How to Brine a Chicken
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4
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
Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
Recipe by C o o k L i v e L e a r n at http://cooklivelearn.com/?p=1187