Irrespective of what number of turkey recipes hit the web every November, I nonetheless discover myself typing “best Thanksgiving turkey recipe” into Google. There are countless methods to cook dinner a chook—stuffed, spatchcocked, even deep-fried—however nothing compares to the timeless attraction of a brined roast turkey. When completed proper, it yields golden, crispy pores and skin and tender, flavorful meat that stays completely juicy each time.
In fact, “simple” doesn’t at all times imply simple. Between the scale of the chook, eradicating giblets, and mastering the brine, loads can go fallacious—leading to a turkey that’s dry or erratically cooked. So, in my quest for the final word model, I turned to Michael Fojtasek, chef and proprietor of Austin’s award-winning restaurant Olamaie. He stopped by my kitchen—brined turkey in hand—to share his secrets and techniques. From the best brine recipe to reaching that lacquered, caramelized, crispy pores and skin of our desires, right here’s all the things you might want to know to grasp the brined roast turkey this Thanksgiving.
Why brine a turkey?
Should you’ve ever bitten right into a Thanksgiving turkey that regarded stunning however tasted dry, you already know why brining issues. Brining infuses the meat with moisture and taste from the within out, guaranteeing that each chunk of your brined roast turkey stays juicy and tender—even after hours within the oven. The salt within the brine helps the turkey retain water whereas it cooks, so as an alternative of drying out, the meat stays completely succulent beneath that golden, crispy pores and skin.
Past texture, brining is a taste game-changer. A very good turkey brine—whether or not basic with herbs and citrus or spiced up with peppercorns and garlic—builds a depth of taste that seasoning alone can’t obtain. While you roast a brined turkey, the result’s evenly seasoned meat that virtually bastes itself because it cooks, making it simpler to attain that restaurant-quality steadiness of crispy pores and skin and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
The best way to Brine a Turkey
First, clear some fridge area: a brined turkey does take up some room. You need to use a big stockpot—nevertheless, for many people, a space-saving resolution is a big Ziplock bag. (You’ll be able to normally discover it with the turkey provides at your grocery retailer round this time of yr or on Amazon.) Place the turkey within the bag with the brine to make sure it’s absolutely coated. Both approach, Fojtasek advises utilizing a non-reactive container and brine for twenty-four hours.
What turkey is greatest for brining?
Fojtasek says, “The best turkey is a nice organic bird that is as fresh as possible. However, if it has been frozen, be sure to let it thaw gently in your refrigerator.” Don’t brine a turkey that’s been pre-salted—because the brine is stuffed with salt, it’s already given your turkey all of the seasoning it wants.
The best way to Give Your Turkey That Crispy, Golden Pores and skin
Fojtasek shared his secret ingredient: sorghum syrup, a staple of basic Southern cooking. Related in texture and colour to molasses, sorghum is comprised of sorghum cane fairly than sugar cane—and when used within the brine, its pure sugars assist create that superbly caramelized, crispy pores and skin.
When you’ve got the time, take one additional step after brining: take away the chook from the liquid and refrigerate it uncovered for twenty-four to 36 hours. Resting it breast-side up permits the pores and skin to dry barely and kind what cooks name a pellicle—the key to that impossible to resist golden crisp.
The best way to Roast a Brined Turkey
While you’re able to cook dinner the turkey, take away it from the fridge two hours prematurely, and preheat your oven to 350°F. Stuff the turkey with lemon, onion, garlic, and thyme.
Subsequent, you’ll truss the turkey, then pour a small quantity of oil over the breast and rub it evenly everywhere in the chook. It will give it a pleasant, even colour when it cooks. Season with salt and black pepper, then place it within the oven for 2-3 hours, till the temperature of the thickest a part of the thigh reaches 160°F.
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook fb iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart coronary heart iconheart strong coronary heart strong icon
Description
Chef Michael Fojtasek shares the secrets and techniques to creating a wonderfully brined roast turkey with crispy pores and skin–simply in time for Thanksgiving!
1 complete turkey
1 lemon (minimize into quarters)
1 onion (minimize into quarters)
Half a head of garlic
Just a few sprigs of thyme
Salt & black pepper to style
Garnish: chopped parsley and black pepper
Brine (see recipe beneath)
For the Turkey Brine
1 1/2 quarts water
5 tablespoons kosher salt
1 1/2 quart ice
1 1/4 cups sorghum syrup (Like Muddy Pond)
1/2 head garlic
1 onion (quartered)
3 tablespoons complete black peppercorn
4 lemons (quartered)
6 sprigs thyme
First, give your turkey a fast rinse.
Then, brine it. Ensure you use a container that’s non-reactive. I typically use plastic. Brine for twenty-four hours. When you’ve got time, the perfect subsequent step is to take away the chook from the brine and place it uncovered within the fridge for a further 24 to 36 hours. Permitting the chook to take a seat breast-side up for that period of time permits the pores and skin to kind what we name a pellicle, or “the crispy.”
While you’re able to cook dinner the turkey, take away it from the fridge for 2 hours and preheat your oven to 350°F. Stuff it with the lemon, onion, a halved head of garlic, and some sprigs of thyme.
Truss it. Pour a small quantity of oil over the breast and rub it everywhere in the chook evenly. It will give it a pleasant, even colour when it cooks.
From there, I season pretty liberally with salt and floor black pepper.
Then, it goes into the oven till the temperature of the thickest a part of the thigh has a thermometer studying of 160°F. This may take as much as three hours and even lower than two, relying on the oven.
As soon as it has reached the specified temperature, take away it from the oven and permit it to relaxation. I wish to loosely cowl the turkey with foil and set it apart whereas I end the opposite elements of the meal. It must relaxation for at least 20 minutes. I desire extra like 35.
While you’re able to serve, take away the breast utterly, then slice. I wish to take away the legs and thighs to slice as properly. All the things goes on a heat platter and will get slightly chopped parsley and floor black pepper. This can be a nice method to execute a turkey that’s all about taste and exquisite crispy pores and skin with out doing something loopy.
For the Turkey Brine
Place the salt, water, garlic, onion, black peppercorn, sorghum syrup, and lemons in a pot. Carry to a boil for 2 minutes. Pour over ice. Ideally, your entire brine is cool or, on the highest, room temperature.
Prep Time: 60Cook Time: 120
This publish was final up to date on November 15, 2025, to incorporate new insights.
