Citrus Turkey Brine | EASY & Flavorful Turkey Brine Recipe! (2024)

What do I need to make a turkey brine?

For this citrus turkey brine you’ll need the following ingredients. Note that I’ve linked these ingredients to Target (affiliate), should you need to do a quick, same-day ingredient pick-up. Target has same day pick-up, drive-up and even delivery, where they do the shopping for you.

• Orange juice – any bottled orange juice from the refrigerated section of the grocery store will work.
• Kosher salt – I recommend using kosher salt for any turkey brine. Table salt can sometimes result in a metallic flavor, which can definitely ruin the flavor of a turkey.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar will give the brine a nice richness, but will not make the turkey overly sweet. Feel free to use either light or dark brown sugar.
• Peppercorns – whole peppercorns will add a great flavor dimension to the brine.
• Fresh rosemary sprigs – fresh rosemary is wonderfully aromatic, and will provide a great herby flavor to the brine. Buy extra for garnishing the roasted turkey – it will smell amazing!
• Ground sage – ground sage will also provide a nice herby flavor. It’s an ideal herb for any poultry recipe.
• Whole cloves – whole cloves will add a wonderful flavor to the brine. Be careful – just a few cloves will go a long way. No need to add extra.
• Star anise – star anise is another spice that will go a long way with flavor. You’ll need just a few of these beauties to add a great flavor dimension to the brine.
• Whole cinnamon sticks – cinnamon sticks will add a mild spiciness to the brine without overpowering the flavor.
• Garlic cloves – fresh garlic cloves will bring a great complimentary flavor alongside the cinnamon, cloves and anise.
• Oranges – fresh oranges will be slices and simmered in the brine. The orange slices will add a great citrus flavor to compliment the brine.

Materials & Supplies Needed to Brine a Turkey

• Brining bag – make sure you’re not buying a roasting bag. A roasting bag is made of much thinner plastic and won’t hold up to the weight of the liquid and the turkey. It will likely spring a leak! Make sure to get a brining bag which is made of thicker plastic and build to withhold the weight of the turkey and gallons of liquid.
• Stock pot – any stock pot or Dutch oven will do. You’ll need this to bring your brine to a simmer on the stovetop.
• A roasting pan – I actually prefer a disposable turkey roasting pan, especially when I’m making Thanksgiving dinner. It’s makes the clean-up much easier, as I dispose of the turkey carcass and any unwanted remains all in the pan.

For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!

Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations:

• Substitute apple cider for the orange juice – check out my super popular recipe for Apple Cider Turkey Brine. It’s a Thanksgiving classic and thousands of people have raved about this recipe.
• Fresh sage in place of dry sage – often available in most supermarkets during the holidays, fresh sage is a great option in place of dried. Be conservative – just a few sprigs will go a long way.
• Swerve brown sugar substitute – if you’re like me and want to eliminate refined sugar, Swerve brown sugar substitute is a great alternative.

For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!

Frequently asked questions about making a turkey brine recipe:

• 4 cup 1 quart orange juice
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons ground sage
• 3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 3-4 whole cinnamon sticks
• 2-3 star anise pods
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 medium oranges sliced
• 1 gallon water

• To a large stock pot or Dutch oven, add all of the ingredients; orange juice, salt, sugar, peppercorns, sage, rosemary, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, garlic, orange slices and water.

• Heat over medium heat, stirring well to help the salt and sugar dissolve well into the liquid.

• Bring the brine to a boil, then promptly remove from heat. Let the brine cool completely to room temperature.

• Place thawed turkey (breast side down) into a brining bag, removing any giblets and neck from inner cavity. Pour the cooled brine over the top of the turkey, including all ingredients that were cooked in the brine (herbs, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, ect.)

• Seal the brining bag and secure with clips if necessary. Refrigerate the brined turkey for 18-24 hours.

• Once the brining is complete, remove the turkey from the brine and bag. Discard the brine and bag – do NOT reuse.

• Place several dish towels in your sing and place the brined turkey on top of the towels. Thoroughly rinse the turkey with water both in the inner cavity and on the outer skin. Lightly pat dry with clean towel and prep for roasting.

Once you’ve removed the turkey from the brine be sure to DISCARD any leftover brine. The leftover brine is NOT safe to consume.

Roasting time for a turkey: Cook a turkey 10-12 minutes per pound. For example, if your turkey is 15 lbs, then you’ll need 180 minutes, or approximately 3 hours.

Turkey is done when the internal temperature of the breast meat reaches 165 degrees, and the internal temperature of the thigh meat reaches 175 degrees.

Remove turkey from oven to rest after cooking. Cover with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes before carving. This will allow the juices to settle into the meat.