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Turkey Brine

Name: Turkey Brine
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 12 h 20 min
Cuisine: Other
Ingredients: 32 cups warm water (2 gallons); 1 cup kosher salt (must use kosher salt ONLY); 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (well-packed); 2 tablespoons black peppercorns (can use 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper); 3 -4 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (optional); 1 whole turkey (up to 20 pounds)

Turkey Brine reads salinity 5.4, allium 5.1 and umami 5.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Other main, about 12 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 6.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.2 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 2.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Salinity 5.4 · Allium 5.1 · Umami 5.0 · Sweetness 4.3 · Funk & Ferment 3.2 · Sourness 3.2 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Richness 2.0 · Heat 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Earthy 0.7 · Herbaceous 0.7 · Fruity 0.6

What's in it (7)

32 cups warm water (2 gallons)
1 cup kosher salt (must use kosher salt ONLY)
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar (well-packed)
2 tablespoons black peppercorns (can use 1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper)
3 -4 tablespoons garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 whole turkey (up to 20 pounds)

Time & effort: about 12 hr 20 min (20 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 64.1 kcal, 11.2 g protein, 1.3 g fat, 2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (14 steps)

Combine water in a large pot with salt and sugar, over high heat until dissolved.
Add Worcestershire, peppercorns & garlic, making sure Worcestershire is well combined.
Cool back to room temperature.
Wash the turkey inside and out with cold water.
You will need 2 gallon turkey size oven roasting bags.
Place one roasting bag inside the other, roll down the edges of the bags to help them stay open.
Put bags in a heavy roasting pan that will hold turkey.
Place turkey breast side down, with legs facing you in the inner bag.
Pour the cooled brine into the cavity and over the turkey.
Gather the inner bag as tightly as possible and secure with a twist tie.
Secure outer bag with twist tie.
Refrigerate in the roasting pan for 12-18 hours.
Remove from bags, rinse very well, pat dry with paper towels.
It's now ready for your favorite recipe.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

West Lake Vinegar Fish (Xi Hu Cu Yu) — Chinese · Jiangnan
General Tso's Chicken — Chinese-American
Tofu Katsu with Curry Sauce — Japanese
Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Salted Chillies (Duo Jiao Yu Tou) — Chinese · Hunan
General Tso's Cauliflower — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what salinity, allium, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.