Are you planning a BBQ for Father’s Day? Here’s an idea that will bring big flavor to the party!
It matters not whether you plan to roast, grill, smoke or fry, if you are starting with a whole chicken, or any chicken or poultry part for that matter; I urge you to consider soaking it in brine first. Brine is basically salty water, but in my version, I add everything but the kitchen sink to the liquid! The result is a moist, juicy chicken of uncommon character. There is no need to detail the chemistry involved. To make the magic, you mix up a lot of salt, some sugar, an acidic liquid of your choice and water. Add any spices and flavorings that you feel sounds good, submerge the chicken, and place all in the refrigerator overnight or even two.
Simply put, you will need only 15 minutes of your time the day before to transform the lowest cost chicken you can buy into a succulent special occasion. Your diners will rave … they will celebrate your brilliance and acumen. Plus, they will be unable to determine what you have done to your lowly chicken to elevate it to such heights. Are you convinced yet? I hope so.
This recipe is from “Cook Live Learn”.
Wash chicken first
Bagged up
Add ingredients
- For One Whole Chicken:
- 1 Fresh Whole Chicken, Thawed if Frozen (Giblets, Neck and Heart Not Needed)
- 2 One Gallon Zipper Plastic Freezer Bags
- ⅓ Cup Kosher or Sea Salt
- ¼ Teaspoon Seasoned Salt (I use Lowery’s)
- 3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns (or ¼ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper)
- ¼ Teaspoon Dried Whole Thyme
- ½ Teaspoon Dried Whole Oregano
- 2 Medium or 1 Large Bay Leaf
- ½ Inch Slice of Whole Bottled Jalapeno (I use the stem end)
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Crushed and Peeled
- 8 Inches of a Celery Stalk Cross-Cut in Half
- 4 Baby Carrots Halved Lengthwise or 4 Inches of Whole Peeled Carrot Cut into Rounds
- 2 Slices of a Medium Onion ½ Inch Thick, Cut into Quarters
- 1 Fresh Lemon, Seeded and Juiced
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
- Water
- Wash the chicken in cool water, inside and out. If you prefer, trim off any loose fat that bothers you – leave the skin on the foul. Place the chicken in one of the freezer bags. Next, put the bagged bird in the second bag to insure against leaks later.
- To the first bag with the chicken, add all ingredients, waiting for the liquids (the bottom four in the ingredient list). Finally, add the liquids over all, washing down the herbs and spices as you do. How much water? Fill the chicken bag until all but about one inch of the bird is submerged. Zip up the first bag and fold its top over to make room while you zip up the second bag. Shake and repeatedly turn the bag to mix the ingredients together and distribute them around the chicken. Place the sealed bag on a paper towel sheet folded in half, on a plate, and store in the refrigerator overnight. Tend to the bag by turning it over 4 or 5 times during the soak.
- When you are ready to cook the chicken, remove from bags, leaving the brine behind and wash thoroughly with cool water, inside and out. If oven roasting, or smoking it outside, it is ready to flavor as you wish or use in any recipe! Of course, you may cut it up and take it to the grill (be sure to season it).
Tip: No matter how you cook it (unless you OVERcook it), brined chicken will come out wonderfully, but do not expect it to taste strongly of the ingredients you used in the soak. A marinade will impart a lot of flavor, in part because the meat is cooked in it. While you may get a hint of flavor from soaking in brine, its purpose is to condition the foul, to give it a foundation for added flavors.
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