Melissa - on Poultry

I've been researching cooking poultry for the past few years, mainly experimenting with brining or salting. The basic goal is to get a salt solution into the bird so that it cooks flavorfully. I've discovered that I can do this in two ways - Brining: Soaking the bird in a salt water solution or Salting: Rubbing a salt based rub onto the chicken and letting it absorb. With both of these methods you can use water soluble spices such as paprika, chili powder, and pepper, and you can also use sugar. You can go further in brining, because you can add liquid flavors such as juice concentrates, apple cider, vinegar, soda, etc. Here are the ways to achieve both methods.

Brining:

You'll want the bird completely submerged in liquid.

For every gallon of water, use:

1/2 c. table salt, or 3/4 c. coarse kosher salt

3/4 c. sugar

any spices or flavorings you want to add.

For poultry pieces or small roasting chickens, you can usually fit them into a large pot with room for expansion, and brine them in the fridge (make sure it is covered.)

For larger chickens and turkeys, if they don't fit in the fridge you can use a 5 gallon bucket, or a cooler - but you will need to add bags of ice to keep it cool.

Brining Times:
chicken pieces - 1 to 1 1/2 hours

small chickens (up to 5 lbs.) - 4-12 hours

turkeys - 1 to 2 days

After brining, be sure to rinse VERY thoroughly. Then add whatever seasonings you want on the outside, and cook.

Salting: The theory behind this is that when you rub a salt and spice combination on the bird, it will start to draw the moisture out of the chicken. Wait! Keep reading. After about 3 hours, all the moisture will be on the surface of the chicken, and will start dissolving the salt. At that point the ratio of liquid inside the chicken is less than on the outside, and will begin to be drawn back in, but with the salt and spices along with it. After 6 hours, the liquid is back inside the chicken, along with lots of flavor! I am trying this method tomorrow.

The advantage to this is that it uses less ingredients - you need 1/2 a cup of salt and lots of spices to flavor a brine (most of which you have to throw away when the bird is done brining), but with this salting method you only use a few Tablespoons and don't waste much. I'm not sure about an advantage in taste, but I'll be finding out soon!

Salt rub:

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1/2 - 2 tsp. other spices

I think I'll be using:

2 Tbsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. onion powder (this is fat soluble, which means it probably won't be drawn into the chicken, but it will flavor the outside).

1/2 tsp. garlic powder - also fat soluble

1/2 tsp. ground thyme

Rub inside the skin, cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours

Roast!