Would you line to learn how to brine chicken? Brining ensures moist meat, and can also be used to add flavor to a chicken. Read on to learn how to brine chicken step by step.
Introduction
Brining is chemistry brought into the kitchen. By soaking the chicken in salt water, the protein structure of the meat is altered to make it more tender. Brining is very simple to do, it just takes some planning, as the chicken needs to soak in the brine for an hour per pound.
Brining Chicken for the Grill
The Barbecue Pit Boys share their recipe for brining chicken to prepare it for the grill. Chicken breasts are brined in a combination of apple cider, salt, fresh ground pepper,poultry seasoning, crushed garlic cloves, and brown sugar for an hour before it is grilled over charcoal.
Step 1: What You Need to Brine Chicken
- A non-reactive (plastic, stainless steel, or glass) container large enough for the chicken to be fully submerged. A stock pot generally works well.
- Water
- 1 cup of salt per gallon of water. You'll probably need 1-2 gallons, depending on the size of your chicken.
Step 2: How to Brine Chicken
- Combine the water and the salt, until the salt is fully dissolved. It may be easier to boil the water and add the salt, but make sure the brine is chilled before you pour it over the chicken.
- Place the chicken in the bowl or pot.
- Cover the chicken completely with the brine.
- Place the pot or bowl in the refrigerator for one hour per pound of chicken. Don't let the chicken sit in the brine more than 12 hours.
Step 3: Chicken Brine Variations
You can use the brine to add flavor to the chicken by varying the liquid used and adding seasonings to the liquid.
- Add sugar or sweetener if desired. Add sugar, brown sugar, honey, or molasses up to the amount of salt you used.
- Replace some or all of the water with apple cider, beer, wine, fruit juice, vinegar, stock.
- Add a tablespoon of pepper to the brine if you like. You can also include any other herbs and spices you'd like. Enclose them in a bouquet garni if desired.
