Brining a chicken

[mudbug]

I am going to try brining a chicken (3-pounder) for din-din tonight. I have taken note of the tips under the Brining thread in Gen Chat.

Do I hafta start roasting immediately after the brining, or can I brine now and cook (much) later?

[Alix]

Brine now cook later.

[mudbug]

thanks, Alix. I was hoping you'd show up early today to educate me. I will use the brown sugar too. so -- brine for a couple of hours with 1/2 cup each kosher salt and sugar and cover the boid with water?

[Alix]

I do mine overnight in the solution, but if you start now, I think you should be ready to go by later in the day. I do about 1/4 cup each of brown sugar and salt to about 6 liters of water...gallon and a half?

[mudbug]

Okey doke. Will report results later.

[Alix]

Excellent. Keep us posted

I am going to try doing a chicken on the BBQ tonight. We get our farm chickens today.

Here is my issue, my BBQ is too small to close the lid on a chicken. What should I do? Put the chicken in a covered dish a leave the lid up? Close the lid as best I can? Suggestions would be appreciated.

[mudbug]

One more thing -- after brine created, chicken submerged, in the fridge or out on the counter?

[Alix]

Is the chicken frozen at all?

[mudbug]

Originally Posted by Alix

Is the chicken frozen at all?

nope, it's a whole chick, thawed, about 3 pounds. I have a lid for my "briner" - it's one of those metal blue-speckled stockpots.

p.s. I just threw in a couple of bay leaves because...well, just because.

[Alix]

I would go with the fridge then for most of the time, and then pull it out and leave it on the counter for about the last two hours. I know that is not supposed to be the safest way to do it, but it works for me. Never had any complaints or salmonella (that I know of! ). The bay leaves sound yummy, someone told me that rosemary is nice too, or lavendar. Haven't tried that one yet though. Too much of a purist I guess.