To brine a turkey, soak a fully thawed bird in salt water in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. America's Test Kitchen uses 1 cup table salt per 2 gallons cold water for a 12–17 lb turkey, brined 6–12 hours. For a dry brine, rub in 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound and refrigerate 24–48 hours.
Key facts
- USDA: keep the turkey and brine refrigerated at 40°F or below, and don't brine longer than two days.
- Wet brine (America's Test Kitchen): 1 cup table salt in 2 gallons cold water for a 12–17 lb turkey, 6–12 hours.
- Dry brine (America's Test Kitchen): 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound, refrigerated 24–48 hours.
- Skip brining kosher and self-basting turkeys; America's Test Kitchen notes they already contain a good amount of sodium.
- Cook a brined turkey to 165°F in the innermost thigh, innermost wing and thickest part of the breast.
What is a turkey brine?
A brine is a solution of salt and water. USDA describes brining as soaking the turkey in that solution before cooking. Salt dissolves some of the protein in the muscle fibers, and America's Test Kitchen explains that the change lets the meat hold on to more moisture, so the cooked bird is juicier and seasoned deeper than the skin.
Dry brining, which America's Test Kitchen calls salting, does the same job without the water. Salt rubbed onto the meat draws out juices, dissolves in them, and is then reabsorbed.
Wet brine vs. dry brine turkey
| Compare | Wet brine | Dry brine |
|---|---|---|
| What you need | Salt, cold water, a large food-safe container or brining bag | Kosher salt and room on a fridge shelf |
| Time (whole bird) | 6–12 hours (ATK) | 24–48 hours (ATK) |
| Fridge space | A lot: bird plus gallons of liquid | Just the bird |
| Result | Adds moisture fastest | Seasons the meat; skin crisps more easily |
| Trade-off | Harder to get browned, crisp skin | Needs to start a day or two ahead |
America's Test Kitchen says wet brining works faster and adds the most moisture but makes browning and crisp skin harder. Dry brining takes longer but is easier to fit in a home refrigerator.
Turkey brine ratio: how much salt per gallon
We haven't developed our own brine. The formulas below come from America's Test Kitchen and University of Illinois Extension, and they're written for plain salt-and-water brines. Use cold water and stir until all the salt dissolves. USDA notes that if a recipe heats the brine, it must cool before the turkey goes in.
America's Test Kitchen wet brine (table salt)
| Turkey | Cold water | Table salt | Brining time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole, 12–17 lb | 2 gallons | 1 cup | 6–12 hours |
| Whole, 18–24 lb | 3 gallons | 1½ cups | 6–12 hours |
| Bone-in breast, 6–8 lb | 1 gallon | ½ cup | 3–6 hours |
Need to scale it? There are 16 cups in a gallon (see cups in a gallon), so ATK's ratio works out to ½ cup table salt per gallon of water.
University of Illinois Extension wet brine
Illinois Extension dissolves 2 cups table salt or 4 cups kosher salt in 2 gallons of cold water, adds 1 cup sugar, and chills the turkey in it for 6–8 hours. For an overnight brine, it cuts the salt and sugar in half. This is a stronger, shorter brine than ATK's, so don't mix the two sets of numbers.
Table salt vs. kosher salt
Salts aren't interchangeable cup for cup. Table salt is more finely ground, so a cup of it packs in more salt than a cup of kosher salt; that's why Illinois Extension calls for twice as much kosher salt by volume. Brands differ too. ATK developed its salted turkey with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and says to use less if you have Morton, which is denser. Follow the salt your source names.
How to dry brine a turkey
America's Test Kitchen's salting method for a whole turkey:
- Start with a fully thawed turkey.
- Measure 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of turkey.
- Rub it inside the cavity and under the skin of the breasts and legs.
- Wrap the turkey tightly (unless you're air-drying the skin) and refrigerate 24–48 hours.
For a turkey breast, ATK uses ¾ teaspoon kosher salt per pound, spread between the skin and meat, and refrigerates it on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet for 6–24 hours, wrapping it if it goes longer than 12 hours.
How long to brine a turkey
- Wet brine, whole turkey: 6–12 hours with ATK's ratio, or 6–8 hours with Illinois Extension's stronger brine.
- Wet brine, bone-in breast: 3–6 hours (ATK).
- Dry brine, whole turkey: 24–48 hours (ATK).
- Dry brine, turkey breast: 6–24 hours (ATK).
- Outer limit: USDA says not to brine longer than two days.
Plan around thawing. A frozen turkey needs about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4–5 pounds, so a large bird can take most of a week before brining starts. Our turkey thawing guide has the full chart, and how to thaw meat fast covers the cold-water method. A fresh turkey keeps only 1–2 days in the refrigerator, per USDA, so buy it close to brining day (see whole turkey storage).
How to brine a turkey safely
A turkey sitting in a bucket for hours is raw poultry, and the brine doesn't make it safe to leave out. USDA's rules:
- Keep it at 40°F or below for the whole brine, in the refrigerator. Don't leave the turkey at room temperature while it brines. A fridge thermometer tells you if your refrigerator is cold enough; see what temperature a refrigerator should be.
- Use a food-grade container: food-grade plastic, stainless steel or glass, or a brining bag, sized to fit in your refrigerator.
- Cool any heated brine to room temperature before the turkey goes in.
- Stop at two days.
Brining a turkey in a bag or cooler
A brining bag takes less room than a stockpot, and USDA lists it as a suitable container. If the bird won't fit in the refrigerator, Illinois Extension allows a cooler kept cold with 5 to 6 ice packs, but the turkey and brine must still stay at 40°F or below the entire time. Check the temperature with a thermometer during the brine.
Should you rinse a turkey after brining?
Some recipes tell you to rinse the bird after brining. USDA advises against washing raw poultry because it can cause cross-contamination, and CDC says raw poultry is ready to cook without washing. USDA's brining guidance says not to wash the bird before brining and that the rest of the turkey doesn't need to be scrubbed or rinsed; if you need to rinse the cavity, use cold water. Instead of rinsing, lift the turkey out of the brine, let it drain and pat it dry with paper towels, then discard the towels and the brine and wash your hands.
Skip brining a kosher or self-basting turkey. America's Test Kitchen says not to salt them because they already contain a good amount of sodium.
Cooking a brined turkey to 165°F
Brining changes flavor and texture, not safety. USDA says a turkey is safe at 165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Our guide to using a meat thermometer shows where to aim.
USDA recommends letting the turkey stand 20 minutes before carving so the juices set; carryover cooking and resting meat explains what happens to the temperature during that time. Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F) and use them within 3–4 days, per USDA. More on turkey temperatures.
Questions people ask
How long should you brine a turkey?
America's Test Kitchen wet-brines a whole turkey 6–12 hours and dry-brines it 24–48 hours. USDA says never brine longer than two days, and always in the refrigerator at 40°F or below.
How much salt do you put in a turkey brine?
America's Test Kitchen uses 1 cup table salt per 2 gallons of cold water for a 12–17 lb turkey. University of Illinois Extension uses 2 cups table salt (or 4 cups kosher) per 2 gallons for a shorter 6–8 hour brine.
Is dry brining better than wet brining?
Neither is safer. Wet brining adds moisture faster but makes crisp skin harder, while dry brining takes a day or two and needs far less fridge space, according to America's Test Kitchen.
Can you brine a frozen turkey?
Start with a fully thawed or fresh turkey, as Illinois Extension advises. Thaw it in the refrigerator or in cold water first.
Do you rinse a turkey after brining?
USDA advises against washing raw poultry because it can cause cross-contamination. Drain the bird and pat it dry with paper towels instead.
Can you brine a turkey breast?
Yes. America's Test Kitchen brines a 6–8 lb bone-in breast in 1 gallon of cold water with ½ cup table salt for 3–6 hours.
Sources
- USDA: Brining Safely Will Bring Tender, Flavorful Meat to the Thanksgiving Table
- America's Test Kitchen: How to Brine a Turkey and How to Salt a Turkey
- America's Test Kitchen: Roast Salted Turkey
- University of Illinois Extension: Turkey for the Holidays, Brine Method
- USDA FSIS: Let's Talk Turkey Roasting
- CDC: Chicken and Food Poisoning
- USDA FSIS: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
- USDA FSIS: Kitchen Thermometers
