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Brining is a pretreatment in which the chicken is placed in a salt
water solution known as brine. This produces a moist and well-seasoned
bird. Normally, meat loses about 30 percent of its weight during
cooking, but if you brine it first, you can reduce the moisture
loss by as little as 15 percent. Additionally, brining enhances
juiciness. The muscle fibers absorb the flavored liquid during the
brining period. Some of this liquid will get lost during cooking,
but since the meat is in a sense more juicy at the start of cooking,
it ends up much juicier and flavorful. I recommend brining in two
plastic trash bags, one inside the other, to hold the chicken and
brine. I then place the bags in a large metal or ceramic bowl. Once
the brine is added, I seal the bag with a wire tie and place in
the bottom of a refrigerator, shaking the bag every couple hours.
You may also place the bird in a small ice chest, breast down, covering
with the brine. If using the ice chest method, chill the brine to
approximately 40°F, and then add 5–6 ice packs to maintain
temperature overnight. A smaller bird works best when brining.
Ingredients for Brine:
1 chicken fryer
1 gallon cold water
½ cup kosher salt
OR 1 cup table salt
¼ cup brown sugar
2 bay leaves, crushed
½ tbsp dried thyme
½ tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp granulated garlic
1 tbsp black pepper
Method:
Begin brining 1 day prior to cooking. Use a fresh chicken or other
bird, completely thawed. NOTE: Check label to ensure that bird has
not been pre-injected with salt or other flavorings, otherwise it
will be overseasoned. Wash bird completely. In a large stockpot,
dissolve salt in 1 gallon cold water. Add brown sugar, and stir
until completely dissolved. Add bay leaves, thyme, basil, sage,
granulated garlic and pepper. Place 2 trash bags inside of a large
metal bowl, and place chicken breast down in bags. Add brine mixture,
tie bags with wire ties, and place in bottom of refrigerator. Chill
12–14 hours. NOTE: If desired, cut chill time in half by doubling
all ingredients except water. Remove chicken from brine, rinse well
inside and out under cold running water. Completely dry using paper
towels.
Ingredients for Chicken:
vegetable oil for frying
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup flour
Method:
Cut chicken into 8 serving pieces. Heat vegetable oil in a homestyle
deep fryer such as a FryDaddy®. Season chicken and flour separately
with salt and pepper. In a gallon-size plastic zipper bag, place
seasoned flour and 2 pieces of chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat
each piece of chicken completely. Remove chicken, and repeat process
with remaining pieces. Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, until
golden brown. Drain chicken on a paper towel-lined plate over a
large bowl of hot water.
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