SaveComments We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing. When most people think of brining, they picture brining a whole Thanksgiving turkey, but it’s such a great technique that we’ve started using it all year round for all sorts of different meats and even vegetables like cauliflower. We like to throw pork chops and chicken breasts in a quick brine for extra oomph before continuing on with the rest of the recipe. Brining is also a great technique if you are cooking a smaller portion of turkey, such as a turkey breast, for Thanksgiving or even for weeknight dinners. And although many brining recipes call for brining for at least 12 hours, a much shorter brine can also deliver flavorful, moist meat. In fact, a quick brine of just 30 minutes is enough to add flavor to smaller cuts like chicken breasts.
What Is Brining?Brining is the process of submerging a cut of meat in a brine solution, which at its most basic is simply salt dissolved in water. A brine can also be seasoned with dried herbs and spices. The meat absorbs some of the liquid and salt, resulting in a juicier and more flavorful final dish. This technique is particularly great for lean cuts of meat that tend to dry out during cooking (that’s why it’s so popular with turkey). Is Brining Essential?If you are short on time or fridge space, you might be wondering if you can skip brining. While there are scientific reasons for brining, it’s not the only way to produce flavorful meat. If dealing with liquid is what’s putting you off of brining, consider a dry brine. There are other options, too, like rubbing butter and seasonings under the skin of turkey or chicken. Try it in this turkey breast recipe. But we think you should give brining a try — and it’s easy with the basic brining ratio and method we’ve outlined below. What Is the Brine Ratio?The basic ratio of salt to water for a brine is 4 tablespoons of kosher salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water. If you are using fine table salt, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons. Keep in mind, also, that different kosher salt brands vary in how salty they actually are. When in doubt, cut down on the amount of salt or the amount of time you brine the item. Step-by-Step Quick Brining Guide
Quick Brine Flavoring IdeasTo infuse your meat with extra flavor, throw some extra spices and aromatics into your brine that will complement the finished dish. Making our Pork Stir-fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas? Try adding a few slivers of ginger into the brine. For roasted chickens, add lemon rind and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme. Some folks also like adding sugar (about 2 tablespoons per quart) into the brine to lightly sweeten the meat. Do you brine your meat? What’s your favorite recipe? Created April 24, 2017
No one wants to eat boring chicken that is dry, tough and not flavorful. Whether you are looking for a dry or wet brine for your chicken dinner, we’re providing you with complete guide to brining chicken. A dry chicken dinner is definitely not a winner, but there’s an easy solution to your chewy chicken woes: brining! Surprisingly easy, brining is the simple trick to perfectly juicy, flavorful chicken. You may have heard of brining turkeys around Thanksgiving, but brining is great for any kind of meal. In fact, it will transform your chicken and make it so delicious you’ll wonder how you ever went without brining. So follow our easy steps and we’ll show you how to brine a
chicken, how long to brine a chicken and the types of brines you can use. Let’s get started. You may be asking yourself, why bother brining at all? What are the benefits of brining? It’s just another step to add to the cooking process, right? But trust us when we say brining is worth it. It’s very easy, and can transform regular chicken into the most tender, juicy, and flavorful meat you’ve ever had. Brining is very popular for special occasions like Thanksgiving when you want to really impress, but with a little planning, it’s great for weeknight meals too. How Does Brining Work?If you’re wondering what the magic behind brining is, there is one very simple answer: salt. Wet or dry, brines work because the salt helps the meat retain moisture. How? By breaking down proteins in the meat. When those proteins break down, the meat won’t contract while cooking which means less water is lost, thus a more juicy plump bird. Plus, the salt does double duty and thoroughly seasons the meat, hence, more flavor. Now, to wet or dry brine, that is the question. Wet brines, take a bit longer, but will help add moisture. And because they take longer to brine, they have a lot of flavor. Dry brines, however, will retain only the natural juices of the meat without adding in other liquids, which means the flavor is more intense. It’s also faster and the skin will be crisper. Both are delicious, so it comes down to time and preference. Time is of extreme importance when brining, the longer the brine the better. Dry brines can be left on for just a short time if cooking small cuts of meat or you if are in a hurry, but for a dry brine to really work its magic, leave it on for 12 to 24 hours or up to 3 days. Wet brines should be left for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. What Can You Brine?Once you’ve decided to brine, what can you actually brine? You can obviously brine chicken and turkeys, but did you know you could also brine pork? Just make sure when choosing your meat that it’s untreated. So avoid meat labeled “kosher,” “enhanced,” or “self-basting.” If you try to brine one of these you’ll end up with really salty meat. Types of Chicken to BrineThere are many types of chicken to brine. You can of course brine a whole chicken, or you can brine just chicken thighs, legs, breasts, or wings. Brining chicken wings before frying or baking means moist, well-seasoned wings. Chicken breasts are smaller cuts and brine quickly, perfect for weeknight meals. You can brine a chicken breast in as little as 15-30 minutes. And don’t worry; you can brine partially thawed chicken. So there’s no reason not to give this trick a try if you want to enhance your casual weeknight meal. How to Brine a ChickenNow that we’ve covered the basics, its time to actually learn how to brine a chicken, both using wet brine and dry brine. Basically, you’ll mix a few ingredients together, add in the chicken, and wait. HOW TO WET BRINE A CHICKEN First, the classic wet brine. Wet brining a chicken is easy, but takes a bit longer (don’t worry, the payoff is worth it). You can also add sugar; although it’s not required, it does help brown the skin when cooking. Any kind of sweetener works (white, brown, honey, or molasses, just to name a few) and you can add about the same amount as the salt, or less if you prefer. Herbs and spices, like peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, garlic, and citrus, can also be added to
the mix, but aren’t necessary. Step 3: Once the brine is completely cooled, submerge the chicken into the liquid. You can leave the bird whole, or break it down into pieces first. Cover the pot with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 2 days. Some recipes mention brining your bird in an ice filled cooler, but to be sure your brine and bird stay cold enough and avoid any food safety issues, it’s best to keep it in the refrigerator. Step 4: After the desired length of time, remove the chicken from the brining liquid, dry with paper towels and cook.
HOW TO DRY BRINE A CHICKEN If wet brines aren’t your things, dry brines are just as good, maybe even better. They’re easier, faster, and result in richly flavored meat due to only retaining its own natural juices. Here are the basics to a dry brine. Step 1: Use 1/2 cup of kosher salt, two tablespoons of baking power, and any herbs or spices you want and mix together in a bowl. Step 2: Use paper towels to pat dry your chicken. Step 3: Generously sprinkle the brine mixture over the entire bird, rubbing it into the skin, until the outside of the bird is completely covered. Depending on the size of your bird, you may not need to use all of the mix; too much and it may end up over salted, so don’t cake it on. Step 4: Loosely cover chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days. Step 5: Rinse off the brine, pat the chicken dry, and cook. (Make sure the skin is very dry before cooking so that it will get nice and crispy.) Types of Brine for Different Cooking MethodsNow, what types of brine should you use for the style of cooking? Brining a chicken for smoking, roasting, grilling, and buttermilk brine for fried chicken, all have their benefits, and they’re all good ideas. How to Brine a Chicken for Grilling How to Brine a Chicken for Frying How to Brine a Chicken for Roasting or Smoking How Long to Brine ChickenTime is clearly an important factor in brining a chicken. Generally, the longer the better, but it can vary depending on the thickness of the meat. As mentioned before, for whole chickens, classic wet brines can be left on for a minimum of 12 hours and up to 2 days. Dry brines can be as short as a few hours, but ideally at least 12 hours and up to 3 days. The longer you brine, the stronger the seasoning, the more robust the flavor, and more tender and juicy the meat will become. For small cuts of chicken, the times will vary. For chicken wings, you want to brine for up to 48 hours. For chicken breasts, brine up to 4 to 6 hours max. Any longer and it will become too salty. Tips & Tricks for Brining ChickenOnce you’ve got the brining down, there a few extra tips and tricks to remember when brining chicken:
And that’s it! It may sound a bit involved, but once you start brining you’ll see how simple it is. All it takes is a little patience and planning. The payoff in juicy, tender, flavorful chicken will be completely worth it. Happy brining! How much salt should you use to brine chicken?Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt. Place the meat in the brine and put the whole container in the refrigerator.
What is the ratio of salt to water in brine cooking?The traditional brine is made from a ratio of 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water. This is based on table salt. One cup of table salt weighs in at 10 ounces. So we want 10 ounces of salt (by weight) per gallon of water.
Can you put too much salt in brine?Can you put too much salt in a brine? Yes, you can definitely put too much salt in a brine. For starters, a certain amount of water is needed to dissolve salt (250 mL water per 100 grams salt, or about 6 tablespoons per 1 cup water). Our ratio calls for only 1 tablespoon per cup water, so you really don't need much!
How long should you salt brine chicken?Whole Chicken: 8-24 hours. Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Breast, Thighs, Legs, or Wings: 2-12 hours. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast or Thighs: ½-1 hour.
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