What to Do After Brining Your Turkey for a Perfectly Seasoned Bird

To roast a juicy, succulent turkey, without using any butter or oil, soak your turkey in a brine bath overnight, you will never want to cook a turkey another way.

Roasting a turkey can seem intimidating if you are doing it for the first time, but I can assure you, it is easier than you think! All you need is a little planning, room in your refrigerator, a probe thermometer, a turkey baster, a roasting pan (disposable one is fine) and you really can’t mess up.

You can purchase a brining blend or you can easily make the brine solution yourself. This was simply a combination of coarse sea salt, cane sugar, lemon peel, orange peel, rosemary, pink, red and green peppercorns, thyme, sage and bay leaves. You can use a gallon of apple cider or vegetable stock in place of some of the water, the ingredients are pretty flexible. I’ve seen some brine combinations with cinnamon sticks, star anise, chopped apple, candied ginger, etc.

Brining a turkey before roasting is a great way to help ensure a juicy flavorful bird on your holiday table. The salt solution permeates the meat seasoning it throughout and helping it retain moisture as it cooks. But brining does require an extra step in your prep process. So what should you do after the turkey is done brining? Here’s a step-by-step guide.

Remove the Turkey from the Brine

Once the brining time is up, remove the turkey from the pot, bucket or bag containing the brine solution. Wearing gloves can help protect your hands from the salty water. Carefully lift out the turkey and set it in a clean sink or on a rimmed baking sheet.

Discard the Used Brine

Don’t reuse a brine solution after brining a raw turkey. The brine can harbor bacteria, so it’s best to discard it. Pour the used brine down the drain and rinse out the brining container thoroughly before storing it away.

Rinse the Turkey

To remove excess salt from the surface of the meat, you’ll want to rinse the turkey under cool running water. Place it breast side up in the sink and let the water run over and into the cavity to wash away residual salt. Rinse for 5-10 minutes.

Soak the Turkey

For even more salt removal, after rinsing you can soak the turkey in a basin or pot of fresh cold water for about 30 minutes This will help draw out excess salt from the meat.

Pat Turkey Completely Dry

After rinsing or soaking, it’s essential to thoroughly pat the turkey dry, inside and out. Use clean paper towels to carefully blot all surfaces. Remove as much moisture as possible. Any remaining dampness can cause the skin to steam rather than crisp up during roasting.

Let Turkey Sit at Room Temp

Once patted dry, let the turkey rest on a rimmed baking sheet or pan, uncovered in the fridge, for 30-60 minutes. This allows the surface to fully dry and brings the meat to room temperature before cooking.

Season and Roast

After the resting time, you can rub the turkey all over with butter or oil and season it with any herb rubs or pepper as desired. Place it breast side up on a roasting rack in a pan and roast as your recipe directs.

Store Safely if Not Roasting Right Away

If you won’t be roasting the turkey soon after brining, you can rinse, pat dry, and refrigerate it for 1-2 days before cooking. Be sure to store it in a pan to catch any drips and keep raw meat separate from other foods.

Following these simple steps after brining will remove excess salt, dry the skin, and ready the turkey for flavorful, tender roasting. Taking the time to properly prepare your bird will pay off with ideal seasoning and moisture.

what do you do after you brine a turkey

What size bird should I buy?

Estimate roughly one pound of turkey for each person for ample portions and leftovers.

Don’t forget the thermometers

If you don’t already have one, add a thermometer to your shopping list. A cooked whole turkey is safe at a minimum internal temperature of 165 F throughout the bird.

24 hours before you plan to cook your turkey, brine your turkey.

To minimize cleanup, line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Transfer the turkey to the bag, add brining mixture, remaining water, and the other ingredients. Refrigerate for 24 hours, flipping turkey once.

Don’t roast a cold turkey. Take your bird out of the refrigerator (and out of the brine, if you’re brining) an hour before you put it in the oven to ensure even cooking and a moist bird.

How long do you rinse turkey after brining?

FAQ

How long should turkey sit out after brine?

After 12 to 18 hours, remove the turkey, dry carefully with paper towels, and roast. For crisper skin, brine a couple days in advance, and let your turkey air-dry at least overnight and up to two nights, uncovered, in the refrigerator on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.

Should you rinse your turkey after brining?

According to a study by the food safety experts at the USDA, washing or rinsing raw turkey can put you at risk of foodborne illness. There’s only one time you should wash a raw turkey, and that is after brining. Otherwise, do not wash a turkey before cooking.

Do you have to cook immediately after brining?

Do you have to cook immediately after brining? No, you don’t have to cook meat immediately after removing it from the brine. In fact, most cooking methods (but especially smoking, grilling and roasting) benefit from a brief period of air-drying.

Do you dry rub a turkey after brining?

While properly brining a turkey won’t make it too salty, it does add salt to the meat. If you then add a salty rub or injection marinade you can end up with a turkey too salty to eat. For this reason, if you are brining your bird, make sure you rinse it thoroughly after it comes out of the brine.