• Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Legal Stuff
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

That Guy Who Grills

  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Chicken
  • Seafood
  • Pasta
  • Blackstone Griddle Recipes
  • Recipes on the Grill
  • Smoker Recipes
  • Recipes in the Kitchen

September 20, 2021 · 1 Comment

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey

Smoker Recipes
Pin922
Yum5
Share
Share
Tweet
927 Shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey makes for a fantastic smoked turkey! This brine made for an excellent and moist smoked turkey!  Once you brine a turkey, you will never make one another way.

Apple Cider Vinegar Brined Turkey on Pit Boss Pellet Grill

(I have included affiliate links to products I love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) In addition, this post contains affiliate links that will make me a small commission when used to order online.

Now I have fallen in love with my Pit Boss Pro 1100 from Lowes, if you don’t have Lowes, Walmart and Amazon carry other Pit Boss options or the Pit Boss website.  I love that I can set it at 225 with smoke and run inside and take a shower or prep sides, and it just cooks my meat with a fantastic smoke flavor!   I had compared it to other pellet grills like a Traeger on the market, but I have been happy with my choice. 

Pit Boss Pellet GrillsPit Boss Pellet GrillsPit Boss Pellet GrillsTraeger Pellet GrillsTraeger Pellet GrillsTraeger Pellet GrillsZ Grills Pellet GrillsZ Grills Pellet GrillsZ Grills Pellet Grills

 

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey Ingredients:

  • Turkey– Any size turkey will work for this recipe, even a turkey breast. You can cut the ingredients in half if you are doing a small bird.
  • Salt
  • Brown Sugar 
  • Peppercorns 
  • Dried Rosemary
  • Cinnamon Sticks– If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, you can do a 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon per stick.
  • Thyme 
  • Ground Sage
  • Minced Garlic
  • Whole Cloves
  • Medium Oranges
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Water 
 

How To Make Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey:

Cut up your oranges into quarters. 

In a large stockpot, add all of the brine ingredients (but not the turkey).  (If you don’t have a large stockpot, I highly recommend one, you can even bring meats in them or make amazing leftovers.  Check them out on Amazon -> here)

Bring the brine ingredients to a rolling boil to allow the salt and sugars to dissolve. 

I stirred mine as it was warming up to ensure everything was mixing well.

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey Boiling In Pot

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  

If your pot is big enough, add your turkey to the brine once it has cooled if not, pour the brine into a container to put the turkey in it. 

I used a Tupperware That’s Mega Bowl, which held my 12-pound turkey and the brine.   (They are on Amazon -> here as well if you don’t have a local hookup)

This Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey  in bowl with turkey brining

Keep cold in a fridge, or continue to add ice to it.

Allow the turkey to brine for at least 18-24 hours. 

How Long To cook A Turkey For

Now this will vary some smoker to smoker. The most common practice is to smoke for a couple of hours at 225 and then turn the temperature up to 350 to decrease the remaining cooking time. When turning the temperature up, you can cover the turkey with foil if you like.

  • You can start smoking on a smoke setting for an hour or two before increasing the temperature.
  • 225 degrees Fahrenheit for ~30 minutes per pound of meat.
  • 250 degrees Fahrenheit for ~25 minutes per pound of meat.
  • 325 degrees Fahrenheit for ~12 minutes per pound of meat.

For Example, a 15-pound turkey at 225 pounds would be about 450 minutes. Divide that by 30 to get 7.5 hours of cook time.

The most important part is not to smoke for time but for temperature. You will want to use a meat thermometer to ensure your bird reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees before serving.

How To Thaw A Turkey

How long your turkey takes to thaw will vary based on the site. The graphic below is a general guide to thawing a turkey based on size. Be sure to always keep your turkey in food safety guidelines.

Chart Depicting how to thaw a turkey

How To Smoke Apple Cider Vinegar Brined Turkey:

Remove your turkey from your brine and place it to the side on a tray or platter. When removing the turkey from the brine, you can lift it straight up, and it will keep some of the seasonings from the brine on it.

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine Turkey Removed From Brine And seasoned More

Sprinkle with more rosemary; you can also use more seasonings if you want to. 

Pour your brine out; I poured the brine into an over-the-sink strainer to catch all the large pieces of the brine.  

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey ingredients in strainer

Start your smoker up and get it rolling smoke before you place your bird in the smoker.

You will need to monitor your turkey with a meat thermometer to watch for the turkey to cook thoroughly. 

Apple Cider Vinegar Brined Turkey Smoking On Smoker

I smoked my turkey on the smoke setting for 1 1/2 hours and then smoked it at 250 for 6 hours.

Serve and enjoy! 

Apple Cider Vinegar Brined Turkey Sliced Open

How To Store Leftover Turkey

Once the leftover turkey is cooled, store it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for up to five days. You can freeze leftover turkey for up to three months in an airtight container to freezer bag.

Storing leftovers properly requires the right tools! My preferred storage method is if the leftovers can be sealed in a food saver. If not, then an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for the fridge is the way I go. The air-tight container and a freezer Ziploc bag are the next best bet for freezing the leftovers. I also use a food scale to measure portions into serving sizes.

Freezable storage ContainersFreezable storage ContainersFreezable storage ContainersFood SealerFood SealerFood SealerFreezer BagsFreezer BagsFreezer BagsFood ScaleFood ScaleFood Scale

 

The Best Leftover Smoked Turkey Recipes:

I love to use leftover smoked turkey in other recipes! From Pot Pies to soup to a casserole, there are no limits. I even use my Pit Boss Grills and Blackstone griddle to make leftover dishes too!! Check out all my tried and true leftover turkey recipes ->HERE.  

What To Serve With Smoked Turkey:

Any of the classic turkey dishes will go with smoked turkey. I love to smoke versions of classics as well. You can see my full list of side dishes for smoked turkey -> here that go with smoked turkey.

Bread: Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread, Garlic Parmesan Biscuit Pull Part Bread, English Muffin Garlic Cheese Bread, Easy Cheesy Monkey Bread, Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls, Honey Rolls

Smoked Appetizers: Smoked Cream Cheese, Easy Smoked Queso Dip, Easy Smoked Refried Bean Dip

Smoked Side Dishes: Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Green Bean Casserole, Smoked Sweet Potato Casserole, Smoked Baked Potatoes, Smoked Loaded Cheesy Potatoes, Smoked Deviled Eggs, Smoked Loaded Baked Beans, Creamy Smoked Macaroni And Cheese, Smoked Loaded Cheesy Potatoes

Grilled Side Dishes: Cheesy Grilled Asparagus, Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, Grilled Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes, Grilled Corn On The Cob,

Desserts: How To Smoke A Pie, Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake, Crescent Roll Peach Dumplings, Pumpkin Bars

Smoked Turkey Recipes: 

A dry rub works amazingly well on turkey, but doing a brine with the dry rub adds more flavor.  There is no wrong way to smoke a turkey.  Now, I buy extras during the holidays, so I have extra turkeys to smoke later in the year!

  • Smoked Coca-Cola Turkey Brine Recipe
  • Smoked Turkey With A Dry Rub
  • Apple Cider Brine Smoked Turkey
  • Smoked Turkey Breast With Brine Recipe
  • Jack Daniels Smoked Turkey Brine
  • Smoked Turkey With Brine, Butter Injection, and Dry Rub
Apple Cider Vinegar Brined Turkey on Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey

Guy Who Grills
This Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey is perfect for smoking a turkey! The brine adds so much flavor and also keeps the turkey moist! You can also use this brine to make a turkey in the oven as well! Perfect to smoke on a pellet grill or an electric smoker!
5 from 53 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 hours hrs
Brining 1 day d
Total Time 1 day d 6 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course american
Cuisine BBQ
Servings 22 Servings
Calories 2281 kcal

Equipment

  • Pellet Grill
  • Over The Sink Strainer
  • Mega Tupperware Bowl
  • Seving Platter

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Turkey
  • 1 Cup Salt
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Peppercorns
  • 2 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
  • 5 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 2 Tbsp Thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Ground Sage
  • 3 Tsp Minced Garlic
  • 2 Tbsp Whole Cloves
  • 2 Medium Oranges
  • 2 Quarts Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Gallon Water

Instructions
 

HOW TO MAKE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BRINE FOR TURKEY:

  • Cut up your oranges into quarters.
  • In a large stockpot add all of the ingredients of the brine (but not the turkey).)
  • Bring the brine ingredients to a rolling boil to allow the salt and sugars to dissolve.
  • I stirred mine as it was warming up to make sure everything was mixing well.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  • If your pot is big enough add your turkey to the brine once it has cooled if not pour the brine into a container to put the turkey in it with.
  • I used a Tupperware That's Mega Bowl and it held my 12 lb turkey plus the brine.   
  • Keep cold in a fridge or continue to add ice to it.
  • Allow the turkey to brine for at least 18-24 hours.

HOW TO SMOKE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR BRINED TURKEY:

  • Remove your turkey from your brine and place it to the side on a tray or platter, when I removed my turkey I lifted it straight up so it kept some of the seasonings on it.
  • Sprinkle with more rosemary, you can use more seasonings as well if you want to.
  • Pour your brine out, I poured the brine into an over-the-sink strainer to catch all the large pieces of the brine.
  • Start your smoker up and get it rolling smoke.
  • You will need to monitor your turkey with a meat thermometer to watch for the turkey to cook thoroughly thru.
  • I smoked my turkey on the smoke setting for 1 1/2 hours, and then smoked it at 250 for 6 hours.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 22gCalories: 2281kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1gFat: 247gSaturated Fat: 73gPolyunsaturated Fat: 57gMonounsaturated Fat: 106gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 253mgSodium: 5168mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 71IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey, thanksgiving dinner, Turkey dinner
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Apple Cider Vinegar Brine For Turkey
Pin922
Yum5
Share
Share
Tweet
927 Shares
Previous Post: « Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork Mac And Cheese Recipe
Next Post: Smoked Cream Cheese on the PitBoss »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dianne says

    November 27, 2021 at 9:50 am

    Followed this recipe exactly and was rewarded with the best Thanksgiving turkey in the forty years I’ve been cooking this once a year dish. It was so flavorful and moist everyone also agreed it was the best turkey ever. Didn’t know turkey could stand on its own without gravy to give it some moisture and flavor. Plan on having turkey often now, not just once a year. Thanks.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Amazon

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

RECENTLY ON THE GRILL

Grilled Salon with lemon slice white rice and cheesy asparagus

Easy Grilled Salmon In A Fish Basket

Collage with grilled twice baked potatoes, cheese stuffed mushrooms, grilled zucchini, and grilled corn on the cob

Easy Grilled Side Dishes

Grilled Salmon in foil packet served with white rice and cheesy asparagus

Foil Packet Grilled Salmon

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Legal Stuff
  • Recipe Index

Copyright © 2023 THAT GUY WHO GRILLS · by Heart and Soul Studio

';