This is a chicken brine that will yield the most succulent, juiciest roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Brining injects flavour and moisture as well as tenderising – you will be blown away how juicy the chicken breast is!
Once you learn how to brine chicken and taste the incredible results, you will never look back!
Brining is the process whereby chicken (or other meat) is submerged in a salty liquid (“brine”) and left to marinate to add flavour, tenderise AND add moisture so the chicken stays juicier when roasted.
It injects flavour and seasoning right into the flesh of a whole chicken in a way that no other method can, even by slathering liberally with herb and garlic butter under the skin which is my favourite non-brining way to roast chicken.
It’s a technique widely used by chefs. In Sydney, there are a handful of restaurants famous for their roast chicken – such as Glebe Point Diner, Boronia Kitchen and Restaurant Hubert – and they are all brined!
This brine recipe is adapted from a recipe by Thomas Kellar, one of the greatest culinary masters of the world.
The chicken is seasoned with salt all the way through the flesh, with a hint of the flavourings of the brine. The brine flavourings are not intended to be dominant – it’s more of a subtle perfume rather than a strong flavour. You don’t need strong flavours when the flesh of chicken is seasoned this way because you’ll taste chicken flavour in a way you never have before!
Chicken Brine
Recipe video above. BRINING is the secret to the most succulent, tender roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, one of the great masters of the culinary world. The flesh is seasoned all the way through with a hint of the brine flavourings (herbs, lemon, garlic).
Prep: 15min
Total: 1515min
Yield: 5
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 432 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 63 g, Fat 17 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 188 mg, Sodium 189 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 2 litres / 2 quarts water (, cold tap water)
- 1/3 cup kosher or cooking salt, NOT table salt ((Note 1))
- 2 lemons (, quartered)
- 10 sprigs parsley (, fresh )
- 7 sprigs thyme
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 5 bay leaves, fresh ((or 3 dried))
- 1⁄4 cup honey
- 6 garlic cloves, (smashed (Note 3))
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1.5 – 2 kg / 3-4lb chicken (, whole)
- 3 tbsp / 40g butter (, melted)
- Salt and pepper to season
Instruction:
- Flip chicken upside down (so legs and breast are on underside. Submerge chicken in brine, cover and refrigerate for 12 – 24 hours (Note 5). Don’t worry if underside of chicken doesn’t stay under water – the the breast side is, that is what matters.
- Chicken is so juicy, it needs little more than a tiny drizzle of the juices in the pan (go easy, it’s salty). Otherwise, make a gravy while the chicken is resting – see Note 8.
Chicken Brine Recipe
This chicken brine recipe is made with lemons, honey, fresh herbs and spices, and produces a juicy tender chicken every time! A foolproof way for succulent and flavorful roasted, smoked or fried chicken.
Prep: 10min
Total: 20min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 185 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 775 mg, Sugar 6 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt (do not use table salt)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 5 cloves of garlic (smashed and peeled)
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 lemons (sliced)
- 4 lb whole chicken
Instruction:
- Place the water, salt, honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, parsley and lemons in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes or until salt has dissolved.
- Turn off the heat and cool completely.
- Add the chicken to the cooled brine. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged.
- Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse with cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with roasting, smoking or frying the chicken.
Brining Chicken | Everyday Gourmet S9 EP77
FAQ
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