Basic Brine Solution

By battlecj

Ingredients

• Chicken Brine Recipe:
• Mixing Brine Solution:
• 1 1 1 . To each gallon add three-quarters cup of salt
• 2 2 1/4 . Optional – 1/4 cup of sugar (white or brown...your choice)
• 3 3 1/4 . Optional - 1/4 cup of vinegar or beer
• 4 4 4 . Optional - Two tablespoons of paprika, and one tablespoon of ground black pepper. Be sure that the salt and sugar is dissolved completely before mixing in the paprika and pepper.
• 5 5 3-4 . Soak whole chicken in the brine overnight OR brine chicken halves or pieces 3-4 hours.
• to to brining chicken in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. After brining, pat the chicken dry to make ready for oiling or dry rub.

Preparation

Step 1

Here's an all-purpose recipe from Cook's Illustrated magazine that works well with chicken and pork.

All-Purpose Brine
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1 quart cool water
1/2 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup sugar
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Substitute 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Morton Kosher Salt or 1/4 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Make 1 quart of brine for each pound of meat, not to exceed 8 quarts (2 gallons). Soak meat for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or longer than 8 hours. If brining multiple pieces, base the brining time on the weight of an individual piece.



Here's another recipe from Cook's Illustrated for high-temperature roasting, broiling or grilling. The lower sugar content results in less burning during cooking. The salt content has also been reduced.

High-Temp Brine
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1 quart cool water
1/4 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Substitute 3 Tablespoons Morton Kosher Salt or 2 Tablespoons table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Make 1 quart of brine for each pound of meat, not to exceed 8 quarts (2 gallons). Soak meat for 1 hour per pound, but not less than 30 minutes or longer than 8 hours. If brining multiple pieces, base the brining time on the weight of an individual piece.



Here's a basic brine that will work well for a turkey in the Weber Bullet or in the oven. Due to its bland flavor, turkey really benefits from flavor brining.

Basic Turkey Brine (12-14 Hour Brining Time)
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2 gallons cool water
2 cups Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Substitute 1-1/2 cups Morton Kosher Salt or 1 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Optional: 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown) can be added for each gallon of water.

Brine for 12-14 hours. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.



Here's a high-strength brine recipe from Cook's Illustrated that cuts brining time to just 4-6 hours.

High-Strength Turkey Brine (4-6 Hour Brining Time)
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2 gallon cool water
4 cups Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Mix in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Substitute 3 cups Morton Kosher Salt or 2 cups table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Brine for 4-6 hours. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels before cooking.



And, here's a brine recipe from Alton Brown of Good Eats on Food Network.

Good Eats Turkey Brine
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1 gallon vegetable broth
1 gallon heavily iced water
1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon peppercorns
1/2 Tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 Tablespoon candied ginger
Use regular vegetable broth, not low- or no-sodium varieties. Substitute 3/4 cup Morton Kosher Salt or 1/2 cup table salt for Diamond Crystal.

Combine all ingredients except ice water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40°F.

In a large non-reactive container, combine the mixture with 1 gallon heavily iced water and stir. Place rinsed, drained whole turkey into the brine. Use a heavy weight to keep the bird submerged, if necessary. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours. Turn the bird over once during brining.

Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Apply a thin coat of canola oil before cooking.