Re: Chicken Help!
Have you ever tried brining a whole bird?
Brining makes your poultry so succulent and delightful, that it is hard to be satisfied with anything else again. At least that's how it is around here.
Here's my recipe for a basic brine. I recommend the briefest possible time spent in the brining solution the first time you try it. There is no way to "unbrine" meat, so better to err on the side of caution until you know what you really like.
Poultry Brining Solution:
Use for chicken, pheasant, turkey, duck, whatever fowl you want to prepare. This recipe is for 4-5 pounds of meat. Double, triple, whatever as needed. I usually make a double recipe and reserve the extra in an airtight container for future use. You can also add slightly crushed whole garlic cloves to the brine (after it has cooked).
3/4 c. salt (coarse kosher or sea salt)
3/4 c. sugar (or Splenda or other sugar substitute)
1 c. boiling H2O
1 gallon cold H2O
Mix salt/sugar with boilng water. Stir until pretty much dissolved. Add to cold H2O and refridgerate. Add poultry and let brine 2-6 hours. 6-12 for turkey.
Rinse thoroughly before cooking. DO NOT add poultry to hot or even warm brine. Everything should be refrigerator cold before beginning.
DO NOT ADD ANY MORE SALT TO THE MEAT!!! But feel free to add herbs or other spices.
I roast a whole chicken or turkey breast nearly every week. It makes a great dinner entree and then you can use the leftovers for salads, quesadillas, pizza, pasta, soups, and so forth.
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We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler's snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Psalm 124:7
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