Posted on March 7, 2010.
How to brine for poultry The secret to juicy chicken is simple - brine your poultry (chicken or turkey) before grilling or baking!
This is the secret that chefs never tell you. It is very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware.
Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way to increase the water holding capacity of meat resulting in a moist when it is cooked. Salt changes the structure of muscle meat that allows it to swell and absorb water and flavor resulting in a turkey or chicken tender when cooked.
How to brine for poultry:
Brining poultry is very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way to increase the water holding capacity of meat resulting in a moist when it is cooked.
* What is a brine: One of the great things about brining is that there are so few rules. Most brines start with water and salt - traditionally, 3 / 4 pound of salt per gallon of water, but since we are not concerned with the brine as a preservative, you can reduce the salt. The amount of curing time is not carved in stone. Even a little brining is better than nothing.
* What type of salt used in brine kosher salt and table salt (without iodine) are the most common used in salt brine. Sea salt can be used, but it tends to be very expensive. I usually use kosher salt or coarse.
A cup of table salt and a cup of kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs about 10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs about 5-8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. If you use kosher salt in a brine, you must use more than one cup to get the same "salt", you should get a cup of table salt.
