Buttermilk Chicken & Turkey Brine Marinade

Buttermilk Brine For Chicken & Turkey

I heart this buttermilk brine SO FREAKIN MUCH!!! If you have never brined whole chicken or turkey before then trust me, you will want to start.

A brine is simply a mixture of ingredients that you soak your meat in prior to cooking. There are dry brines and wet brines. I like wet brines better. Brines can add flavor to the meat depending on what spices you add, but most importantly it makes the meat super juicy and tender.

Many people brine their whole poultry using salted water or broth (since it's cheaper) but I always prefer good ol buttermilk. (It's only like $3-$4 a gallon and so worth it IMO) Apple juice is also a very popular liquid to brine in. I think buttermilk makes the absolute best brine for chicken and turkey. Not only does it add richness to the meat but it naturally tenderizes it to fall-off-the-bone perfection.

So here is one of my all time favorite brines to use on Thanksgiving turkeys. It creates a bird that is ridiculously moist and juicy and has a subtle seasoned taste that doesn't overpower the natural taste of the meat which means it pairs up great with just about any gravy or dressing.

Don't let the hot sauce in this brine recipe scare you. Your bird WON'T come out tasting anything like hot sauce.

I always make gravy to go along with my turkey but honestly, you really don't need it. Yes, it makes poultry THAT moist! Just PLEASE don't overcook your bird!!!!! When I first made this brine and cooked my turkey, I went to grab off the leg and the only thing I was left holding was the bone LOL. All the meat had slide right off! And the breast, omg talk about JUICY!

I hope that you enjoy this brine just as much as I do!

Get Recipe:
http://divascancook.blogspot.com/2010/11/buttermilk-chicken-turkey-brine-reci...

Music by Kevin MacLeod

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[pajamagirl123]

for i second i thought you were stirring your brine with a stalk of celery lmao great recipe!!

[divascancook]

@pajamagirl123 LOLL! It does look like it huh

[Niamani8878]

Can I use the alternative to buttermilk for this because I can't find buttermilk-sold out everywhere. Do i just do the lemon juice for each cup of milk? Will it have a similar result of tenderizing the meat? Thanks!

[divascancook]

@Niamani8878 yes you can make your own buttermilk.

[mxlawre]

I am confused. What is the point of brine mixture? I got confused when you rinsed the bird off.

[divascancook]

@mxlawre brining is just used to help the bird get really moist and juicy. Think of it like a conditioner for your hair that you put in and rinse out. Letting the bird sit in the brine tenderizes the meat so once the meat is tenderize you don't need the brine anymore.

[emilym89marie]

Everything I am cooking for Thanksgiving is coming from your site!!! Thank you!!! We ALL love your recipes!!

[ILoveJacob102010]

@divascancook That was BY FAR, the best illustration ever... I was wondering the same thing and now it makes PERFECT SENSE.... There is now no excuse for anyone not to know how to cook while you're around :)

[1977Msfelicia]

@pajamagirl123 lol...me too :-)

[nickyejay09]

this may be a dumb question, but can you do this with boneless chicken? if so, how long would you leave the boneless chicken in this mixture ?

[cmmrris1]

@thecatgirl6

U do not cook the mixture at all. U just mix it all up and pour it in the bag. It is just that simple. NO COOKING till after u rinse and u put the bird in the oven.

[Pepperbomb]

Can you make this broth in bulk and freeze ahead of time??

[TheMizarc1]

Can I fry with this recipe???

[mimi8224]

We used this recipe last year and it came out sooo good! We will def be using it again Thursday. Thanks for the video!

[TheCatgirl6]

So the buttermilk takes the place of any other liquid, like water? And you boil all the ingredients in the buttermilk--for how long?--and then cook the mixture before pouring over the bird, correct? I ask because it's not clear that the mixture is being heated as she stirs. And she doesn't indicate how long it should cool before adding to the bird.

[mizzmocha82]

Girl!!!!!!!!! I was going to do a regular water-based brine but this video convinced me to do the buttermilk version. All the seasonings look soooo good. This will be perfect for the turkey breast I'm doing on Thursday. Glad I found the site!

[nikkia1551]

Can you brine any kind of turkey?