Brine recipes for every season

Over the years, I have created a plethora of brine recipes to help brine out the best flavor in my poultry.  Each recipe was dependant on what kind of flavor profile I wanted to bring out.

I have a red chili one for or for a spicy stir fry.  I have a thyme and rosemary brine perfect for a Sunday Roast chicken or crispy chicken cutlets.  There’s even a hickory concoction for making bbq chicken legs roasted in the oven.

I guarantee you that this is a good way to add flavor without adding a lot of fat as well as an excellent way to prevent the chicken from drying out during cooking. Squeaky and dry poultry NO MORE!  From now on, you’re eating the good stuff.

A devoted convert

The story goes that my grandmother had a little jet stream diner in NYC back in the day.  In that diner, she supposedly had the best chicken.  The taste of which, you simply couldn’t get at home. When asked what her secret to making her chicken so juicy and tender, she would tell you to soak it in salted water before cooking, aka brining.  She believed it cleaned the chicken from all of its impurities, making it taste fresh, juicy and all things good.  Needless to say, I am a devoted convert to the method.

For the past 5 years or so, I’ve been experimenting with various techniques, spice and flavor combinations.  I try to always brine my poultry before roasting, broiling, frying, stewing, etc. There is always a ziplock bag of chicken soaking in it either in the fridge for the weeknight dinners ahead or one frozen in the freezer to defrost and throw in some chicken.

Take the time to brine

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• Author: Spicepaw
• Total Time: 35 minutes

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Description

Basic and spicy chicken brine recipes for the juicient and tastiest meat. Learn the secret on how to cook the perfect chicken every time. #chicken #poultry #brine

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Basic Brine

• 100g (about 1/2 cup) salt
• 100g (about 1/2 cup) sugar
• 1 tbsp peppercorn
• 1 lemon thinly sliced (this allows you to add both the juice of the lemon and the zest of the lemon peel)
• 1 head of garlic (garlic cloves crushed)
• 3–4 bay leaves
• 2.5 L (8 1/2 cups) water

Red Chili Brine

• • 100g (about 1/2 cup) salt
  • 100g (about 1/2 cup) sugar
  • 1 tbsp peppercorn
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced (this allows you to add both the juice of the lemon and the zest of the lemon peel)
  • 1 head of garlic (garlic cloves crushed)
  • 3–4 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 2.5 L (8 1/2 cups) water

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Instructions

Basic Brine

1. Thinly slice 1 lemon and add them to a medium to the large-sized pot, making sure to squeeze out all of the juice from the lemon slices in the pot.
2. Add salt, sugar, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves and 1 L of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Boil for 10 minutes, making sure the brine mixture does not boil over onto the stovetop.
4. After 10 min, remove from heat and let cool.
5. Once at room temperature, add the remaining 1.5 liters of water.  The mixture should taste like a salty soup.  If you find it to be too salty, add a mug or two of water but not much more as you don’t want to dilute the brine too much.
6. In a ziplock bag or Tupperware container,  cover the poultry in brine and let soak overnight or up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, remove poultry from brine, pat dry and remove any herbs that might remain on the meat.
7. Discard brine once used, do not reuse.

Red Chili Brine

1. Thinly slice 1 lemon and add them to a medium to large-sized pot, making sure to squeeze out all of the juice from the lemon slices in the pot.
2. Add salt, sugar, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, thyme and 1 L of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Boil for 10 minutes, making sure the brine mixture does not boil over onto the stovetop.
4. After 10 min, remove from heat and let cool.
5. Once at room temperature, add the remaining 1.5 liters of water.  The mixture should taste like a salty soup.  If you find it to be too salty, add a mug or two of water but not much more as you don’t want to dilute the brine too much.
6. In a ziplock bag or Tupperware container, cover the poultry in brine and let soak overnight or up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, remove poultry from brine, pat dry and remove any herbs that might remain on the meat.
7. Discard brine once used, do not reuse.

• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 15
• Category: Poultry
• Method: boiling
• Cuisine: Western

Keywords: Poultry, chicken, brine, spicy, thyme, garlic, bay leaves

Now that you’re a convert, try these brined chicken recipes:

Chili Brined Red Hot Piri Piri Chicken Thighs

Ginger and Garlic Brined Spicy Fried Chicken

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Roast Chicken

The Tastiest Homemade Crispy Chicken Tenders