Organic chicken is the only way I go these days - no hormones, pesticides, or additives - and I am always looking for a way to get the juiciest and most flavorful chicken. Well, I finally found it: brining.
Brining is basically soaking the meat in a gallon of water with a high concentration of salt, and whatever other herbs you decide to toss in for extra flavor. Not to get all scientific on you, but brining forces water into the muscle tissues, and when that water flows out, salt flows in and begins to break down some of the proteins in the cells. This broken down molecules become more concentrated, the solute level rises, and this creates more room for more water. As we cook the meat, proteins will push out more water; however hopefully leave just enough to leave us with a very juicy bird.
I have been playing with various recipes to find the perfect one, and the below is the best thus far. Beware, you are going to get a salty bird, so if you are sensitive to salt, brining may not be for you.
COMPETITION CHICKEN
Source: 3Men With Nothing Better To Do
1 gallon water
3/4 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon each of dried tarragon, thyme, black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Start by boiling the water and then adding the salt and sugar, so that it will dissolve easier. Then add the spices to the hot liquid so that the flavors are extracted. Cool the brine solution. Place the brine solution into a non-reactive container and immerse the chicken in the brine, weighting it down if necessary. (Use a heavy plate or a brick inside a ziploc bag as a weight).
Place the container into the refrigerator and leave for 10 hours. You can also brine the chicken in an ice chest, by pouring the brine solution into the ice chest, immersing the chicken and weighting down. (Use ziploc bags filled with ice cubes, or "blue ice" to keep the brining solution cool during the brining process.
Upon completion of the brining time remove the chicken from the brine and wash twice for at least 30 seconds in fresh water. Dry the chicken with paper towels. Cook in the oven per your favorite chicken recipe (I would just keep it simple w/out adding too much extra spice).
A few things that you need to be remember when brining:
- Make sure your brine does not contain too much salt.
- The salty flavor of a brine is typically offset by using some kind of sweetening agent such as sugar, honey, maple syrup etc.
- Do not leave the chicken in the brine for too long or you will end up with a very mushy and salty end product.
- Make sure you wash the chicken in fresh water for 30 seconds, at least twice after you remove it from the brine.
- Be careful about using acidic products in your brines as these will begin to ‘cook’ the meat and result in a mushy end product.
- Brining must take place at temperatures of 40 degrees or below. Only place your chicken into the brining solution once it is cold. You can cool the brining solution in the refrigerator or by using ziploc bags filled with ice cubes.
- Ensure that the brine solution completely covers the chicken during the brining process.
No it's not overpowering but I am sensitive to salt so I could definitely taste it. But it makes it incredibly juicy so that's the trade-off. Give it a shot, and let me know what you think!
Posted by: Kate | July 27, 2010 at 02:46 PM
How salty is salty? I'd really like to try this with a whole chicken but... I mean, it doesn't end up like chewing purely salted chicken, right?
Posted by: Cyn | July 27, 2010 at 02:10 PM