Poultry Brine
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Poultry Brine
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| Servings |
| 4lbs poultry |
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Instructions
- Boil about 1/4 of the water.
- stir remaining ingredients into hot water until dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add remaining water, or water/ice mixture if you’re in a hurry.
- Refrigerate brine. Do not use until it is below 40°F.
- Add meat to tub. If there is skin left you plan to remove before cooking, remove it first. Make sure the meat is all submerged. Weigh it down with a ceramic plate if needed.
- Return to the fridge and let it soak. How long depends on the strength (saltiness) of the brine and the size of the pieces of meat. Too short and the brining doesn’t get a chance to perform, way too long and the meat could be too salty. General rule of thumb for a medium strength brine (like this one)
- Quail/Dove 1-2 hours
- Chicken pieces 2-4 hours
- Whole pheasant 5-10 hours
- Whole chicken (4lb) 10-12 hours
- Turkey breast/thigh 4-8 hours
- Whole turkey 2-3 days
- Rearrange the meat once or twice during the brining time.
- Remove the meat, lightly rinse in cold water and pat dry. Discard the used brine.
- Cook the meat according to your planned recipe.
Recipe Notes
Brining adds salt to the meat, so it is obviously not a suitable technique for those on a sodium-restricted diet.
The skin of brined poultry resists browning and becoming crisp. You can improve the situation by patting the meat dry, then storing it uncovered with skin exposed in the refrigerator overnight.
Some folks advocate injecting the brine instead of soaking in it, to leave the skin less affected. Others prefer “dry brining” (lightly salting and refrigerating a couple of hours or overnight, depending on meat size). Both work, and are worth exploring.