Sweet Tea Brined Southern Roast Turkey with Crispy Skin

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 10–12 servings
• Prep Time: 45 minutes active (+ 12–24 hours brining)
• Cook Time: 3–3 1/2 hours
• Total Time: About 16–28 hours (including brining and resting)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey (12–14 lb), thawed if frozen
• 5 cups water + 12 cups cold water + 4 cups ice
• 12 black tea bags
• 1 1/4 cups kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; see notes if using Morton’s)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 2 yellow onions
• 1 head garlic, fresh thyme, rosemary, bay leaves
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp neutral oil or melted butter for roasting

Do This

• 1. Brew 5 cups strong sweet tea with tea bags, salt, sugars, citrus, onion, garlic, herbs, and spices. Add 12 cups cold water and 4 cups ice to chill.
• 2. Submerge cleaned turkey in completely cooled brine. Refrigerate 12–24 hours, turning once if needed.
• 3. Remove turkey from brine, pat very dry, and air-dry uncovered in the fridge 1–4 hours for crisper skin (optional but recommended).
• 4. Mix softened butter with honey, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Loosen skin over the breast and spread some butter underneath; rub rest all over.
• 5. Stuff cavity loosely with onion wedges, citrus pieces, and herbs. Tuck wings, tie legs, and brush skin lightly with oil or melted butter.
• 6. Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes, then at 325°F until thickest part of thigh reaches 165°F, about 2 1/2–3 more hours. Tent with foil if browning too fast.
• 7. Rest turkey 30–45 minutes before carving. Serve with pan juices or gravy.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Southern sweet tea flavor gives the turkey gentle sweetness and incredible juiciness without tasting sugary.
• Brining guarantees moist, well-seasoned meat from breast to drumstick with minimal fuss.
• High-then-low roasting delivers crisp, deep golden skin and a tender interior.
• Make-ahead friendly: the brine does most of the work while you sleep or prep other dishes.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 3 yellow onions, 1 head garlic, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary
• Dairy: Unsalted butter
• Pantry: Whole turkey (12–14 lb), black tea bags, kosher salt, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, honey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or grapeseed), ice

Full Ingredients

Sweet Tea Brine

• 5 cups water
• 12 black tea bags (plain, unflavored)
• 1 1/4 cups kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; if using Morton’s, use 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 2 oranges, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• Optional: 1–2 tsp hot sauce or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for a subtle kick
• 12 cups cold water
• 4 cups ice cubes

Turkey

• 1 whole turkey, 12–14 lb, fully thawed, neck and giblets removed
• Paper towels for drying

Sweet Herb Butter Rub

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2–1 tsp kosher salt (light hand, because the turkey is already brined; taste the butter mixture)

For the Cavity and Roasting Pan

• 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 4–6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3–4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 tbsp neutral oil or melted butter (for brushing the skin)
• 1–2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (for the roasting pan, optional but helps with moistness and drippings)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Brew the sweet tea brine concentrate

In a large pot (at least 8 quarts), bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the 12 black tea bags. Let steep for 7–10 minutes until very dark and strong. Remove and discard the tea bags, squeezing gently with tongs to extract extra flavor.

Stir in the kosher salt, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup light brown sugar until completely dissolved. Add the sliced lemons, sliced oranges, sliced onion, halved garlic head, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, and optional hot sauce or red pepper flakes. This is your highly flavored brine concentrate.

Step 2: Cool the brine and submerge the turkey

Pour 12 cups cold water into the pot and stir. Add 4 cups ice and stir again until most of the ice has melted. The brine must be completely cold before it touches the turkey to keep everything food-safe.

Place the turkey in a large brining bag, food-safe bucket, or a very large stockpot. Make sure the neck and giblets are removed (you can save them for stock or gravy). Pour the cooled sweet tea brine over the turkey, making sure the bird is fully submerged. If needed, add a bit more cold water to cover.

Seal or cover tightly and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. If the turkey is not completely submerged, rotate it once halfway through brining so all parts spend time in the liquid.

Step 3: Rinse (optional), dry, and air-dry the turkey

When brining time is up, remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine and aromatics. You can quickly rinse the turkey under cool running water if you prefer a milder exterior saltiness, then pat completely dry inside and out with plenty of paper towels. Whether you rinse or not, thorough drying is crucial for crispy skin.

For the best texture, place the turkey on a rack set over a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for 1–4 hours. This air-drying step helps the skin dry out a bit so it browns and crisps beautifully in the oven. If you are short on time, you can skip the air-drying and go straight to seasoning, but the skin will be a little less crisp.

Step 4: Make the sweet herb butter

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, honey, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Mash with a fork until smooth and uniform. Taste a tiny bit; it should be well-seasoned, slightly sweet, and smoky. If it tastes very bland, add a pinch more salt.

Let the butter sit at room temperature so it stays soft and easy to spread while you prepare the turkey.

Step 5: Season, stuff, and truss the turkey

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Set a sturdy roasting rack inside a large roasting pan.

Place the turkey breast side up on the rack. Gently slide your fingers under the skin over the breasts, starting at the cavity end, to loosen it without tearing. Work up toward the shoulders. Spread about one-third of the sweet herb butter under the skin over both breasts, smoothing it out as evenly as you can.

Rub the remaining butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and thighs. If any butter falls into the pan, scoop it back onto the turkey. Lightly season the cavity with a pinch of salt and pepper (not too much, as the meat is already brined), then stuff it loosely with onion wedges, lemon and orange wedges, and sprigs of thyme and rosemary.

Tuck the wing tips under the body to prevent burning. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine for even cooking. Brush the skin lightly with the neutral oil or melted butter to encourage browning and shine. Pour 1–2 cups of broth into the bottom of the roasting pan for moisture and flavorful drippings.

Step 6: Roast for crisp golden skin and juicy meat

Roast the turkey at 425°F for 30 minutes to help the skin start to brown and render. After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F without opening the door if possible.

Continue roasting at 325°F until the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer and the breast reaches about 160°F, 2 1/2–3 hours longer, depending on your turkey size and oven. As a rough guide, total roasting time is usually about 13–15 minutes per pound, but always trust your thermometer over the clock.

Check the turkey after about 1 1/2 hours at 325°F. If the skin is already very dark, tent the breast area loosely with foil to prevent burning while the meat finishes cooking. You can baste with pan juices a couple of times during the last hour if you like a shiny finish, but it is not required for moisture because the brine already did that work.

Step 7: Rest, carve, and serve with Southern flair

When the turkey reaches temperature, carefully transfer it to a cutting board or platter. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 30–45 minutes. Resting allows the juices to redistribute so the meat slices cleanly and stays moist.

While the turkey rests, you can make gravy from the sweet, tea-scented pan drippings if you like. Skim off excess fat, then deglaze the pan with a little broth, scraping up the browned bits, and thicken to taste.

To carve, remove the legs and thighs first, then the wings, then slice the breasts off the bone and cut crosswise into thick slices. Arrange the meat on a warm platter. Garnish with extra orange and lemon slices and a few fresh herb sprigs for a Southern-style presentation. Serve with the pan juices or gravy and your favorite sides like cornbread dressing, collard greens, or mashed potatoes.

Pro Tips

• Mind your salt brand. Kosher salts vary in salinity. This recipe uses Diamond Crystal. If you only have Morton’s kosher salt, reduce to 3/4 cup in the brine, or the turkey may be too salty.
• Chill the brine completely. Warm brine can start cooking the outside of the turkey and encourage bacteria growth. Use the full amount of cold water and ice, and make sure the brine is fully cold before adding the bird.
• Dry skin equals crisp skin. Pat the turkey very dry and, if possible, air-dry in the fridge. Any surface moisture will steam instead of brown.
• Trust your thermometer. Every oven and turkey is different. Check both the thigh and breast. Pull the turkey when the thigh is 165°F and the breast is around 160°F; carryover heat will finish the job.
• Do not skip the rest. Resting 30–45 minutes gives you juicier slices and time to make gravy and finish sides.

Variations

• Bourbon Sweet Tea Turkey: Stir 1/2–3/4 cup bourbon into the cooled brine for a deeper, oaky note that pairs beautifully with the tea and citrus. You can also splash a tablespoon of bourbon into the pan drippings while making gravy.
• Spicy Southern Turkey: Increase the heat by adding 1 tbsp hot sauce and 1 tsp red pepper flakes to the brine, and 1 tsp cayenne pepper to the sweet herb butter. The result is still gently sweet but with a noticeable kick.
• Herb-Forward Version: Double the fresh thyme and rosemary in both the brine and cavity, and add a teaspoon of dried sage to the butter rub for a more traditional herb-roasted flavor on top of the sweet tea notes.

Storage & Make-Ahead

You can brine the turkey up to 24 hours ahead; do not exceed about 30 hours of brining or the texture can become too soft and the meat too salty. For maximum convenience, brine the day before, then rinse (optional), dry, and air-dry the turkey in the fridge overnight uncovered, ready to roast the next day.

Leftover cooked turkey keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. For best texture, slice or pull the meat off the bone before storing. Reheat gently in a covered dish with a splash of broth at 300°F until warmed through, or use leftovers cold in sandwiches and salads.

For longer storage, freeze leftover turkey in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Pan juices or gravy can also be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for 2–3 months.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for one serving (about 6 oz cooked turkey with some skin): 340 calories; 16 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 0 g trans fat; 135 mg cholesterol; 540 mg sodium (will vary with brine time and salt brand); 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g fiber; 5 g total sugars; 40 g protein. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on the exact size of your turkey, how much skin is eaten, and how much of the sugary brine actually remains in the meat.