Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

how to brine a whole turkey or chicken

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Candi Hummer
Silver Springs, NV

This makes all the difference in the world for flavor and lack of dry meat. One thing I hate about the white meat on the fowl is it is always dry! Here is the solution!

(1 rating)
prep time 15 Min
method No-Cook or Other

Ingredients For how to brine a whole turkey or chicken

  • a whole turkey or whole chicken
  • water
  • salt
  • garlic
  • onion
  • beer or another type alcohol
  • worcestershire sauce
  • liquid smoke flavoring
  • seasonings

How To Make how to brine a whole turkey or chicken

  • 1
    The ingredients are fairly vague. You kind of play with them figuring out your own likes! Heat all your ingredients (except garlic and onion)up in a large stockpot until salt is dissolved, I always use an entire tub of table salt (dont worry, its not salty!)
  • 2
    Partially thaw turkey Place your heated mixture over your turkey in a clean ice box, cover everything with ice. I leave the neck and giblets in the turkey. close the box, leave it alone for 24 hours.
  • 3
    I check a couple times making sure there are still ice cubes in it, ya dont want it getting warm! I keep mine on the porch while it brines, this way it saves space in the fridge and the house! The turkey pictured is 16 pounds and he actually brined for about 32 hours! He was delishious too!!
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