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Brining a chicken

Started by Rondo, June 17, 2015, 01:58:55 PM

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Rondo

Thinking of brining a chicken for the weekend. Cooking it whole. Any suggestions?

Chuck

If its not on a rotisserie, spatchcock it.
This is a fairly cheap hobby when you consider the time  with family and friends and how many meals are created.

mike.stavlund

Brining definitely adds flavor and moisture, but it can also leave the meat a little spongey if it's left in there too long.  Definitely give it a try if you're looking to experiment (and it's great practice for turkey, which I think benefits from a dry or wet brine for sure), but IMO chicken is at its best with salt and pepper, roasted whole. 

There are a bunch of brines online, and I like the ones with apple juice and herbs.  And maybe some orange rind (definitely for turkey). 
One of the charcoal people.

jdefran

I do something along the lines of a gallon of water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/3 cup brown sugar (white is fine too), and whatever other herbs and spices. I don't approach as an exact science..just experiment. Like Chuck said spatchcock it and cook around 300-325 indirect (I use charcoal baskets on each side and put bird in middle)

austin87

If you are brining the bird brine it 2 days in advance. 4-6 hours should do fine. Then, pat the bird dry, put in on a wire rack on a plate or cutting board, and let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge for 1-2 days. The skin will dry out and start to look opaque, but this is the way to get supremely crispy skin (unless you have a rotisserie, then it doesn't matter). Spray or rub with a little oil or butter before cooking.

When I spatchcock birds I put the charoal baskets at about 10 and 2 (if you are looking at a clock) and the bird at 6 with the legs facing towards the heat. If you do the bird on a vertical roaster, cook it on the charcoal grate (not on the cooking grate) with the coals off to one side and the bird on the other. If you roast it whole, set up the baskets on each side and put the bird in the middle.

Good luck!

Rondo

Thanks for advice. Work permitting I'll give it a try this weekend.