Recipe Details
Out-of-This-World Turkey Brine
4.9 / 5 | 869 total votes | 664 reviews | 37 contributor photos
This incredible, one-of-a-kind turkey brine recipe is hands down the best you will find anywhere. Use it to prep your turkey before smoking or roasting, and you are guaranteed juicy, perfectly flavorful results every single time. I received this recipe from my uncle, who is an avid lifelong meat smoker.
Submitted by: SUDEMERS
Updated on February 18, 2026
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 12
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Make homemade turkey brine with simple, everyday pantry staples to get the moistest, most flavor-packed turkey possible.
Home cooks consistently praise the combination of Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar for adding incredible, stand-out depth of flavor.
Allrecipes community member VORCHA raves: “…the breast meat comes out just as tender and juicy as the dark meat!”
Ingredients
2 gallons water
1 ½ cups canning salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Directions
Combine water, salt, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and pepper in a food-grade bucket or a container large enough to hold a whole turkey. Stir until all dry ingredients are fully dissolved.
Lower the turkey into the brine, making sure it is completely submerged under the liquid.
Cover the container and place it in the refrigerator. Let the turkey brine for 12 to 24 hours before smoking or roasting.
From the Editor
This recipe is formulated for canning salt or kosher salt, not regular table salt. Using the listed amount of table salt will make your brine (and your finished turkey) far too salty.
The video version of this recipe references a longer brining time. For best results aligned with the salt quantity in this recipe, we recommend following the 12 to 24 hour brine timing listed in the written instructions.
Always brine food in a food-grade, nonreactive container. Good options include a stainless steel or enameled stockpot, a dedicated brining bag, or a food-safe plastic bucket. Never use household trash bags, plastic garbage cans, non-food-grade metal buckets, or any container not intended for food use.
Discard all leftover brine after use; do not reuse brine for future cooking.