For a typical turkey breast, brine for several hours but not more than a day, with timing adjusted to size and saltiness of the brine.

General timing

• A common rule of thumb is about 1 hour of brining per pound of turkey breast.

• Many recipes suggest a window of about 6–12 hours for a turkey breast, which works well for most average-sized pieces.

Minimum and maximum times

• If you are short on time, even 3–4 hours in brine will improve flavor and juiciness compared with not brining at all.

• Try not to exceed about 12–24 hours total; going much longer can make the meat too salty and the texture a bit mushy.

Practical guideline

• For a small boneless breast (2–3 lb), aim for about 3–6 hours; for a larger bone‑in breast (4–7 lb), 6–12 hours is usually ideal.

• Always brine in the refrigerator and rinse and pat the turkey dry before cooking to avoid excess surface salt.