Smoked Turkey Brine
Your next turkey will be so juicy if you use this smoked turkey brine recipe. Includes ratios and brine times for any size turkey.
Servings: 2 gallons
Ingredients
- 16 cups water (1 gallon)
- 3 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup turkey rub
- 16 cups ice
Instructions
- This recipe is for a 16-lb turkey. For a smaller or larger turkey, see the chart in the post above.
- Make the Brine: Place the water, salt, sugar and rub in a stockpot large enough to hold 32 cups of water. Place on the stove over high heat. Cook until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and add the ice. Stir until the ice is melted.
- Brine the Turkey: Place the thawed turkey (with giblets removed) in a container that will fit in your refrigerator or cooler with the breast side down. Add the brine. Cover and brine for 8-18 hours (see chart above)
- Rinse the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse. Cook according to your favorite recipe. (Be sure to sanitize your sink after this step)
Notes
If you have a turkey larger or smaller than 16 pounds, follow the recipe above, using the measurements listed in the chart above.
The nutrition information is for the 2 gallon batch of brine. However, because the brine will be discarded after the soak, your turkey will not take on all of these calories.
Nutrition
Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 211g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 169956mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 200g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 395mg | Iron: 8mg