Brining Chicken?!
I need to know how much kosher salt to use to brine a chicken, and also, for how long!? Is overnight ok or should it only be done for a couple hours!?
also after brining, is it best to let the chicken air dry in the fridge or could I season it and cook it right after the brining!?
What would be the benefit of letting it air dry!? Would there be any benefit from cooking right after!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
also after brining, is it best to let the chicken air dry in the fridge or could I season it and cook it right after the brining!?
What would be the benefit of letting it air dry!? Would there be any benefit from cooking right after!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
overnight soaking is ok!.!.!. dry off w/ paper towels, rub down w/ oil, and season it and cook it right away if you want to!. I see no benefit to air-drying, nor from waiting to cook it!.
I use this brine for turkey breasts at holiday and other times!. You may want to cut down the quantities for a chicken!. Roasting a whole chicken in the oven will take only about 1?-1? hours!.
ROASTED BRINED TURKEY
1 (14 to 16 pound) young turkey, fresh or thawed
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil!. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled!.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket!. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours!. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining!.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees!. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes!.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water!. Discard brine!.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels!. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage!. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil!.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F!. for 30 minutes!. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F!. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees!. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting!. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving!.
--Alton Brown, Food NetworkWww@FoodAQ@Com
I use this brine for turkey breasts at holiday and other times!. You may want to cut down the quantities for a chicken!. Roasting a whole chicken in the oven will take only about 1?-1? hours!.
ROASTED BRINED TURKEY
1 (14 to 16 pound) young turkey, fresh or thawed
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water
For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil
Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil!. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled!.
Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket!. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours!. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining!.
A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees!. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes!.
Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water!. Discard brine!.
Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels!. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage!. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil!.
Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F!. for 30 minutes!. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F!. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees!. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting!. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving!.
--Alton Brown, Food NetworkWww@FoodAQ@Com
when the water tastes like sea water it is salty enough, about 1-1 1/2 cup per gallon add whole black pepper and a can of beer or a bottle of hard cider!.
as or air drying, that is only important if you are smoking it, air dryimg creates a sticky surface for the smoke to stick toWww@FoodAQ@Com
as or air drying, that is only important if you are smoking it, air dryimg creates a sticky surface for the smoke to stick toWww@FoodAQ@Com