Chicken Brine Recipe

Chicken Brine Recipe For the Smoker
From the Kitchen of: Joe Valencic

This is the recipe I use for a 3# split broiler plus 2 additional breast halves in a 1 gallon zip lock bag.

Ingredients:

4 Cups Water
8 Cups Ice Cubes (reserve until the end)
1 Cup Kosher Salt
1-1/2 Cups White Sugar
2 TBS Black Pepper
1 TBS Dried Rosemary
1 TBS Thyme
1 TBS Dried Chopped Onion
1 TBS Dried Chopped Garlic
1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1/8 Cup Molasses
1/8 Cup Worcestershire

Pour water into a 8 quart or larger non-reactive soup pot (stainless works nicely) and bring water up to a boil. While the water is heating up, put the rest of the ingredients into the pot (except the ice cubes) and stir. Once the water is boiling, turn it down to a simmer and allow the ingredients to steep and meld together for about 15 minutes, stirring occationaly to make sure the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and put on a cool burner, then pour in the 8 cups of ice and mix until cubes are melted or mixture is totally cooled.

Clean your chicken and remove any excess fat and that funky bloody stuff along the backbone. Pluck any loose feathers, and basically get the bird like you're ready to eat it now. Put the bird and up to 2 extra breast halves in the 1 gallon plastic zip lock bag, and pour the whole cooled mixture into the bag, making sure to get the herbs and stuff that settle to the bottom of the pot. Close the zip lock, slowly releasing the air until the bag is nothing but bird and juice. Place in fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, and up to 24 hours before cooking. I like to put the bag inside a large pot just in case you get a leaker. Could save a huge mess.

Prior to smoking, remove chicken parts from the bag, dispose of the liquid (it's only good once), and wash the chicken and parts in cold water to remove all residual salt. Rinse under skin as well, if there are pockets holding any brine solution. Dry the chicken with paper towels and you are ready for the smoker or oven baking or grilling. I like to put a light coating of my homemade BBQ rub all over the chicken before smoking, or you can put your favorite coating. Lemon pepper and cajun seasonings are very popular, so it's up to you. Place the chicken in the smoker with the breast side down and get your smoke rolling. After 1-1/2 hours at 225F, turn the meat to breast side up and continue cooking until the thickest part of the breast reads 165F on your thermometer. You only need smoke for the first 1-1/2 hours. After than you run the risk of adding bitter taste to the chicken. I have a remote thermometer that I use so I don't have to open the smoker and release the heat just to check the temp. The probe goes in the meat and the cord hangs outside the smoker so I can plug it into the unit. I think it only cost about $20 at Bed bath & Beyond, less the 20% with the coupon.