Chicken Brine

Name: Chicken Brine
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 d 1 h 15 min
Yield: 5 - 6
Ingredients: 2 litres / 2 quarts water; 1/3 cup kosher or cooking salt, NOT table salt; 2 lemons; 10 sprigs parsley; 7 sprigs thyme; 2 sprigs rosemary; 5 bay leaves, fresh; 1⁄4 cup honey; 6 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 1.5 - 2 kg / 3-4lb chicken; 3 tbsp / 40g butter; Salt and pepper to season

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5.0

225 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Brining
1 d
Total Time
1 d 1 hr 15 mins
Servings
5 - 6
Calories
432 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Chicken Brine

Paige Becker

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Recipe video above. BRINING is the secret to the most succulent, tender roast chicken you will EVER have in your life! Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, one of the great masters of the culinary world. The flesh is seasoned all the way through with a hint of the brine flavourings (herbs, lemon, garlic).

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Ingredients

Servings

Brine

2 litres / 2 quarts water , cold tap water
1/3 cup kosher or cooking salt, NOT table salt (Note 1)
2 lemons , quartered
10 sprigs parsley , fresh
7 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
5 bay leaves, fresh (or 3 dried)
1⁄4 cup honey
6 garlic cloves, smashed (Note 3)
1 tbsp black peppercorns

Roast Chicken

1.5 - 2 kg / 3-4lb chicken , whole
3 tbsp / 40g butter , melted
Salt and pepper to season

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Instructions

Brining

Pour about 1/3 of the water into a large pot (large enough for the brine and submerged chicken) with remaining Brine ingredients. Bring to boil boil 1 minute, stir to dissolve salt.
Remove from heat, pour in remaining water. Cool completely before using (I cool about 30 min then refrigerate 1 1/2 hours). DO NOT put chicken in before full cool, this is a health hazard (Note 4).
Flip chicken upside down (so legs and breast are on underside. Submerge chicken in brine, cover and refrigerate for 12 - 24 hours (Note 5). Don't worry if underside of chicken doesn't stay under water - the the breast side is, that is what matters.

Roasting Brined Chicken:

Remove chicken from brine and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
Tie legs with string (if desired), tuck wings under. Drizzle/brush with most of the butter all over, including underside (butter will firm up on contact).
Sprinkle with pepper and the TINIEST pinch of salt, place chicken on a rack in a heavy based roasting tray. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Preheat fan forced oven to 220°C/430°F.
Turn down the oven to 180°C/350°F, then roast chicken for 50 minutes to 1 hour (Note 7) or until the internal temperature at the joint between the leg and thigh is 75°C/165°F, or until juices run clear.
Check at 45 minutes, rotate the pan if not browning evenly, and brush top with remaining melted butter.
Remove chicken from the roasting tray, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Chicken is so juicy, it needs little more than a tiny drizzle of the juices in the pan (go easy, it's salty). Otherwise, make a gravy while the chicken is resting - see Note 8.

Notes

SALT - important!! Must use kosher salt or cooking salt (same thing, different name in different countries) which are larger grains than table salt.
If using table salt (ie the fine grains of salt served at the table that you put on your food), decrease by 2 tablespoons.
Brine flavourings substitutions:
Garlic, smashed - smack palm of hand down on side of knife to make garlic burst open but largely stay in one piece. Can sub 2 tsp jar paste, in emergency.
Warm brine = cosy environment for bacteria to start forming in chicken = health hazard! Brine must be completely chilled before putting chicken in.
Brining time - 12 hours is enough, 18 to 24 hours is ideal. Don't go longer than 24 hours because the chicken starts getting too salty. Can take chicken out, pat dry and refrigerate for a while until cooking.
Taking chicken out of fridge a while before cooking helps it cook more evenly.
Cook times: 20 minutes plus 10 minutes for every 500g/1 lb. So a 2 kg / 4 lb chicken will take 60 minutes, and a 1 kg / 2 lb chicken will take 40 minutes.
Note: Brined chicken cooks faster than unbrined chicken by about 15 to 20 minutes.
GRAVY option: Pan juices are very salty so gravy needs to be made with salt reduced broth plus water (gravy for "normal" roast chicken uses only chicken broth/stock)
50g / 3 tbsp butter 3 tbsp / 40g flour (any white)All liquid from pan topped up with LOW SODIUM / Reduced Salt chicken broth to make up 1 cup1 cup / 250ml water
Melt butter over medium heat, add flour, stir for 1 minute. Add half the liquid while whisking. Once incorpoated and lump free, add remaining liquid & water. Continue cooking for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, until gravy thickens. Season with pepper - I highly doubt you will need salt!
Frozen chicken can be put in the brine once it's partially thawed. It will finish thawing in the chicken while it brines.
Source: Brine based on a recipe by Thomas Keller, one of the great masters of the culinary world! Known for high end iconic restaurants such as Per Se in New York and the French Laundry in the Napa Valley.
Nutrition per serving, chicken only.
Honey - sub same amount maple syrup, or 1/4 cup brown sugar
Fresh herbs - use more of one of them, switch out with sage leaves or other fresh herbs of choice. OR use 1 tbsp dried herbs of choice
lemons - lime, or oranges, or leave out
Peppercorns - sub 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 432cal (22%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 63g (126%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Cholesterol 188mg (63%) Sodium 189mg (8%) Potassium 644mg (18%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 198IU (4%) Vitamin C 26mg (29%) Calcium 49mg (5%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5- 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories 432 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	432cal	22%
Carbohydrates	5g	2%
Protein	63g	126%
Fat	17g	26%
Saturated Fat	5g	25%
Cholesterol	188mg	63%
Sodium	189mg	8%
Potassium	644mg	14%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	1g	2%
Vitamin A	198IU	4%
Vitamin C	26mg	29%
Calcium	49mg	5%
Iron	4mg	22%