Low & Slow: Master the Art of Barbecue in 5 Easy Lessons by Colleen Rush, Gary Wiviott
Authors: Colleen Rush, Gary Wiviott
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thousands more recipes onto these pages, but you’re not here to be force-fed someone else’s idea of tasty. You’re here to learn how to cook reflexively, without having to reach for a recipe every time. When you’re ready, make your own brine using this template, and follow the instructions for Lesson #2.
SALT:
⅓ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Although basic brines call for ½ cup of salt per gallon of water, when you add the chicken halves to a gallon zip-top bag, the amount of water drops to about 10 cups (or about 6 cups shy of a gallon). So, I recommend reducing the amount of salt to ⅓ cup per zip-top bag. Always use kosher salt. (See Kosher Salt 101 on page 17.) The iodine in regular table salt gives off a noticeable medicinal flavor in the large quantities you use in brines. Remember to reduce the amount of salt if you add a salty flavoring or seasoning, such as soy sauce, so that the total amount of salt is still around ⅓ cup per bag.
SUGAR:
¼ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Not all brine recipes call for sugar, but I like to add about ¼ cup of sugar or another sweetener to each bag of brine. Sugar doesn’t make the chicken juicier; it minimizes the risk of the brined meat tasting too salty, and it can give chicken a nice, caramelized color. You can use brown or white sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit, or fruit juice—anything sweet. This is where you get to start tinkering with the brine based on what you like or whatever ingredients you happen to have in your cupboard. One warning: adding too much sugar to the brine will give the meat a distinctly sweet, ham-like flavor.
SEASONING:
¼ TO ⅓ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Saltwater carries seasonings into the cell structure of the meat, so the addition of herbs, spices, and aromatics to the brine can contribute a subtle flavor to smoked meat. As with marinades, the amount of a seasoning you throw in each bag depends heavily upon how potent it is. With strong ingredients like hot sauce or rosemary, one or two tablespoons is plenty for this quantity of brine. If you want a note of heat, three toasted, crushed whole chiles or chopped fresh jalapeños get your point across. You can throw in onion halves, smashed ginger, cloves of garlic, or a few splashes of soy sauce. Go easy adding any acid, like citrus or vinegar. Too much acid can turn your brine into a salty marinade. Brining for six to twelve hours with too much acid will also turn your meat into mush and start cooking it. A teaspoon or two of citrus zest per bag is plenty.
The seasonings you choose can also complement any rub, paste, or sauce you plan to use. The Soy-Ginger Brine (page 89), for example, works well with the Five-Spice Rub (page 97). You can also flavor brines to match the seasonings in a dish you plan to make with the chicken; for instance, try adding one teaspoon of puréed chipotle in adobo per bag to the brine for chicken that will go into Tortilla Soup (page 239) or Chicken Enchiladas (page 234).
BOOZE:
2 TO 4 TABLESPOONS PER GALLON BAG
Alcohol loosens things up. Even chickens. Adding one or two ounces of liquor to a brine seems to aid the salt in breaking down the chicken’s proteins and making it jucier.
LIQUID:
Always dissolve the salt and sugar (and optional seasoning or alcohol) in a half cup of warm water. Then place two chicken halves in each bag, pour the brine over the chicken, and fill the bag with cold water to within one inch of the top. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing.
TIME:
6 TO 12 HOURS
The salt-to-water ratio in other brine recipes tends to be stronger and the brine time is shorter, but this also makes it easier to over-brine chicken. I recommend a weaker solution and a longer soak—a minimum of six hours for chicken halves—because it gives you a bigger window of time to start the cook without risking over-brining.
QUICK BRINES
LET’S SAY BAD WEATHER IS COMING and you’ve got to get those birds smoked
SALT:
⅓ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Although basic brines call for ½ cup of salt per gallon of water, when you add the chicken halves to a gallon zip-top bag, the amount of water drops to about 10 cups (or about 6 cups shy of a gallon). So, I recommend reducing the amount of salt to ⅓ cup per zip-top bag. Always use kosher salt. (See Kosher Salt 101 on page 17.) The iodine in regular table salt gives off a noticeable medicinal flavor in the large quantities you use in brines. Remember to reduce the amount of salt if you add a salty flavoring or seasoning, such as soy sauce, so that the total amount of salt is still around ⅓ cup per bag.
SUGAR:
¼ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Not all brine recipes call for sugar, but I like to add about ¼ cup of sugar or another sweetener to each bag of brine. Sugar doesn’t make the chicken juicier; it minimizes the risk of the brined meat tasting too salty, and it can give chicken a nice, caramelized color. You can use brown or white sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, fruit, or fruit juice—anything sweet. This is where you get to start tinkering with the brine based on what you like or whatever ingredients you happen to have in your cupboard. One warning: adding too much sugar to the brine will give the meat a distinctly sweet, ham-like flavor.
SEASONING:
¼ TO ⅓ CUP PER GALLON BAG
Saltwater carries seasonings into the cell structure of the meat, so the addition of herbs, spices, and aromatics to the brine can contribute a subtle flavor to smoked meat. As with marinades, the amount of a seasoning you throw in each bag depends heavily upon how potent it is. With strong ingredients like hot sauce or rosemary, one or two tablespoons is plenty for this quantity of brine. If you want a note of heat, three toasted, crushed whole chiles or chopped fresh jalapeños get your point across. You can throw in onion halves, smashed ginger, cloves of garlic, or a few splashes of soy sauce. Go easy adding any acid, like citrus or vinegar. Too much acid can turn your brine into a salty marinade. Brining for six to twelve hours with too much acid will also turn your meat into mush and start cooking it. A teaspoon or two of citrus zest per bag is plenty.
The seasonings you choose can also complement any rub, paste, or sauce you plan to use. The Soy-Ginger Brine (page 89), for example, works well with the Five-Spice Rub (page 97). You can also flavor brines to match the seasonings in a dish you plan to make with the chicken; for instance, try adding one teaspoon of puréed chipotle in adobo per bag to the brine for chicken that will go into Tortilla Soup (page 239) or Chicken Enchiladas (page 234).
BOOZE:
2 TO 4 TABLESPOONS PER GALLON BAG
Alcohol loosens things up. Even chickens. Adding one or two ounces of liquor to a brine seems to aid the salt in breaking down the chicken’s proteins and making it jucier.
LIQUID:
Always dissolve the salt and sugar (and optional seasoning or alcohol) in a half cup of warm water. Then place two chicken halves in each bag, pour the brine over the chicken, and fill the bag with cold water to within one inch of the top. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing.
TIME:
6 TO 12 HOURS
The salt-to-water ratio in other brine recipes tends to be stronger and the brine time is shorter, but this also makes it easier to over-brine chicken. I recommend a weaker solution and a longer soak—a minimum of six hours for chicken halves—because it gives you a bigger window of time to start the cook without risking over-brining.
QUICK BRINES
LET’S SAY BAD WEATHER IS COMING and you’ve got to get those birds smoked
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