I use this all the time.
- Carbohydrate 337.407266 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 7.51193942857143 g
- Fiber 58.6880256689514 g
- Protein 25.0211837142857 g
- Saturated Fat 2.23304457142857 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (8020g)
- Sodium 384.372828571429 mg
- Sugar 278.719240331049 g
- Trans Fat 0.411603714285714 g
- Calories 1324 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix all ingredients until all salt and sugar is disolved.
- Brine chickens at least 4 hours, but can be up to a day or more.
- When finished, remove chicken from brine and dry with paper towels.
- You can season the skin with black pepper, if you like, but do not use any seasoning with salt!
- Then grill, bake, or smoke the chicken as you normally would.
Submerging poultry in an equilibrium salt solution fundamentally alters muscle protein structures to retain moisture through high-heat cooking. Raw poultry meat consists of roughly seventy-five percent water held within tightly bound muscle fibers that naturally contract and squeeze out moisture when exposed to heat above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Introducing sodium and chloride ions causes these protein strands to denature and unwind, creating a physical matrix that traps both the added liquid and the bird's own natural juices. When scaling this one-gallon base up for multiple whole birds or down for a single split breast, maintaining the exact equal ratio of three-quarters cup kosher salt to three-quarters cup sugar ensures the chemical action remains balanced without overwhelming the meat's natural flavor profile. Dissolving these solutes requires thorough stirring, and heating a small portion of the water can accelerate the process, provided the solution cools completely to below 40 degrees Fahrenheit before raw poultry enters the vessel to prevent bacterial growth.
Adjusting the volume for smaller cuts like bone-in thighs or tenderloins simply means reducing the water and corresponding dry ingredients proportionally while keeping the immersion window shorter, typically between two to four hours, to prevent the exterior cells from becoming overly saturated and spongy. Large whole chickens require a minimum of four hours and can safely remain submerged for up to twenty-four hours in a refrigerated environment maintained at 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Exceeding twenty-four hours risks altering the texture into something unpleasantly cured or ham-like.
Thoroughly patting the surface dry with absorbent paper towels immediately after removal from the liquid is non-negotiable for achieving crisp skin during subsequent roasting or smoking, because residual surface moisture inhibits the Maillard reaction and steams the exterior rather than browning it. Omitting additional salt from any subsequent rubs prevents over-seasoning, while black pepper and aromatic spices adhere well to the tacky, protein-rich surface left behind by the cane syrup and aromatics.
