Brining chicken is a culinary technique that can give an ordinary dish an extraordinary feel. This method enhances the flavour while ensuring your chicken remains juicy and tender, even after cooking. In this guide, we shall discuss the whole brining process, and we will provide a brine chicken recipe and popular brine products for taking your chicken dishes to the next level.
What is brining?
Brining is soaking the meat in a saltwater solution, sometimes including flavourings. That salt within the brine helps the chicken retain moisture and gives a more natural flavour. While this chicken soaks, the brine starts to penetrate the meat, and some proteins break down and leave the meat with more water at cooking time. Such chicken will be juicy and flavorful while less likely to dry out.
Benefits of Brining Chicken
- Flavour Enhancement: It adds salty, meaty flavours to the chicken, elevating its original flavours.
- Juiciness: It ensures a higher retention of moisture content, even in boiling cooking processes.
- Texture: Brining breaks down proteins, making it easier for people to chew through chicken.
Simple Brine Chicken Recipe
All you need to make a brine for chicken are a few simple ingredients. Here is a basic brine recipe for chicken that you can tailor to suit your personal preferences:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup sugar (brown or white)
- 4 cups water
Optional flavourings:
- One tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 2-3 crushed garlic cloves
- Fresh herbs (like rosemary or thyme)
- Zest of one lemon or orange
Brine Recipe For Chicken: Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: Combine the kosher salt, sugar, and water in a large bowl or pot. Stir until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Add Flavorings: Add peppercorns, garlic, herbs, or citrus zest to amplify the flavour. This step is optional but worth it to obtain a fuller-flavored brine.
- Let the Brine Cool: Allow the brine to reach room temperature. If time is of the essence, you can always toss in a few ice cubes to hasten the cooling process.
- Brine the Chicken: Submerge your chicken in chilled brine, making sure it is completely covered. A large zip-top bag or a container that has a lid works well. Refrigerate for the best flavour for at least 1-2 hours or 4-8 hours. Whole chickens can be brined for as long as 12 hours.
- Rinse and Dry: After brining, remove the chicken from the liquid and rinse it under cold water to eliminate excess salt. Then, dry the chicken using paper towels, as you will need that for crisp skin while cooking.
Cooking Method For Brine Chicken Recipe
Here are several mouth-watering ways to cook your brined chicken. Some of them include:
1. Grilled Brined Chicken
The best thing about grilling brined chicken is that the high heat creates a nice char on the outside but leaves the inside very juicy.
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Brush brined chicken with olive oil and season with your favourite dry rub or seasoning blend.
- Grill 6 to 7 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
2. Oven-roasted brined Chicken
Roasting a brined chicken delivers perfectly cooked meat and crunchy skin.
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Place the brined chicken in a roasting pan. Rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and herbs.
- Roast for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Let the chicken stand for 10-15 minutes before carving.
Pan-seared brined Chicken Thighs
Quick and tasty pan-seared brined chicken thighs on the plate - with the meal.
Instructions
- Using a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil.
- Put your brined chicken thighs in the pan, skin part down, into a skillet with a golden-brown color for around 7-8 minutes.
- Flip them over, then cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the inside reaches 165°F or 75°C. Bring the dish out of the skillet; let it sit there for a few minutes.
Chicken Brine Products
Of course, it's easy to make your brine, but most cooks use one of the many commercial products on the market. These convenient mixes provide an incredible convenience in addition to standardizing flavour. Here are a few popular ones:
1. Butcher BBQ Bird Booster Brine
This creates a poultry-specific brine mix that encourages moisture and flavor. It is ideal for grilling purposes because it is a favorite among enthusiasts. It only needs to be mixed with water and is ready to go. Buy it here-
https://www.bbqproshop.com/butcher-bbq-bird-booster-brine-chicken-and-turkey-1lb/
2. Meat Church Bird Baptism Brine
Fantastic over chicken and turkey, as it adds moisture and flavor. The brine is based on the Meat Church competition chicken brine recipe that did nothing but win. For more info, click here- https://www.bbqproshop.com/meat-church-bbq-bird-bath-brine-20-oz-re-sealable-bag.html
3. Cattleman's Grill Butcher House Brine
It is savoury salt, garlic, brown sugar, onion & spices-a perfect mix for brining poultry, pork or beef. All spices incorporated into the products of Cattleman's Grill are of the finest quality and taste. All these are mixed, tested & refined to attain a perfect flavor blend. All small batches and freshly blended for quality, freshness & flavor. You can buy it online here-https://www.bbqproshop.com/butcher-house-brine-cattlemans-grill/
Brining helps food keep moisture even when cooked at a high temperature. You can either prepare your homemade brine or use a store-bought product. The advantages of brining are doubtless significant, and you can prepare it using different cooking methods, such as grilled and roasted chicken. So get your ingredients and brine ready, and make your chicken dishes delicious and tender.