{recipe} Chicken and Turkey Brine
I have to share this recipe with everyone because it is really amazing and so easy. I'm really big on brining any time I cook with fowl. A good brine takes the flavor from boring "chicken" to a range of sweet, salt and spice completely through the entire bird. It's one of those super easy things you can do to make a meal you've cooked a billion times, extra special. I use to only brine on special occasions, but can't live without it anymore. I brine all the time. Over the years I've used a lot of recipes, but just last year discovered this one, which is near miraculous.
Ingredients
12 cups water
1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon pepper
4 cups ice
Directions
Bring 4 cups of the water to a simmer in a giant pot: the pot you are planning to do your brining in. Add the salt and sugar. Stir and simmer until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat. Add 8 cups of super cold water and the apple cider vinegar. Then stir in the basil, oregano, parsley, pepper and 4 cups of ice. Throw in your cleaned and fully defrosted bird, cover with the lid and put it in the fridge to marinate. You can marinate anywhere from 12-24 hours. For smaller chickens I typically brine 12 hours and up to 24 for the larger turkeys. When done brining, give the bird a rinse, season, butter, oil, etc...as you wish and roast, fry or grill it up!
Ingredients
12 cups water
1 cup salt
2 cups sugar
1 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon pepper
4 cups ice
Directions
Bring 4 cups of the water to a simmer in a giant pot: the pot you are planning to do your brining in. Add the salt and sugar. Stir and simmer until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat. Add 8 cups of super cold water and the apple cider vinegar. Then stir in the basil, oregano, parsley, pepper and 4 cups of ice. Throw in your cleaned and fully defrosted bird, cover with the lid and put it in the fridge to marinate. You can marinate anywhere from 12-24 hours. For smaller chickens I typically brine 12 hours and up to 24 for the larger turkeys. When done brining, give the bird a rinse, season, butter, oil, etc...as you wish and roast, fry or grill it up!
