Walnut Free Easy Turkey Brine
A beautifully brined turkey is the secret behind that impossibly juicy, flavorful bird that has everyone asking what you did differently. This brine leans on a fragrant blend of fresh thyme, rosemary, garlic, onion, lemon, and black peppercorns to infuse every layer of the meat with savory, aromatic depth — no fancy techniques required. The salt and sugar dissolve quickly in a small amount of heated water, and the addition of cold water and ice brings the temperature down fast so you can get the turkey submerged safely and efficiently. Many store-bought seasoning blends and pre-brined birds can hide unexpected ingredients, so making your own from scratch gives you complete control over what goes into your holiday centerpiece. After 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator, the turkey emerges deeply seasoned all the way through, which means less work at the carving board and more compliments at the table. Just rinse, pat dry, and roast — the hard part is already done.
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Learn more →Ingredients
1 serving
- 1 gallon cold water, divided
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- 1
Combine 4 cups of the water, the kosher salt, and sugar in a large stockpot over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 2
Add the garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, and lemon halves to the hot brine. Let the mixture steep for 5 minutes, until fragrant.
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