Brining

Has it ever happened that you put in all your efforts to prepare the best roast or baked chicken but when you dig into it, it turns out bland, dry and tough? It happened to me so often in the past that I gave up baking whole chicken until I realized that the secret to a perfect juicy chicken lies in the brining process.

What is Brining?

Brining is a technique involving soaking the meat in salt water. This causes the meat to tenderize and at the same time add enough moisture to the point that the meat will not dry out even if it is baked for a long time.

The science behind it is that meat soaks up salt water more easily than plain water and the salt breaks down the tough protein fibers of the meat making it very tender after it is cooked. 

The salt in the brine solution also allows the flavors of your favorite marinade to penetrate deeply into the chicken.

Additionally, brining also contributes to a more even cooking, reducing the risk of overcooking or undercooking. 

Brining Ingredients:

The ingredients can be broken down into main and optional ones:

Main Ingredients:

The key ingredients for preparing a brine are: water and salt; that’s it!

1. Water– most people recommend first boiling the water to help dissolve the salt and then cooling it down. But I have noticed that dissolving the salt in cold water not only saves time but the chicken is juicier too. So my go to is cold water. Never submerge chicken in hot or warm water, it will start cooking!
2.  Salt–  the amount mentioned in my recipe can be used whether you are using kosher salt or table salt. It will not make your chicken overly salty so you don;t need to adjust the salt in the marinade. Additionally, I prefer to wash the chicken thoroughly under cold running water after it is brined to remove any salt that may be adhered to it.  

Optional Ingredients:

Adding some of the following ingredients are optional but it helps to enhance the flavor of the meat.

1. Lemon juice- it has multiple purposes- adds flavor, acts as a tenderizer and removes the raw meat smell. You can add lemon zest or lemon slices to the brine water, 
2. Bay leaves- add 3-4 leaves. Use fresh or dry whatever you have at hand.
3. Herbs- You can use fresh or dried herbs. I usually use mixed Italian herbs but you can use whatever is available- thyme, rosemary, parsley, oregano.
4. Black pepper powder or black peppercorns
5. Brown sugar- this will not make the meat sweet but it helps balance out the salt. You can substitute brown sugar with honey, maple syrup or even granulated sugar. 
6. Garlic cloves

Here are some of my favorite brining ingredients:

How long should you brine?

For best results, brine whole chicken for 24 hours or at least overnight. Avoid going more than 24 hours because the texture of the chicken will start changing.

Most importantly, ALWAYS refrigerate the chicken even if you are brining for a few hours to prevent contamination.

Important Points When Brining:

1. If you have no plans of cooking the chicken right away, remove it from the brine, give it a good wash under cold water, pat it dry and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
2. Never reuse the brine! It will cause contamination. Discard it immediately.
3. Brining cannot be done if the chicken is frozen. Make sure to thaw it completely before placing it in the brine solution.

The quantities mentioned here can be used for brining 1-2 chickens at the same time

Once you experience the amazing results of a baked, roasted or even air fried chicken after it has been brined, I guarantee you will never look back and you will impress your guests by achieving a juicer, flavorful, tender and more enjoyable chicken.