best results, aim for 12 to 24 hours.
- Don’t forget to rinse the turkey under cold water after brining to remove excess salt from the turkey. Then, pat it dry with paper towels before seasoning with dry rub to help get crispy skin during smoking.
- Clean countertops, the sink, and anything else the raw turkey touched with a solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented bleach mixed in 1 gallon of water. Let it sit for a few minutes, then let it air dry or pat dry with clean paper towels.
Here are some additional safety tips from the USDA on how to safely brine your turkey.
Thanksgiving prep timeline
To make sure your Thanksgiving runs smoothly, we’ve put together an easy timeline to help you plan and prep. Here’s when to start brining your turkey before smoking!
🗓️ Three Days Before
- Thaw the turkey: If you’re using a frozen turkey, it’ll need at least 3 days to thaw in the fridge. Plan for about 24 hours in the fridge for every 5 pounds. So, for a turkey that’s just under 15 pounds, that’s about 3 days.
- You can also make the smoked turkey brine solution up to three days in advance and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
🗓️ Two Days Before
- Pick up a fresh turkey: If you’re buying a fresh turkey from the store or butcher, grab it two days before Thanksgiving to keep it fresh.
🗓️ One Day Before
- Brine the turkey: Now’s the time to start brining! Let the turkey brine for 16 to 24 hours.
🦃 Thanksgiving Day
- Prep the turkey: About 30 minutes before you’re ready to start smoking, take the turkey out of the fridge. Rinse it off and pat it dry.
- Season with our dry rub for smoked turkey.
- If you’re using our Creole butter injection, get started when you take the turkey out. It takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Four to Five Hours Before Serving
- Smoke the turkey using our pellet grill turkey recipe: Depending on the size of your turkey, it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours to smoke. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for it to cook all the way through.
One Hour Before Serving
- Let it rest: After smoking, let the turkey rest for about an hour to lock in the juices. While it’s resting, you can reheat sides, tidy up the kitchen, and get ready for guests!
Commonly asked questions
Smoked Turkey Brine Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 gallons of water (enough to submerge the turkey completely)
- 3/4 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (if using table salt, use half this amount)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 oranges quartered
- 3 lemons quartered
- 2 limes quartered
- 1 head of garlic cloves peeled
- 1 white onion quartered
- 1 small bunch thyme sprigs
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary
- 3-4 fresh sage leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 1-2 gallons of water (depending on the size of your turkey) until it's simmering. Stir in the kosher salt and sugar until both are fully dissolved. Remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- While the brine cools, cut the oranges, lemons, limes, and white onion in quarters. Peel the garlic cloves.
- Once the brine has cooled, add the citrus, garlic, onion, thyme sprigs, rosemary, and sage leaves. Stir to combine.
- Place the turkey in a large food-safe container or brining bag. Pour the brine over the turkey, ensuring it’s completely submerged. If needed, add more water to cover the bird fully.
- Cover the container and refrigerate the turkey for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight (up to 24 hours).
- After brining, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse it well under cold water, and pat dry. Let turkey rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
