Cooking a whole turkey, especially a large one, takes 2½ to 5 hours. The lean parts of the bird, such as the breasts, often cook within the first hour and end up overcooked before the rest of the bird is ready. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to solve this problem, and that’s brining your turkey before cooking. Brining locks water and salt inside a turkey so that the meat stays moist and tender after it leaves the oven. It also infuses the turkey with loads of flavor, leaving you with juicy, tasty meat.
Please be aware that many of our turkey products come brined or ‘basted’. Check the label to see if your turkey has been brined. If so, we don’t recommend further brining as it may cause your turkey to taste overly salty.
You can wet or dry brine your bird, but before discussing how to brine turkey, let’s look at more reasons why everyone should brine before cooking.
You went all out preparing the perfect holiday turkey. But now you have loads of tasty leftovers and aren’t sure what to do Before reheating that precooked turkey, consider giving it new life with a flavor-boosting brine! Contrary to popular belief, brining works great on already cooked meats too
Read on to learn if and how to brine a cooked turkey to make the most of your post-holiday bird.
What is Brining?
Brining also known as wet-brining involves soaking meat in a saltwater solution prior to cooking. The salty mixture enhances juiciness and infuses the meat with extra seasoning. While typically used on raw meats, you can also brine previously cooked items like turkey, chicken, pork and even vegetables.
The salt in the brine gently seasons the meat while the water helps it retain moisture. This results in incredibly flavorful, tender and juicy finished dishes, without drying them out. It’s an easy trick to revive leftovers!
Does Brining Work on Precooked Turkey?
Absolutely! Brining is highly effective at rehydrating and enhancing the flavor of already cooked turkey meat. The salty solution penetrates deep into the proteins, making it super moist and tasty. Even after thorough cooking initially, the turkey breast and legs absorb the brine solution readily.
Brined cooked turkey makes excellent sandwiches, casseroles, soups, salads and more. You get deliciously seasoned meat with a wonderful texture. The brining process helps revitalize dried out sections and prevents the meat from becoming stringy when reheated.
Tips for Brining Leftover Turkey
Brining previously cooked turkey is simple. Follow these handy tips:
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Use a basic salt, sugar and water mixture. A ratio of 1/4 cup salt to 1/4 cup sugar per quart of water works well.
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Cool the turkey completely before brining. Temperature matters – brine only penetrates cold meat effectively.
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Cut large pieces into smaller ones to brine evenly. Cut the breast into 1-inch slices and divide legs.
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Submerge the turkey pieces entirely. Weigh them down with plates if needed to keep fully immersed.
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Brine for at least 12 hours, up to 24. The longer the better for deep flavor infusion.
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Rinse the brined turkey before cooking to prevent over-salting. Pat dry well.
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Air dry turkey pieces in the fridge overnight after brining for extra crispy skin when reheating.
Simple Brine Recipes to Try
While basic salt, sugar and water brines work well, you can add other ingredients for more complex flavors. Try these tasty brine combinations:
Basic Brine
- 1 quart water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice (optional)
Apple Cider Brine
- 4 cups apple cider
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Sprigs fresh rosemary
Citrus Brine
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Juice and zest from 1 orange
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Sprigs fresh thyme
Savory Herb Brine
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1/2 tablespoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
Step-By-Step Instructions
Brining cooked turkey is simple with these easy steps:
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Make the brine: Heat water, salt and sugar to dissolve. Add any other spices or herbs and let cool.
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Cut the turkey into smaller 1-2 inch pieces. Slice off breast meat and separate leg and thigh joints.
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Place turkey in a container: Choose a bowl, pot, plastic bag or other non-reactive vessel.
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Pour in brine: Make sure turkey pieces are fully submerged. Weigh down if needed.
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Refrigerate for 12-24 hours: Occasionally flip the turkey pieces while brining.
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Remove turkey and rinse off brine thoroughly. Discard used brine.
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Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Let air dry in the fridge overnight before cooking for crispy reheated meat.
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Cook as desired: Bake, grill or pan fry the brined turkey pieces to heat through.
How Long Can You Brine a Cooked Turkey?
For best flavor infusion, brine the precooked turkey for 12-24 hours. After 24 hours, the meat becomes fully saturated with brine and risks getting too salty.
Partially frozen turkey absorbs brine slower than fully thawed. Brine frozen turkey for 24 hours before cooking for fully seasoned meat.
Refrigerate the turkey while brining, keeping the temperature at 40°F or below. Discard any brined turkey left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Brining FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about brining cooked turkey:
How much brine is needed per pound of turkey?
Use 1 cup of brine per 1 pound of turkey. A 5 lb turkey needs about 5 cups of brine.
Can you reuse leftover brine?
Do not reuse brine even if boiling to sterilize. The brine absorbs raw meat juices, which can harbor bacteria. Make fresh each time.
What about brining smoked or roasted turkey?
Brining enhances flavor whether the turkey is smoked, roasted or baked initially. Brine any cooked turkey to revitalize.
Is wet brining better than dry brining?
Wet brining leads to more tender, juicy meat. Dry brining gives a more concentrated flavor and crisper skin when cooked. Either works well!
Can you brine just turkey breast or legs?
Absolutely! Brine any turkey pieces – breast, legs, thighs, wings, etc. Brining enhances flavor and texture uniformly.
Get the Most Out of Your Leftovers
Brining is a simple but highly effective way to revive leftover precooked turkey. The salty solution delivers juicy, well-seasoned meat ready to become delicious soups, sandwiches, casseroles and more. For moist and flavorful turkey, consider brining your cooked bird before reheating or using it in recipes.
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How to Wet Brine a Turkey
If you prefer the results of wet brining over dry brining, here’s how to brine a turkey in saltwater:
- Other spices or aromatics (optional)
- A large, food-safe container
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Create your saltwater solution by mixing four tablespoons of kosher salt with one quart of warm water. That means if you need four quarts of water to submerge your turkey fully, you will need 12 tablespoons of salt.
- Add aromatics, such as bay leaves, rosemary, or ginger, to boost the brine’s flavor.
- After the brine cools to at least room temperature, pour it over the turkey inside your food-safe container. If the turkey floats, weigh it down with a plate. You can begin the wet brining process while your turkey is still frozen, or begin with a thawed turkey.
- Cover the container and store it in your fridge for 24 to 48 hours. Your fridge’s temperature must not be over 40°F. A higher temperature will lead to harmful bacteria growing in your turkey and contaminating your fridge.
- After brining, take the turkey out of the water, throw away the brine, and pat the turkey dry with a paper towel. Rub your preferred seasoning on the turkey’s body and cavity before cooking.
How to Dry Brine a Turkey
If you prefer dry brining, here’s how to do it:
- Kosher salt
- Dried herbs (such as thyme, sage, and rosemary)
- Black pepper
- A large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan
- Create your dry brine rub. For a 14 to 16-pound whole turkey, you will need three tablespoons of kosher salt. Combine the salt with half a teaspoon of thyme, paprika, black pepper, oregano, and rosemary.
- Completely thaw the turkey and pat the surface dry with paper towels. Apply your brine rub all over the turkey’s body and inside its cavity.
- Place the seasoned turkey on a rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and put it in the fridge uncovered for 12 to 24 hours.
- After brining, take the turkey out of the fridge, brush off any excess salt, and let the turkey come to room temperature. Once the bird reaches room temperature, cook it any way you desire.
For extra moist dry brined turkey, rub some butter between the turkey skin and meat before brining the bird. During cooking, the butter will melt and baste the turkey to make it juicier and more flavorful.