Chicken Brine Recipes
To state that there are just a few chicken brine recipes out there would be something of a vast understatement. Still, the difference between a moist piece of meat and a dry one is in the brine.
Even though it only takes about three hours to brine a piece of meat, many people skip this step. Perhaps that is why there are so many home chefs out there making chicken that tastes more like cardboard. The truth is that nothing “tastes like chicken” if this meat is prepared properly. Rather than list all of the chicken brine recipes on the planet, you’ll find a basic one below. Use this basic method to build a brine that you can call your own.
Mix ˝ cup of kosher salt with one gallon of cold water and 2/3 cup of light brown sugar. Whisk all of these ingredients together well, and set the bowl aside. Next, place the chicken (cut or whole) into the water allowing it to soak for three hours or overnight. When you are ready, remove the chicken, rinse it thoroughly, and then proceed with your favorite recipe. What does brining do to the meat? The extra moisture that has been added to the meat will cause the muscle tissues to swell, which means that they will be able to hold a lot of water.
This means that once the meat is cooked, those juices will stay intact. Many people have taken chicken brine recipes to a whole new level by adding all kinds of spices and ingredients. This works particularly well due to the fact that anything added to the brining solution will seep deep into the meat. While you can add the spice of your choice to this liquid, do not change the ratio of salt to water under any circumstances. Over salting the water will create a tough piece of meat.
In addition to brining chicken, you can also brine red meat, pork, duck, turkey, and any other meat that you choose. You will find that this extra step really does make a difference when all is said and done. The only thing that you’ll have to do differently when you want to make a brine is to prepare your meal three hours ahead of time.
Try numerous chicken brine recipes until you find the one that works for you. Once you decide to brine, you’ll never produce another piece of dry chicken ever again.