As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking for ways to elevate our festive meals and create unforgettable memories around the dinner table. One of the best ways to ensure your turkey is juicy, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned is by using a smoked turkey brine.

This simple yet effective technique infuses your bird with delicious flavors while helping to keep it moist during the smoking process. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time turkey smoker, a well-crafted brine can make all the difference in achieving that show-stopping centerpiece for your Christmas feast. We pair it with a dry rub that is added to the turkey before smoking. Together, these techniques lead to THE perfect smoked turkey.
Why You’ll Love It
- Complex Flavors: This brine infuses every bite with a harmonious blend of savory, sweet, and aromatic flavors, elevating your turkey beyond the traditional roast.
- Foolproof Moisture: Say goodbye to dry turkey horror stories; this brine locks in moisture, ensuring a juicy, tender bird that will win over your guests.
- Customizable: The recipe is a perfect foundation that you can tweak with your favorite ingredients to create a personalized taste profile.
- Grill Master’s Dream: Designed for smoking, this brine complements the natural smokiness for a standout turkey that will be the talk of the table.
» Also read about how long to rest a turkey before carving and the best wood for smoking turkey.
What Is Turkey Brine?

A turkey brine is a salt-based solution in which the turkey soaks before cooking. The primary purpose of brining is to moisten and season the turkey from within. While salt is the core ingredient, a brine can (and should!) include various flavorings, like herbs, spices, fruits, and liquids like apple cider or even beer, to impart additional taste.
Brining relies on the science of osmosis and diffusion. The salt in the brine helps the turkey meat absorb water and flavor compounds. As salt enters the meat, it breaks down proteins, which in turn, traps water during the cooking process, leading to juicier meat. It’s a simple process with delicious results.
Ingredients You’ll Need

- Water – It doesn’t have to be filtered, just tap water is fine
- Salt – Coarse salt is best for brining, with Kosher salt being at the top of the list for its purity.
- Lemon – The lemon helps with the break down of the muscle fiber but also imparts vibrant flavor.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary – It’s always best to use fresh herbs when possible. Dried herbs don’t have as much aroma and flavor.
- Brown sugar
- Garlic
- Black peppercorns
Helpful Tips
- Plan Ahead: Make sure to brine your turkey at least 12 to 24 hours before cooking. This allows ample time for the flavors to penetrate the meat, ensuring a juicy and flavorful turkey.
- Use a Large Container: Choose a container large enough to fully submerge your turkey in the brine. A clean cooler, large pot, or a brining bag can work well. Remember to keep the brined turkey refrigerated or in a cool place to ensure food safety.
- Experiment with Flavors: Don’t hesitate to get creative with your brine! Add herbs, spices, citrus, or even a splash of apple cider or bourbon for a unique twist. Tailoring the flavors to your taste will make your smoked turkey truly special.
How to Brine a Turkey for Smoking
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 2 cups of the water with the salt, lemon, thyme, rosemary, brown sugar, garlic and black peppercorns. Simmer until the salt has fully dissolved. It will take about 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. It doesn’t have to be completely cold as you’ll be combining it with the remaining water, which will quickly cool it down.

Once cooled, combine the brine with the remaining water in a large enough container to hold the water and turkey (that will fit in your refrigerator).
Submerge the turkey, breast side up, in the brine. Refrigerate for 12-20 hours. 12 hours is the ideal amount of time. If you have to go longer, I wouldn’t exceed 20 hours. 24 hours is pushing it a bit. The salt and acid will begin to break down the meat and make it soggy.
A general rule is to brine for 1 hour per pound of turkey. Therefore, a 12-pound turkey would need approximately 12 hours in the brine.

Remove the turkey from the brine. Pat it dry with a paper towel. At this point, you can proceed with smoking.
We also recommend stuffing it with more lemon and herbs. And coating it with a dry rub, if you want to add more flavor to the skin. We use our favorite homemade chicken dry rub.

What Smokers We Use
Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill & Smoker
Did you know that Traeger created the original wood-pellet grill? The Pro Series 22 is the one most people choose because it’s compact, yet has plenty of space for cooking. You can use any type of wood pellets you like. See the Traeger Series 22 Grill on Amazon.
Z Grills 7002C2E Pellet Grill & Smoker
We use the 7002C2E, which has dual temperature probes, a huge pellet hopper and pellet viewing window, with a large grill space and streamlined design. See this grill and more on the Z Grills site.
Smoking a Brined Turkey
Hold the turkey up to let it drain into the sink. There is no need to rinse the turkey. Gently place the turkey in a roasting pan.
Pat dry the turkey with a paper towel. Coat it with the olive oil, which will give it a nice crispy skin. Then put on the dry rub. If you don’t want to use a dry rub, I still recommend giving it a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or rubbing on a compound butter. It helps make the skin crispy and tasty.
When ready to smoke, set the smoker temperature to 250˚F, stock with wood pellets or chips (we like to use apple or cherry wood) and preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
Insert the probe into the thickest part of a turkey thigh. Place the roasting pan on the grill grates, close the lid, and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F. It will take about 30 minutes per pound, depends on the size of your turkey. Our 10-pound turkey took 5 hours to smoke.

Before You Go
- How to Choose the Best Wood for Smoking Turkey
- Beer-Brined Turkey: Thanksgiving with a Malty Kick
- How Long to Rest Turkey Before You Carve It
- Delicious Compound Butter for Turkey
- Dry Brine for Smoking a Turkey with Tons of Flavor & Crisp Skin
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Smoked Turkey Brine
Equipment
- Large pot
- Brining bag or large bucket
Ingredients
- 2 quarts (1.89 l) water divided
- 1 1/2 cups (438 g) salt (not iodized)
- 1 lemon quartered
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme and rosemary
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) whole black peppercorns
- 1 whole turkey 8-18 pounds
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (8 g) dry rub
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, combine a quarter of the water with the salt, lemon, thyme, rosemary, brown sugar, garlic and black peppercorns. Simmer until the salt has fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- Once completely cooled, combine the brine with the remaining water in a large enough container to hold the water and turkey (that will fit in your refrigerator).
- Submerge the turkey in the brine. Refrigerate for 12-20 hours (not longer than this!).
- Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Set the turkey on a tray that can be placed in the refrigerator and allow it to dry for another 4-12 hours. (This step can be skipped, but this is how you get the skin really crispy).
- Coat the turkey with the olive oil and sprinkle on the dry rub.
- When ready to smoke, set the smoker temperature to 250˚F, stock with wood pellets or chips (we like to use apple or cherry wood) and preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
- Insert the probe into the thickest part of a turkey thigh. Place the roasting pan on the grill grates, close the lid, and roast until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F. It will take about 30 minutes per pound, depends on the size of your turkey. You can place the turkey directly on the grates if you don’t care to catch the drippings in a roasting pan.
Notes
- The nutrition calculations do not include the brine, which is discarded.
- Do not leave the turkey in the brine for longer than 20 hours.
- If you cannot fully submerge the turkey, be sure to rotate it in the brine every 5-8 hours to ensure all parts get equally brined.
- You can use this homemade all-purpose dry rub or this dry rub for chicken.

Laura is a passionate home cook and grill enthusiast who has spent years perfecting her culinary skills, with a particular focus on grilling techniques and flavor combinations. Her fascination with the grill, smoke, and the mouthwatering results they produce has led her on an exciting journey to discover the best methods for grilling delicious and unforgettable meals.