Looking for the perfect turkey brine recipe? Look no further! This delicious brine not only adds flavor to your turkey, but also keeps it moist and juicy. Watch our video tutorial and try it out for yourself!
Every year I test, and test and test recipes for Thanksgiving. But not my simple turkey brine recipe. It’s perfect, and I use the same one every single year regardless of how I make my bird.
Whether your roasting turkey or making Thanksgiving turkey in a slow cooker, I use the same brine on both of them.
There’s nothing quite like a perfectly cooked turkey and that 100% starts with a turkey brine. You CANNOT skip it. Trust me, I’ve tested enough to know that it really is a game changer.
Turkey Brine Basics
Brining a turkey needs two specific ingredients and then the remaining ingredients vary based upon your own individual recipes.
- Liquid- Your turkey breast (or whole turkey) will sit in a liquid anywhere from 8-24 hours. The kind of liquid does in fact make a difference as they will help to flavor the meat. Brining, as well as marinating, is not made to soak into the center of the meat, but to flavor the outside so well that as it cooks that flavor emerges.
- Salt- It’s preferred that you use Kosher salt for brining as it’s a more coarse salt which will help to break down the meat, soak in the liquid for a more juicy meat and finally, the salt helps to flavor the meat more than just a rub later on.
How to Brine a Turkey
Brining a turkey might sound fancy or complicated but it’s as easy as dunking a turkey in salty liquid with some extra flavors if desired and letting it sit. Easy peezy! The brine is used to lock flavor and moisture into the turkey.
A few simple ingredients is all you need for my best turkey brine recipe:
- Apple Cider – apple juice can be used if you can’t find cider
- Water
- Brown Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Bay Leaves
- Garlic Cloves
- Fresh Rosemary
- Orange Peel
- Lemon Peel
Grab a large stock pot and pour all the ingredients into the pot. You can also use a brining bar if you want. They are great! Stir everything together until the sugar and salt dissolve. Place the turkey carefully into the brine, put the lid on the pot, and set it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
PRO TIP: If your stock pot doesn’t fit into your fridge, put it in a cooler and surround the pot with ice. It will store great for 24 hours.
How to Make A Turkey Brine
Learn how to make the perfect turkey gravy for the holiday season with this step by step guide! Impress your guests with this delicious and easy recipe.
It has been over 10 years that I’ve sat down with the intent of posting about how to make turkey gravy. But then I get busy with Thanksgiving and the next thing you know, we are moving on to Christmas and I didn’t even notice that I failed once again. And so this year it’s March, and I’m tackling Thanksgiving. You’re welcome.
Turkey gravy is something I’m a little picky about. I don’t want it clumpy, lumpy, salty or herby. I want it perfectly flavored and perfectly smooth. The richness comes from cooking down the neck, giblets or leg meat and the best part is…
YOU CAN MAKE IT AHEAD!
AND FREEZE IT!
So let’s jump in!
How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time
Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Gravy
We are going to start this recipe by making our own turkey stock which we will then use to make the gravy. Here is what you will need for each step:
For the Homemade Turkey Stock
- Turkey Neck, Giblets, Legs, Wings, etc: We will roast and simmer these to infuse maximum turkey flavor. You can even add a ham hock if you have one for deeper flavor.
- Olive Oil
- Seasonings and Herbs: Salt, Fresh Parsley, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves, Fresh Thyme
- Vegetables: Celery, Carrots, Onion, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Garlic
- Chicken Broth
- Turkey Trimmings
- White Cooking Wine
For the Gravy
- Unsalted Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Turkey Drippings
- Homemade Turkey Stock
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details.
Turkey Gravy Recipe: Step by Step Guide
This is a make-ahead recipe, so it should be started a few days, to even a few weeks before Thanksgiving. If you don’t have time, store-bought will work but will not be as flavorful. You’ll also be surprised about how easy it is to make your own. Here are the basic steps:
1: Roast the Turkey Pieces
- Place the turkey neck, giblets, legs, wings, etc on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive
Stressed at the thought of cooking a turkey? Don’t be! We’ve made dozens of turkeys over the years and we’ve figured out how to cook a turkey perfectly every time. Spoiler: the best way to cook a turkey is in a bowl!
I know, this isn’t your typical roast turkey recipe, but look how brown it got and can you see how it’s falling apart?!
The BEST Turkey Recipe
My friend Brittany was chatting with me over Thanksgiving dinner last year all about turkeys. You see, Brittany doesn’t cook a turkey in the traditional way. In fact, she totally blew my mind when she told me, the best way to cook a turkey — this turkey in a bowl recipe — is life changing.
Yes, it’s a turkey that is literally cooked in a big bowl in the oven.
You’re going to want to buy a big bowl and try this one out for yourself. It’s the simplest and quickest way to prepare turkey that I’ve ever seen, but the results are fall apart moist and tender.
Watch How to Make the Juiciest Turkey in a Bowl
Turkey Basics
Before we get too far into this, I want to cover a few of the basics so you know if is the right fit for your eating schedule:
- A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
- Turkey will need to cook for 1 hour per pound.
- Safe internal temperature for a turkey is 175 degrees F the thigh and 165 degrees F in the breast.
So let’s assume you are going to roast a 18 pound turkey that is frozen when you purchase it and you want to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Here is your brief timeline:
- Remove turkey from freezer to thaw in the fridge: 4 days ahead of time (Sunday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon)
- Turkey roasts in the oven: 15 hours
- Turkey rests: 30 minutes
The turkey will be falling off
Impress your family and friends with this delicious apple pecan smoked turkey breast recipe. With a step-by-step video tutorial, you’ll have the perfect centerpiece for your holiday meal!
There is not a more juicy and flavorful turkey than this smoked turkey breast. It is our current favorite for Thanksgiving. I thought that Instant Pot Turkey was incredible, but man, this one just totally one upped that recipe.
We aren’t lacking for turkey recipes on our site. We love a juicy turkey slice for dinner, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t keep adding to it. That fried turkey from years ago is still ad favorite, the classic oven roasted whole turkey never disappoints, and we make the herb roasted turkey breast all year round for a healthy dinner recipe idea that isn’t chicken.
So even if you’re like us and there are other turkey recipes you’ve made before, take a chance and make the most amazing apple pecan smoked turkey recipe this Thanksgiving.
Ingredients for Smoked Turkey Breast
This list might look a little overwhelming at first, but there are a few components to this recipe in order for it to come together just perfectly! You need your smoker supplies, brine ingredients, rub ingredients and turkey gravy ingredients. Here is everything you’ll need:
For the Smoker
- Pecan Pellets or Chips
- Tin Pan
Turkey Brine
- Maple Syrup
- Brown Sugar
- Kosher Salt
- Apple Juice
- Orange Juice
- Chicken Broth
- Smoked Paprika
- Turkey Breast: Buy a bone-in turkey breast for the best flavor and texture.
Turkey Rub
- Brown Sugar
- Seasonings and Spices: Smoked Paprika, Ground Mustard, Kosher Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chipotle Chili Pepper Seasoning, Pepper and Cumin
- Butter
Steaming Liquids
Gravy
This is meant to be just a quick overview of the ingredients you will need. The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Turkey Basics
Before we jump in to making this smoked turkey, I want to cover a few of the basics:
- A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
- Turkey will need to smoke for 25-30 minutes per pound.
- Safe internal temperature fo
Everyone needs more acorn squash recipes, especially when they are stuffed with leftover Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing! Repurpose all those leftovers in big way!
Last year I was fussing to my Mom on the phone about how much turkey I needed to use up after the holidays and she mentioned that she’d made the yummiest little concoction to use up the last of their turkey leftovers the night before. Quickly she typed up a text to me and I put it to the test within 24 hours. Turkey stuffed acorn squash uses everything you have lying around and my goodness, it’s almost like the perfect sandwich with all of those layers of flavor!
Ingredients for Leftover Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s so easy and almost all the ingredients are leftovers, so they are already set to throw in. Here is what you will need:
- Acorn Squashes – you want two squashes, cut in half and scooped clean
- Onion – yellow onion, diced small
- Turkey (cooked and chopped) – you can use white meat or dark or a mix of both
- Stuffing – any type of stuffing works great, we love to use our no fuss make ahead stuffing
- Cranberry Sauce – adds the perfect sweetness and tanginess
- Chicken Broth – since you are baking cooked food again, you want to add a little moisture so it doesn’t dry out
- Salt – flavor, you can add as much or as little as you want
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash
It’s as easy as cleaning out a couple of acorn squashes and stuffing it with a bunch of Thanksgiving leftovers. So simple! Here are the basic steps:
- Preheat the oven.
- Cut the squashes in half and clean them out. Slice a thin piece off the bottom of each so they sit flat.
- Roast the squashes.
- Saute the onion in a skillet over medium heat. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir together.
- Spoon the mixture into the roasted squash and bake.
- Serve with more cranberry sauce or gravy.
All of these instructions in full detail can be found in the recipe card below.
Can I Use Butternut Squash?
Yes. This recipe is delicious with butternut squash. I would quarter the squash so that they aren’t too big but you absolutely can use butternut squash instead of acorn squash.
Can You Eat Acorn Squash Skin?
Yes, the skin can be eaten but I prefer not to. It is quite thick and has a waxy texture.
How to Eat Stuffed Acorn Squash
Since I prefer to not eat the skin, I treat the skin almost like a bowl. I just take a fork or spoon and dig into the squash. I love getting a little flesh of the squash with some of the filling. It is the perfect bite!
What to Eat with Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes?
Stuffed acorn