Brining a whole chicken

[Buzzy]

I roasted a whole chicken tonight, the bird sat on a bed of carrots, potatoes, celery and onion (I should have included lots of garlic cloves). For prep on the bird, I washed it, dried it, salt and peppered it and then rubbed the bird with herb butter. 425 degrees covered and then about 30 minutes uncovered. Everything was delicious except the breast meat which was tender and juicy buta bit bland, gravy helped.

I've never brined anything except fish for the smoker. Can a few of you chefs please share your brining suggestions?

 

[Pink Nighty]

I roasted a whole chicken tonight, the bird sat on a bed of carrots, potatoes, celery and onion (I should have included lots of garlic cloves). For prep on the bird, I washed it, dried it, salt and peppered it and then rubbed the bird with herb butter. 425 degrees covered and then about 30 minutes uncovered. Everything was delicious except the breast meat which was tender and juicy buta bit bland, gravy helped.

I've never brined anything except fish for the smoker. Can a few of you chefs please share your brining suggestions?

I am a big proponent of brining chicken (and pork, turkey, wild game, lamb....)

For chicken, I'd do 1 gallon of water, half a cup of salt and a quarter cup of sugar and that's it to start! I would then brine it for 24 hours (less is ok and more isnt really beneficial, but at least 8) and then give it an hour to drain and dry.

Afterwards, treat it exactly the same as youn otherwise would, with maybe a little less salt if you're sensitive to salt levels.

I generally brine a little stronger (more salt and sugar) and add things like garlic or herbs and different sweeteners. Those are kind of extraneous though, and its really about getting the meat to use osmotic pressure to bring the salt and sugar into the flesh. If you want more flavor, increase the salt/sugar by 50% and try that out.

 

[Buzzy]

I am a big proponent of brining chicken (and pork, turkey, wild game, lamb....)

For chicken, I'd do 1 gallon of water, half a cup of salt and a quarter cup of sugar and that's it to start! I would then brine it for 24 hours (less is ok and more isnt really beneficial, but at least 8) and then give it an hour to drain and dry.

Afterwards, treat it exactly the same as youn otherwise would, with maybe a little less salt if you're sensitive to salt levels.

I generally brine a little stronger (more salt and sugar) and add things like garlic or herbs and different sweeteners. Those are kind of extraneous though, and its really about getting the meat to use osmotic pressure to bring the salt and sugar into the flesh. If you want more flavor, increase the salt/sugar by 50% and try that out.

Osmosis! Mrs. Scott would be proud that I even remeber that word let alone the process. Thanks for your suggestions!!

 

[the_chemist]

I brine my turkeys similar to how I brine my salmon; 3:1 high molasses brown sugar : kosher salt and a few shakes of liquid smoke. For turkey i add garlic black pepper/other spices and a few orange rinds.

 

[Brute]

Brining is great with any poultry…and pork chops

 

[Matt B]

No chef here, but I do brine, bro.
Nowadays when I want to roast a whole chicken, I do it like this, which is dead simple and oh so delicious—brines and marinades all in one. This is the only chicken preparation where I actually think the breast meat comes out better than the thigh. https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermilkmarinated-roast-chicken

 

[Buzzy]

No chef here, but I do brine, bro.
Nowadays when I want to roast a whole chicken, I do it like this, which is dead simple and oh so delicious—brines and marinades all in one. This is the only chicken preparation where I actually think the breast meat comes out better than the thigh. https://www.saltfatacidheat.com/buttermilkmarinated-roast-chicken

Interesting! I do marinate chicken thighs in a Greek yogurt/chopped garlic and chopped ginger root mixture for broiling then adding to tikka masala - buttermilk. huh. Do you cook it the same way Samin says? What does your oven look like when done? ;-)

 

[Clean Willy]

What does your oven look like when done? ;-)

Slight thread drift here. We roast whole chicken regularly, in a glass baking pan basting with butter. The oven ends up a mess after so wondering if there's a solution here?

 

[Matt B]

Slight thread drift here. We roast whole chicken regularly, in a glass baking pan basting with butter. The oven ends up a mess after so wondering if there's a solution here?

I have the solution, but I suspect “Clean” Willy ain’t gonna like it: start with a dirty oven.
Our oven was less than spotless when we moved in, and it has remained so. We will upgrade eventually and then I suppose I’ll be able to see, and maybe care about, the mess that roasting a chicken makes. I don’t notice it being that bad, in as much as the oven doesn’t smoke during the next cook or anything like that. I do scrub the Pyrex clean.

 

[Clean Willy]

I have the solution, but I suspect “Clean” Willy ain’t gonna like it: start with a dirty oven.

Correct, not an option as I'm a bit of a clean freak and the oven does smoke badly on the next use.

Need some way to allow the juices to drain to the bottom of the pyrex but the spatter to not go everywhere. Kinda like GoreTex allows moisture out but not in.

 

[Buzzy]

Correct, not an option as I'm a bit of a clean freak and the oven does smoke badly on the next use.

Need some way to allow the juices to drain to the bottom of the pyrex but the spatter to not go everywhere. Kinda like GoreTex allows moisture out but not in.

How about an enameled dutch oven, deeper to control spatter:


Martha Stewart collection (5.5 qt). Great for bread, stew, curry, tikka masala..... and last night's roasted chicken (unbrined ;-))

 

[flybill]

Brining is always a good thing to.do 24 hours in advance! And buttermilk is great to soak in ahead of time too!

 

[O' Clarkii Stomias]

Slight thread drift here. We roast whole chicken regularly, in a glass baking pan basting with butter. The oven ends up a mess after so wondering if there's a solution here?

Grill it, preferably with a rotisserie.

 

[mark wlker]

I use this for a 24 hour brine. I like it.

Simple Chicken Brine

Just a simple chicken brine to help make the meat just a little more tender and juicy. This recipe was made for roughly a 6 pound whole chicken.

www.allrecipes.com

 

[Clean Willy]

How about an enameled dutch oven, deeper to control spatter:
View attachment 89030

Martha Stewart collection (5.5 qt). Great for bread, stew, curry, tikka masala..... and last night's roasted chicken (unbrined ;-))

Oh I’ll try that! Always thought it would prevent browning and come out steamed.

 

[Matt B]

Oh I’ll try that! Always thought it would prevent browning and come out steamed.

It would if you put the top on. I wouldn’t do that.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

I don’t brine I marinade, like variations on:
Pan sauteed fresh thyme , sage leaves and rosemary sprigs in garlic and T of butter and olive oil, - lightly simmer salted water add herbs turn off burner add citrus like fressh squeezed lemon or orange and grated rind for either. The amount of salt is minimized at this point. Cool, whole chicken in large bag -fill with marinade put in bowl that fits in frig, marinade over night…I do turkey this way before bbq or smoking just scale up to a 5 gallon bucket and large double food grade bag. The herbs vary in proportion and volume with turkey a lot of sage and baste with fresh limes. Additional salt paprika or use imagination for oven baking. We have a very large amount of herbs and blends to choose from

 

[Paige]

People actually clean their ovens, who knew lol. 10 yrs at current place and never a wif of smoke or smell, other than baking goodness!

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Minimum salt is the watchword in the kitchen when either of us are cooking and creating… I grew up in a family that salted as a matter of course … Now it is that old health awareness thing

 

[troutpocket]

@Buzzy I have adopted a quick brine recipe from Americas Test Kitchen: 1/3 cup each kosher salt and white sugar mixed with 1 quart of cold water. Soak a whole chicken for 2-3 hours in the fridge. I like chicken with plenty of seasoning so I go three.

I find it helps to separate the skin from the meat to allow better salt penetration. It’s an easy recipe to expand to multiple birds. I use this for roasting, grilling, rotisserie, etc. Taking care of the salt up front makes it easy to add other flavors just before cooking.