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Red Wine Turkey Recipe

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Jessica Pinney Avatar

Author

Jessica Pinney

Published

Nov. 6, 2019

Updated

Mar. 7, 2024

Make the juiciest, most beautiful brown turkey ever with this red wine brine recipe! The perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Red Wine Turkey with deep brown skin.

I’ve been making a red wine brined turkey for my friends and family every Thanksgiving for the past several years.

It is the most flavorful brine I’ve come across. It leaves your turkey incredibly moist, tender, and full of flavor. The red wine helps turn the skin a beautiful golden brown. 

Brown turkey wing on red wine brined turkey.

Red Wine Turkey Brine Ingredients

  • Red Wine
  • Water
  • Apples
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Sage
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Peppercorns
  • Salt
  • Brown Sugar
Red Wine Turkey Brine with apples, onion, fresh herbs, and peppercorn.

Making this red wine brine does require 2 bottles of red wine, but hey, it’s the holidays! I think it’s worth it. It’s also perfectly okay (and recommended) to use inexpensive wine. Save the good stuff for later! 😉I use a red wine blend that my grocery store sells for less than $10 a bottle. 

You can use any apples you’d like, though I’d recommend using a variety that’s on the firmer side. The apples you see in the photos are McIntosh. 

Apple sliced and peppercorn with fresh sage floating in red wine turkey brine.

Both yellow and white onions will work for this recipe, though I prefer white. They have a more potent flavor, which comes through better in the brine.

I used classic poultry herbs in this brine like thyme, sage, and rosemary. You could also add marjoram or remove an herb entirely if you have a particular aversion to any one of them. 

How To Make Brine

Bring all the ingredients, other than the wine, to a boil in a large stockpot. Let boil one minute, then turn off the heat and allow to cool completely. 

How To Brine Turkey with Red Wine

After you’ve made the brine and it has completely cooled, it’s time to soak that bird. 

You’ll need a stockpot, or another large container (I sometimes use this) to brine it in. In a real pinch, you could also use a turkey bag. (That’s how I brined my turkeys all through college 😉) 

Add the bird to the cooled brine, then pour in the red wine. If the turkey is not completely covered by liquid, add more water until it is. Cover with lid, then put in the refrigerator to brine for 48 hours. 

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Pouring red wine over a turkey in a stock pot.

How To Cook Turkey With Crispy Skin

If you want to cook your turkey so that it has crispy skin, you’ve got to dry it out prior to cooking.

After the turkey has brined for 2 days, remove it from the brine solution and place it on a baking sheet (uncovered) in the refrigerator the night before cooking.

The next day, before you put it in the oven, thoroughly pat it dry. This will ensure your turkey’s skin is nice and crispy rather than tough and chewy.

Raw turkey with purple skin that's been brined in red wine.

What should you stuff a turkey with?

Generally, you want to stuff the turkey’s cavity with things that will help keep the meat moist and aromatics that will add subtle flavors. I chose to stuff this red wine turkey with apples, onions, lemons, garlic, and a blend of poultry herbs (rosemary, thyme, and marjoram). 

What should you inject a turkey with?

You want to inject your turkey with something that will both tenderize the meat and add flavor. For this turkey, I chose a mix of white wine and soy sauce. Simple, yet effective. 

How To Cook A Turkey In The Oven

To cook your turkey in the oven, you’ll need a large pan. I have a roasting pan which is ideal, but you can also use any other large and deep pan or a disposable turkey pan. 

Where to cook the turkey in the oven?

You want to cook your turkey directly in the middle of your oven for the best results. I usually remove one rack from my oven and place the other directly in the middle, then place my roasting pan there. 

At which temperature should you cook the turkey?

A whole turkey should generally be cooked between 325 F and 350 F. I chose to cook this turkey at 350 F. 

Red wine turkey stuffed with herbs and fruit on a white platter.

How long should you cook turkey per pound?

Whole turkeys should be cooked approximately 20 minutes per pound. 

How do you know when the turkey is ready?

The turkey is ready when the skin is brown and crispy and the internal temperature is 165 F. 

Where to stick the thermometer in the turkey?

To check to see if the turkey is done, you should stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. 

Deep brown turkey leg on a red wine turkey.

More Turkey Recipes

  • Sriracha Beer Cajun Turkey
  • Sweet Tea Brined Turkey Breast

Other Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Thanksgiving Turkey Meat & Cheese Platter
  • Secret Ingredient Sweet Potatoes
  • Holiday Cranberry Compote
  • 4 Ways To Make Fall Mimosas
  • Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Sundaes

Recipes To Use Up Leftover Turkey

  • Thanksgiving Leftovers Pizza
  • Thanksgiving Leftovers Monte Cristo
  • Thanksgiving Leftovers Crunchwrap 
Red Wine Brined Turkey stuffed with an herb bundle and coarsely chopped fruit.

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Red Wine Turkey Brine Recipe

Make the juiciest, most beautiful brown turkey ever with this red wine brine recipe! The perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
5 from 2 votes
Print
How To Make Red Wine Turkey
Prep Time: 2 days d
Cook Time: 3 hours hrs
Servings: 10

Ingredients

Red Wine Turkey Brine

  • 12 Cups Water
  • 3/4 Cup Salt
  • 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Apples, quartered
  • 2 Onions, quartered
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, peeled & smashed
  • 3/4 ounce or one small bunch Rosemary
  • 3/4 ounce or one small bunch Thyme
  • 3/4 ounce or one small bunch Sage
  • 1 Tablespoon Peppercorns
  • 2 Bottles of Red Wine

Turkey

  • 1 Turkey, completely thawed
  • 1/2 Cup White Wine
  • 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 Apple, quartered
  • 1 Onion, quartered
  • 1 Lemon, quartered
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • Poultry Herb Bundle, I used thyme, rosemary, and marjoram
  • 6 tablespoons of Butter, melted

Instructions

  • **If your turkey is frozen, be sure to put it in the fridge a few days in advance to thaw. (Turkeys take approximately 24 hours per 5lbs to thaw)**
  • Add all of the brine ingredients EXCEPT for the red wine to a large stockpot. Bring to a boil and allow to boil approximately 1 minute before turning off the heat. Allow brine to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
  • Once brine has cooled, place your turkey in the stockpot with it. Pour the two bottles of red wine in. If the turkey is not completely submerged by liquid, add more water until it is. Cover with the lid and place in the fridge for two days to brine.
  • The night before cooking, remove the turkey from the brine and place on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the fridge and leave the turkey in there, uncovered, until time to cook.
  • When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 F, then prepare the marinade. Mix the soy sauce and white wine together, then inject it all over the turkey. Fill the turkey’s cavity with the onions, apples, lemon, garlic, and herbs.
  • Pat the turkey’s skin dry with a paper towel, then place in a roasting pan. Baste with melted butter, then place in the middle rack of your oven.
  • Your turkey will need to roast for approximately 20 minutes per pound. About 90 minutes into roasting, baste with more butter. Keep an eye on your turkey during cooking to ensure the skin isn’t browning too much. If it is, place foil over the top to prevent it from burning.
  • Turkey is ready when the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165 F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal (20%)
Author: Jessica Pinney
Did you make this recipe?Please tag @cookingwithjanica on Instagram! We’d love to see!
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Recipe Rating




7 responses

  1. Hailey
    December 11, 2019

    5 stars
    Made this for our friendsgiving and it turned out amazing. Seriously flavorful.

    Reply
  2. Maria
    November 27, 2020

    2020 Thanksgiving turkey was delicous. Highly recommend to do.

    Reply
    1. Jessica Pinney
      November 28, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Maria! Thank you for your kind words.

      Reply
      1. Angelica
        November 14, 2022

        What kind of wine? Sweet or dry? Or does it matter?

        Reply
  3. Kim Quinn
    May 16, 2021

    5 stars
    Sooooo gratefully! Thank you!
    I was not making a turkey but had been given a beautiful organic 5.11lb chicken. My original simple thought was to try Spatchcocked. Had never cut it before and just love how it looks. Tyler Florence said for its weight it should be cooked at 400F for about 45 mins.
    Well, you must understand, one idea, leads to multiple pages and I thought, a brine…I have a nearly full bottle of Rabbit and Spaghetti red that was needing used. So, I cut the bird and to a pot I place 6c of water, 1/4 c each pink salt, white sugar+molasses, 2 qtrd apples and onions each, 4 smashed garlic cloves and having only dried herbs at moment, into my tea ball I placed sage, thyme, savory, rosemary. Into the pot oh, and a tbsp of tellicherry peppercorns. Put it to simmer and let it go 2 1/2 hrs…. just making the solution smelled incredible🤣. It has totally cooled and I have added the wine and took a taste….(I am salaaming to you with all gratitude.) I added my chicken and into the fridge until Tues. 5/18/21. I intend to bake it in a shallow baker on a bed of fresh rosemary sprigs and lemon slices. Will let you know how it came out. This Brine WILL Be A Keeper. …..😏 my friends are going to be sooo happy. Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Tony Livengood
    November 20, 2024

    What type of salt are you using for the turkey brine table salt or kosher salt

    Reply
    1. Jessica Pinney
      November 20, 2024

      Great question! Kosher salt.

      Reply

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