How Exactly Do You Brine a Turkey?

If we’re all being honest here, the “turkey” part of Thanksgiving dinner tends to be the least impressive aspect of this yearly feast. That’s generally because, as a roasting protein, turkey dries out easily and lacks the natural flavor of heartier meats like pork, lamb, and prime rib (unless it’s this turkey). So, on a typical Thanksgiving table, the turkey plays second fiddle to more interesting side dishes like stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, and Brussels sprouts.

However, enterprising cooks are always seeking out ways to elevate the Thanksgiving turkey and turn it into a meat dish worth craving rather than simply enduring. For pro chefs, a tried-and-true solution to the flavorless-turkey problem comes in the form of “brining,” a pre-roasting process designed to seal in moisture and add appealing notes of herbs, spices, and other seasonings.

In the simplest terms, brining a turkey involves coating it with salt (either using a “wet” bath of salt and liquid or a “dry” rub of salts and spices) and allowing it to rest and fully absorb both the flavor and the moisture-saving properties of the salt. From there, the person prepping the turkey can get creative, playing with different wet and dry ingredients to achieve a flavor blend that suits their tastes.

Wanna give brining a try this year? These six tips offered by professional chefs will help set you off on the right track.

Don’t be afraid to customize your brine with herbs, spices, and alternative liquids

As we mentioned previously, a brine offers plenty of space for experimentation and flavor preferences.  When it comes to wet brines, chef (and Top Chef alum) Chris Scott of the Institute of Culinary Education explains that “the essentials for [wet] brining are salt and water. Whatever else you add to it is up to the chef’s discretion for flavoring. After making your brine, you can heat it to infuse all those flavors. Make sure you cool it completely before pouring it over raw poultry so it doesn’t cook it. Through osmosis, the flavors infuse into the bird.”