Brining chicken is a sure way to make it tender and moist. It is a technique that is so simple, yet adds so much that it is amazing that everyone doesn't do it. If you brine your chicken first and then marinate it, you will add some serious flavour to your dish. Okay, there's quite a bit of work in doing this, but the end result will be worth it! Let's start brining a chicken:
- For about 4 pieces of chicken (say two breasts and two thighs), you need a litre of water, 100 grams of brown sugar, one tablespoon of whole black peppercorns, 60 grams of salt flakes, four peeled whole garlic cloves and 4 bay leaves.
- Bring the water to the boil in a pot, and add the sugar and salt. Stir until they dissolve
- Bruise the garlic by bashing it with something heavy. Add it to the water, together with the remaining ingredients.
- Allow this to slowly simmer for five minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Allow the brine to cool, pour it into your brining container, and then place it in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- Now add your chicken pieces and cover the container with cling film. Place in the refrigerator overnight
- The next day discard the brining water and garlic. Pat the chicken pieces dry.
- If you are going to use a marinade for your dish, in recipes like Peri-peri Chicken or Pollo ala Brasa, use a fork to pierce the flesh of the chicken before placing it in the marinade.
- If your recipe calls for salt in the marinade or anything else, this should be eliminated from the recipe, as the brining will have already added seasoning to the dish.