Brining poultry - have you tried it?

[Zonny]

I've read about this practice a bit, where you soak your chicken/turkey, whether in pieces or whole, in a mixture of kosher salt, sugar and seasonings before cooking. Times depend on how much you're brining. I've tried it three times now on whole chickens.

Recently I've started buying packs of three whole chickens at Costco, some of which we cook solely for salads or sandwiches for work/school lunches. I will say that their chickens are very good, I think the quality is better than the local grocery stores and the price is comparable to a sale price.

I used the recipe from here, but cut it in half. I added a sliced lemon, and two cloves of garlic each chopped in several big pieces:

http://www.smoker-cooking.com/how-to-brine-chicken.html

The first time I tried, I soaked my whole chicken for about eight hours, and the result was too salty for my taste (but my taste may not be yours, we don't use much salt in our household, for no particular reason but that we aren't used to eating much of it).

Tonight I soaked two chickens in the same solution, but for only four hours. I baked one tonight, sprayed the outside with olive oil and rubbed with Italian seasoning and baked on a vertical roaster that i got for cheap at Superstore, it keeps the chicken standing up. This soak seems right for us. Not too salty, plenty moist. I cooked it for nearly two hours at about 350 I think (my oven runs hot), but I checked it regularly after 90 minutes with my meat thermometer. The standard size of the Costco chickens takes approximately two hours in my experience.

I think the brining makes a difference. Have any of you tried this? Might try with a turkey next time they're on sale!

[alicia]

I haven't done this myself but it is what the stores do. I was at Sobeys and they were putting the new chickens on the spits and they were dripping cloudy solution (more than just "chicken juice") when they took them out of the bag. Makes sense why the purchased chicken is always moist.

[dol09]

I've brined turkeys before. They turned out really moist and juicy with lots of flavour.

[joseff]

last turkey I cooked, I brined overnight, from frozen, in a covered container. Just a mix of salt and sugar is all I used and I gotta say it was the absolute BEST turkey I have EVER cooked! I'm not a fan of the white meat at all, I've always found it dry, but this turkey, I ate the white meat and it was GOOOOOOOOOOOOD! I didn't end up with tons of leftovers like I normally do so it had to have been a hit!

[mrsf1sh]

As a trained chef, I think it is a must. I brine whole chickens 3 at a time. Usually in the brine for a few days, 24 hours at least for the process to be effective. It took a few times to get my recipe down (will post later) it adds so much flavour, and moisture to the meat. Regular roast chicken is so bland to me now.

[protecteur]

I have brine and injected chicken and turkey lots and love the results it gives!

[hollyquaiscer]

I have been brining birds for about 7 years now and feel it is an absolute must. It gives the bird added moisture (it's so easy to overcook poultry) and flavour. Here is the recipe I use most often, but I will change it up and add different spices or herbs for added flavour once in a while. There are tons of recipes for brine on the net and I have found a lot of them to be just to salty for my taste. Make sure you rinse and dry your poulty really well after brining, before you cook it. If not, it may have some undesirable flavour,

1 gallon warm water 3/4 cup kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil

Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.

To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.

[frugal50]

do restaurants brine their chicken?

[maizy]

I just watched Chef Michael Smith of PEI brine a chicken and he said not to go over 2 hours or it will have the salty flavour......

[hollyquaiscer]

It depends on if you are using a whole chicken and the amount of salt you are using. A good majority of brine recipes call for at least 1.5 cups of salt or more. Also, one of the biggest mistakes that people make when brining is not rinsing the poultry enough prior to cooking. It is the most important step, you must get all the brining solution off the poultry or it will be extremely salty.

The best way to find what you like or what works for you is to take an average brining recipe and follow the directions to a tee. If you're happy with the results, do,'t change a thing. If you would like more flavour, tweek the recipe to suit your tastes. Once you have what you like, make sure you have it all written down for the next time. Never be affraid to change a recipe, it's all a matter of taste.

[PatriciaD1]

Would you post your brining recipe? I would love to try it. Thanks.