Brine Turkey Breast: Salt Ratio and Time
Published
For a 6 lb (2.72 kg) bone-in turkey breast, dissolve 162.1 g (5.72 oz) of salt in 3 quarts (2.84 L) of water, a 5.71% brine, and refrigerate the breast in it for 4 to 6 hours. Keep the turkey and brine at 40°F (4°C) or below.
A lighter 3.8% brine uses 107.9 g (3.81 oz) of salt for the same 3 quarts and runs 3 to 6 hours.
Quick answer
For turkey breast, use a 5.71% brine: 54 g (1.9 oz) of salt per quart of water. Brine 6 lb (2.72 kg) for 4 to 6 hr.
- Diamond Crystal kosher, per quart of water
- 3/8 cup
- Morton kosher, per quart of water
- 1/4 cup
- Table salt, per quart of water
- 3 Tbsp
- For 6 lb (2.72 kg)
- 162 g (5.7 oz) of salt in 3 quarts (2.84 L) of water
- Time window
- 4 to 6 hr
Warnings
Do not brine meat that is labeled basted, enhanced, marinated or kosher (Morton Salt, It's Time To Brine). Destination BBQ (Brining math explained) says enhanced, self-basting and kosher meat has already been salt-treated and is essentially pre-brined, and that you might dry-brine it very lightly or not brine it at all. America's Test Kitchen's roasted brined turkey recipe says not to brine a kosher or self-basting turkey because it already contains a good amount of sodium.
Keep the turkey and brine at 40°F (4°C) or below and do not leave the turkey out at room temperature while it brines. USDA and the University of Wisconsin Extension say not to brine any longer than two days.
Morton Salt says not to brine a turkey you plan to deep fry.
Brine in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not brine at room temperature.
Discard the brine after use. Do not reuse brine that held raw meat, poultry or fish.
Do not brine longer than 6 hr. Cook the Story gives 4 to 6 hours for a turkey breast and states no separate maximum; the calculator's maximum is the top of that range, 6 hours. Amazing Ribs reports a test by Greg Blonder in which a half-pound boneless chicken breast held about 1.5% salt inside after 8 hours in a 6% brine, and calls an internal level of 1.5% to 2% much too salty to eat. That test shows meat becomes too salty over hours; it does not set the maximum shown here.
Notes
The University of Wisconsin Extension says not to wash the turkey before brining, because washing raw poultry can cause cross-contamination. If you rinse the cavity afterward, use cold water and make sure it runs out the other end.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Brined and fermented food contains added salt.
The water shown is a default of 0.5 quarts per pound of food. Use enough water to cover the food completely. The salt follows the water: if you use a different amount of water, enter it and the salt changes with it.
Turkey breast calculator
Enter your own weight, brine strength and water amount, choose your salt type, and get the salt by weight and volume and the time.
Open the turkey breast calculatorBrine strength
The calculator has two strengths for a bone-in turkey breast of 6 to 8 lb (2.7 to 3.6 kg). Both are percentages of the water weight, as the brine percentages explainer describes.
| Strength | Salt percentage | Salt per quart of water | Salt per gallon of water | Time for 6 lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lighter About 3.8 g of table salt per 100 g of water, from America's Test Kitchen. The University of Illinois Extension's halved turkey brine converts to the same value. see warning | 3.8% of water | 36 g (1.3 oz) 1/4 cup Diamond Crystal kosher 2 1/2 Tbsp Morton kosher 2 Tbsp Table salt | 144 g (5.1 oz) 1 1/8 cups Diamond Crystal kosher 5/8 cup Morton kosher 1/2 cup Table salt | 3 to 6 hr |
| Standard About 5.71 g of table salt per 100 g of water, from Cook the Story. Amazing Ribs (6%) and Destination BBQ (5% to 7%, turkey breast) give similar weight-based strengths. see warning | 5.71% of water | 54 g (1.9 oz) 3/8 cup Diamond Crystal kosher 1/4 cup Morton kosher 3 Tbsp Table salt | 216 g (7.6 oz) 1 5/8 cups Diamond Crystal kosher 1 cup Morton kosher 3/4 cup Table salt | 4 to 6 hr |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
Warning
Do not brine longer than 6 hr. America's Test Kitchen gives 6 hours as the longest time at this strength. Applies to: Lighter.
Standard (5.71%) is the default. It comes from Cook the Story, which brines a turkey breast in 4 cups of water with 3 Tbsp of table salt (or 6 Tbsp of Diamond Crystal, or 4 1/2 Tbsp of Morton kosher) for 4 to 6 hours. Amazing Ribs (6%) and Destination BBQ (5% to 7%) give similar weight-based strengths. Destination BBQ gives 8 to 24 hours for turkey breast, and the calculator uses the shorter maximum of 6 hours.
Lighter (3.8%) comes from America's Test Kitchen's chart: one bone-in turkey breast of 6 to 8 lb in 1 gallon of cold water with 1/2 cup of table salt for 3 to 6 hours. Only America's Test Kitchen gives a turkey breast at this strength. The University of Illinois Extension's halved whole-turkey brine has the same percentage but no hours.
The lighter brine has less salt in the water and a window that starts an hour earlier. The standard brine has a narrower window, 4 to 6 hours, with the same 6 hour ceiling.
Salt and time by weight
Weigh the breast before brining, without the brine. The calculator accepts 6 to 8 lb (2.72 to 3.63 kg).
| Food weight | Salt by weight | Diamond Crystal kosher | Morton kosher | Table salt | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 lb (2.72 kg) | 162 g (5.7 oz) | 1 1/4 cups | 3/4 cup | 5/8 cup | 3 quarts (2.84 L) | 4 to 6 hr |
| 7 lb (3.18 kg) | 189 g (6.7 oz) | 1 3/8 cups | 7/8 cup | 5/8 cup | 3.5 quarts (3.31 L) | 4 to 6 hr |
| 8 lb (3.63 kg) | 216 g (7.6 oz) | 1 5/8 cups | 1 cup | 3/4 cup | 4 quarts (3.79 L) | 4 to 6 hr |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
The lighter brine:
| Food weight | Salt by weight | Diamond Crystal kosher | Morton kosher | Table salt | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 lb (2.72 kg) | 108 g (3.8 oz) | 3/4 cup | 1/2 cup | 3/8 cup | 3 quarts (2.84 L) | 3 to 6 hr |
| 7 lb (3.18 kg) | 126 g (4.4 oz) | 7/8 cup | 1/2 cup | 3/8 cup | 3.5 quarts (3.31 L) | 3 to 6 hr |
| 8 lb (3.63 kg) | 144 g (5.1 oz) | 1 1/8 cups | 5/8 cup | 1/2 cup | 4 quarts (3.79 L) | 3 to 6 hr |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts. At 6 lb and the standard strength, 162.1 g of salt is 1 1/4 cups of Diamond Crystal kosher, 3/4 cup of Morton kosher or 5/8 cup of table salt. Weighing is the reliable way to measure. The kosher versus table salt guide explains the difference.
Note
The water shown is a default of 0.5 quarts per pound of food. Use enough water to cover the food completely. The salt follows the water: if you use a different amount of water, enter it in the calculator and the salt changes with it.
America's Test Kitchen's lighter brine uses 1 gallon of water for a 6 to 8 lb breast. The calculator's default is 3 to 4 quarts for the same range. If your container needs a particular amount of water, enter it and the salt follows.
Handling a turkey breast
Do not wash the breast first: the University of Wisconsin Extension says washing raw poultry can spread bacteria. The USDA suggests a food-grade plastic, stainless steel or glass container, with the turkey fully covered and the container sealed. Keep it at 40°F (4°C) or below and take the breast out at 4 to 6 hours at the standard strength or 3 to 6 hours at the lighter one.
Dry the breast thoroughly afterward. For skin-on breasts, Amazing Ribs suggests a dry brine over a wet one, and the dry brine turkey breast guide covers that. The USDA says to cook turkey to at least 165°F (74°C). The shared steps are in how to brine meat.
Safety
Warning
Do not brine longer than 6 hr at either strength. At the lighter strength, America's Test Kitchen gives 6 hours as the longest time. At the standard strength, Cook the Story gives 4 to 6 hours for a turkey breast and states no separate maximum; the calculator's maximum is the top of that range, 6 hours. The guide to over-brining has the salt-uptake test and what to do about meat that stayed in too long.
The refrigeration, brine disposal and pre-salted meat rules in the calculator above apply to every wet brine and are explained in the brine food safety guide. In short: brine at 40°F (4°C) or below, throw the brine out after use, and do not brine poultry sold as basted, enhanced, marinated or kosher. The USDA FSIS says those labels mean a solution was added during processing.
Practical problems
The breast is too salty. Use the lighter brine and stay under 6 hours. Taste before adding salt to gravy or a sauce.
The breast does not brown. Dry it thoroughly before cooking.
You are cooking the whole bird. The whole turkey guide has amounts for 12 to 24 lb (5.44 to 10.89 kg), and the turkey brine time chart puts the turkey cuts side by side.
Frequently asked questions
How long should you brine a turkey breast?
At the default 5.71% strength a bone-in breast of 6 to 8 lb (2.7 to 3.6 kg) takes 4 to 6 hours. The lighter 3.8% brine takes 3 to 6 hours. The maximum is 6 hours at both.
How much salt do you need to brine a 6 lb turkey breast?
At the default strength, 6 lb (2.72 kg) uses 3 quarts (2.84 L) of water and 162.1 g (5.72 oz) of salt. That is 1 1/4 cups Diamond Crystal kosher, 3/4 cup Morton kosher or 5/8 cup table salt.
Can you brine a turkey breast overnight?
Not with this calculator. The maximum is 6 hours at both strengths. Destination BBQ gives 8 to 24 hours for turkey breast at 5% to 7%, but the calculator uses the shorter time where sources differ.
Do you wash a turkey breast before brining?
No. The University of Wisconsin Extension says not to wash the turkey before brining, because washing raw poultry can cause cross-contamination.
Can you brine a turkey breast you plan to deep fry?
Morton Salt says not to brine a turkey you plan to deep fry.