brining

Schmancy Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe

salmon

water

salt, any type

(but you don't need a scale, I'll explain below)

white sugar

garlic powder (not garlic salt)

black pepper

clean brown paper bag

"The equation makes perfect sense: a great brine, a dip in buttermilk, and an intensely flavored coating." [Photograph: Caroline Russock] A few months back I read Lucy Baker's review of Ad Hoc's Fried Chicken Mix and basically ran out the...

Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe | Cook the Book

chickens

Chicken Brine, cold (recipe follows)

For Dredging and Frying:

Peanut or canola oil

buttermilk

salt and black pepper

Coating:

all-purpose flour

garlic powder

onion powder

paprika

cayenne

kosher salt

Ground fleur de sel salt

Rosemary and thyme sprigs

lemons, halved

bay leaves

(4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley

(1 ounce) thyme

clover honey

garlic,

black peppercorns

(10 ounces) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Cut each chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings. Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add in the chicken, and refrigerate for 12 hours (no longer, or the chicken may become too salty).

Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water, removing any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let rest at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.

If you have two large pots (about 6 inches deep) and a lot of oil, you can cook the dark and white meat at the same time; if not, cook the dark meat first, then turn up the heat and cook the white meat. No matter what size pot you have, the oil should not come more than one-third of the way up the sides of the pot. Fill the pot with at least 2 inches of peanut oil and heat to 320°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.

Meanwhile, combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer half the coating to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set up a dipping station: the chicken pieces, one bowl of coating, the bowl of buttermilk, the second bowl of coating, and the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Just before frying, dip the chicken thighs into the first bowl of coating, turning to coat and patting off the excess; dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to run back into the bowl; then dip them into the second bowl of coating. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan.

Carefully lower the thighs into the hot oil. Adjust the heat as necessary to return the oil to the proper temperature. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully move the chicken pieces around in the oil and continue to fry, monitoring the oil temperature and turning the pieces as necessary for even cooking, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is a deep golden brown, cooked through, and very crisp. Meanwhile, coat the chicken drumsticks and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Transfer the cooked thighs to the cooling rack skin-side-up and let rest while you fry the remaining chicken. (Putting the pieces skin-side-up will allow excess fat to drain, whereas leaving them skin-side-down could trap some of the fat.) Make sure that the oil is at the correct temperature, and cook the chicken drumsticks. When the drumsticks are done, lean them meat-side-up against the thighs to drain, then sprinkle the chicken with fine sea salt.

Turn up the heat and heat the oil to 340°F. Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts and wings. Carefully lower the chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes, or until golden brown, cooked through, and crisp. Transfer to the rack, sprinkle with salt, and turn skin side up. Cook the wings for 6 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the wings to the rack and turn off the heat.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Add the herb sprigs to the oil (which will still be hot) and let them cook and crisp for a few seconds, then arrange them over the chicken.

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.  

We cook this brined and smoked turkey over applewood for a smoky-sweet bird with picture-perfect mahogany skin. The brine's flavor is subtle, yet complex, and the applewood smoke adds a rich wood-fire sweetness that can't be topped.

Apple-Brined and Smoked Turkey Recipe

apple juice

brown sugar

salt

oranges, quartered

ginger,

cloves

garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

turkey

apple wood

Combine the apple juice, brown sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve. Boil for one minute, remove from heat, let mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate to 40°F. 

In a large non-reactive container, combine the apple juice mixture with the remaining brine ingredients. When adding the oranges, squeeze each piece to release the juice into the container, then drop in the peel. Set the turkey in the brine, breast side down, placing a weight on top to keep the turkey submerged if necessary. Place in the refrigerator and let brine for 24 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and allow to air-dry overnight in the refrigerator. (This step is optional, but will result in a crisper skin.)

Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, fold the wings under the body and tie the legs together. Allow the turkey to come to room temperature while you prepare the smoker.

Fire up your smoker to 350°F. Add the chunks of apple wood and when the wood is burning and producing smoke, place the turkey in the smoker. Smoke until an instant-read thermometer reads 150°F in the thickest part of the breast, about 2 to 3 hours.

Remove the turkey from the smoker and allow to rest, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Carve and serve.

Easy roasted eggplant is the perfect addition to any meal.

Roasted Eggplant

eggplant

olive oil

Salt

Cut off ends of eggplant and slice into 1/3 inch rounds. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet.  Lay the eggplant on the rack. Liberally sprinkle each side of the steaks with the salt and let the eggplant sit for 15 minutes.

Pre-Heat

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.&nbsp; Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse

Rinse the eggplant under cool water and thoroughly pat dry with a towel.

Prep

Arrange the eggplant and single layer on the parchment lined baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and a light sprinkle of black pepper.

Bake

Roast the eggplant in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip and roast for an additional 10 minutes. Serve as desired.

The absolute easiest, perfectly cooked roasted pork loin that&#8217;s tender and juicy every time with au jus that is deglazed in the oven as the roast bakes.

Perfect Pork Loin with Effortless Au Jus

pork loin (4-5 lbs)

onion

pepper

rosemary

chicken broth, divided

Follow this easy 3-step guide to bake the perfect chicken breast in the oven. You will always get a perfectly tender, juicy, and yummy result.

How to Bake Chicken Breast in the Oven

chicken breasts ((boneless & skinless))

Water

Seasoning ((i like curry powder

Cut away any visible fat and bones. I always use a pair of scissors for this as it’s much easier than using a knife.

Fill a large bowl with just enough water to cover the chicken breasts and add ½ tbsp. of salt for each chicken breast. Let the salt dissolve before adding the chicken breasts.

Leave the chicken breasts to marinate in the salt water for 1-3 hours in the fridge. This will draw water into the chicken and make it super moist when you cook it (this process is called “brining”).

Rinse the chicken breasts thoroughly in cold water. Dry them with a paper towel and put them on a baking pan.

Add your favorite seasoning. I usually use pepper, curry powder, paprika and garlic powder, but you can use a wide variety of spices.

Cook the chicken breasts in the oven for about 18-20 minutes at a 365 F (185 C), depending on the size of the chicken breasts. Cut into one with a knife to see if they are done before taking them out of the oven.

Let the chicken breasts rest for 2-3 minutes after you take them out of the oven to lock in all the juices.

Pickled hard boiled eggs have long been a staple at bars and pubs around the world. Originally created as a means of preserving eggs, these sweet and tangy snacks are a perfect addition to any party menu. In addition to vinegar, sugar, and spices in our recipe, these pickled eggs are stained purple with beet juice for wow factor.

Pickled Eggs Recipe

beets

white vinegar

sugar

Morton Coarse Kosher Salt

pickling spices

eggs

Prep. Pour liquid from the beets into a large bowl or jar that won't stain, glass is perfect.

Add the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve almost completely. Thinly slice the onion, separate it into rings then add it to the bowl or jar. Add the beets, eggs, and pickling spices too.

Chill. Cover and chill for 2 hours or longer before serving. That&#039;s long enough for the beet juice to color the eggs, and penetrate a bit. If you keep them for a day or longer the beet color will penetrate farther until the entire egg turns royal purple.

Serve. Enjoy them how you like (they make very colorful deviled eggs). They must be kept in the fridge.

A unique and flavorful grilled chicken dish

Grilled Pickle Brined Chicken

chicken thighs chicken breasts

pickle juice (leftover liquid from pickle jar)

Old Bay seasoning

Place the chicken in a gallon size plastic bag. Add the pickle juice and brown sugar. Massage the bag until the brown sugar is dissolved. Place in a large bowl (in case of a leak) and into the fridge for 24 hours.

Remove the chicken from the bag, discard the bag and brine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides lightly with Old Bay seasoning.

Grill over medium to medium high heat for 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness of the chicken.

Balinese Spiced Barbeque Pork Shoulder, Coconut Long Beans And Tomato Sambal With Pork Shoulder, Coconut, Coconut Water, Sea Salt, Sugar, Shallots, Garlic, Fresh Ginger Root, Galangal, Turmeric, Bird Chile, Red Chili Peppers, Lemon Grass, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Candlenuts, Cumin Seed, Coriander Seeds, 

Balinese Spiced Barbeque Pork Shoulder, Coconut Long Beans and Tomato Sambal

pork

coconut mature,

coconut water

sea salt

shallots

garlic

fresh ginger root

galangal

turmeric fresh,

bird chile chopped

red chili peppers long, chopped

lemon grass trimmed,

kaffir lime leaves

candlenuts crushed

cumin seed toasted deep brown, ground coarsely

coriander seeds toasted, ground

white peppercorns

long pepper Balinese, “corns” ground

terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste), roasted, Substitute Malaysian belacan

palm sugar Indonesian, “Gula Jawa” grated

turmeric turmeric powder

coconut oil

shallots sliced thinly

garlic sliced thinly

ginger root

red chili peppers long, minced

beans

red chili peppers dried long, seeded, soaked, drained

shallots chopped

vegetable oil

palm sugar dark brown, “Gula Jawa” grated

tomatoes small, diced

Step 1: 1. 24 hour Brine: C…

1. 24 hour Brine: Crack coconuts over a large bowl using the back of a cleaver or heavy chefs knife, making sure to save water for brine!! Remove meat removed for side dish and save cracked hard shells to be used for the smoking. Remove meat from shells and save for Coconut Long Bean Recipe and the shells for smoking the pork. Combine 1 cup of coconut water with salt and sugar and bring to a boil for 1 minute to dissolve. Cool to room temperature and add the remaining coconut water.  

Step 2: 2. Spice Paste Stuf…

2. Spice Paste Stuffed Pork: Grind all the spice rub ingredients until a semi-fine paste. Massage paste into inside surfaces very well. Fold it back up and tie it tight.

Step 3: 3. Brining: Transfe…

3. Brining: Transfer pork shoulders into 1 or 2 bags, fill with brine and vacuum seal and brine for about 18-24 hours. 

Step 4: 1. Heat oil in wok…

1. Heat oil in wok or other large pan, stir fry sliced shallots until begin to brown, add garlic slices and continue until garlic become golden brown. Add ginger, chilies and pepper. And cook for additional 30 seconds. 

Step 5: 2. Add beans, water…

2. Add beans, water and salt and cook through, fold in coconut. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Step 6: 1. Grind chilies, s…

1. Grind chilies, shallots, garlic, into a smooth paste. Heat oil over medium heat, add paste and fry over oil begins to separates from puree.

Step 7: 2. Lower heat, add…

2. Lower heat, add shrimp paste, salt, palm sugar, tomatoes and water and bring up to boil. Continue to simmer over medium heat stirring often until oil separates again, sambal become darker and raw tomato aroma has subsided.

Step 8: 3. Cool to room tem…

Simple is best when it comes to creating a brine, especially since so many of the ingredients people tend to add never make it past the surface of the meat.

The Simple Blonder Brine (6.4%) Recipe

salt, any type ((but you don't need a scale))

table sugar

Prep. Add one cup of hot water to a two cup (~500mL) measuring cup. Then pour in salt, any salt, until the water line reaches 1.5 cups. (355mL). The water will swallow up almost exactly 1/2 pound(226.8g) regardless of whether you use table salt, kosher salt, pickling salt, or sea salt.

Pour the slurry into a very clean non-reactive container large enough to hold the meat and 1 gallon (3.8L) of water. Then add the sugar. Chose your container carefully. It needs to be food grade, large enough to hold the meat and the brine with the meat submerged, and it cannot be made of aluminum, copper, or cast iron, all of which can react with the salt. Do not use garbage bags or a garbage can or a bucket from Home Depot. They are not food grade. Do not use a styrofoam cooler. It might give the meat an off flavor and you&#39;ll never get the cooler clean when you&#39;re done.

Zipper bags work fine. For large cuts get Reynolds Brining Bags, Ziploc XL, and XXL bags. If you brine in a zipper bag, periodically grab the bag and squish things around and flip the meat so the brine can get in from all sides. Place the bag in a roasting pan to catch leaks. You can also use bowls, pots, and Tupperware.

A 5 gallon (19L) drink cooler will handle turkeys and whole raw hams. If the cooler is larger, you may need to scale up the brine recipe to make sure the meat is submerged.

The beauty of using a cooler is that you don't need to put it in the fridge. To keep the brine and the meat safe, toss in a gallon zipper bag filled with ice. Or two. The bags should be tight so that when the ice melts it doesn't dilute the brine. Don't use bags of ice from the store because they often have holes and leak and they are dirty. People often walk on them in the factory and on the delivery truck (I know, I worked in and ice factory in college - best job in Gainesville, FL).

Another option is to fill a quart (950mL) juice or soda bottle with water and freeze it. Then screw on the cap. Wait until after the bottle has frozen because water expands when it freezes and it can blow off the cap. Wash off the outside of the bottle thoroughly and toss it in the brine.

Brining. Submerge the meat in the brine and refrigerate. Keep the brine under 40°F (4.4°C), adding more ice when necessary. If you can see unmelted ice, it is probably below 40°F (4.4°C). You may need to weight the meat down to submerge it. If you cannot submerge it, make sure you turn it periodically and extend it&#39;s time in the bath. All you need is 1 to 2 hours for meats 2&quot; (5cm) thick or less. For a piece of meat 3&quot;. (7.5cm) thick or more, go 8 to 24 hours. Brine turkeys breast side down. Move the bird around and get the air bubble out of the cavity. Most of the brine will enter the meat through the cavity, since the skin is like a water-resistant jacket. But keep in mind, brines move very slowly at refrigerator temp. When you cook, they move fast if you cook low and slow.

Prepare to cook. When it is time to cook, remove the meat, rinse with cold water to wash excess salt off the surface, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Patting dry is important or the surface might steam and not brown properly.

Shortcut: Use metrics to make brinesMaking brines is easiest using metrics and a scale.1 liter = 1000 gm = 1 kilogram6% brine: 1 liter water with 60 grams any salt (easy to scale up or down)4% brine: 1 liter water with 40 grams any salt (easy to scale up or down)	 		Wet brine meat in a ratio of 2.5 parts brine to 1 part meat. So for a 3 pound chicken (about 1.4 kg) use 3.5 kg of a brine or: 1/2&quot; (1.3cm) thick meat should be brined for about 1/2 hour in the refrigerator			1&quot; (2.5cm) thick meat should be brined for about 1 hour in the refrigerator			2&quot; (5cm) thick meat should be brined for about 4 hours in the refrigerator			3&quot; (7.5cm) thick meat should be brined for about 12 hours in the refrigerator

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated's The Science of Good Cooking
See post above if you wish to cook your beans in an Instant Pot or slow cooker. 

How to Cook Beans and Chickpeas from Scratch

lb. dried chickpeas or beans

+ 1.5 teaspoon kosher salt

onion,

bay leaf

thyme,

garlic, smashed, optional

teaspoon, crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Place the chickpeas or beans in a large bowl and cover with water by at least 3 inches. Add the 3 tablespoons of salt and stir to dissolve. Let sit at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours at least.

Drain, rinse and place in a large pot with the remaining 1.5 teaspoons of salt and the remaining ingredients. Cover with water by three inches. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook at a gentle simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans are cooked through. Note: Add water as need to ensure the beans/chickpeas are completely covered with water the entire time. Also, times will vary considerably depending on the type and age of your beans. It may take more or less than 45 minutes.

Let beans cool in their cooking liquid. Discard thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and onion. Store beans in their cooking liquid for 5 to 7 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

question- if freezing the beans, are they frozen in their liquid or drained first?

Hi - what would you suggest for cooking dried kidney beans? I’m not sure whether they need boiling or not.

This is my go to recipe for chickpeas and it produces wonderfully and subtly flavoured chickpeas.  I also discovered the cooking liquid makes a pretty good vegetable broth.

This is great as with almost all of your recipes. Do you have recipe on how to cook chickpea using instant pot? 

For the longest time, I thought I didn't like chickpeas. Nope. It's that I don't like canned chickpeas! I've made this recipe using chickpeas several times and it's the only way I will eat them. Lucky for me, there is maximum flavor with minimal effort. So delicious. So easy.

Hi Ali, I just tried this recipe. It was my first-time cooking garbanzo beans, and I absolutely loved it! I poured it over polenta, and it was delicious. I will definitely cook garbanzo beans again instead of buying cans. Thank you again for sending me the link to this page!

Hi!! Just thought it was time to comment on here &amp; say that I make these chickpeas once a week in my instant pot &amp; it is my FAVORITE recipe.   Thanks so much for this! 

Use this pork chop brine for perfectly juicy and seasoned pork chops, and minimal effort. Whilst perfect for pork chops, this all-purpose pork brine is great for any cut of pork, chicken or beef too.

Top 15 brining recipes from across the web

The most viewed brining recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Schmancy Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe

Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken R...

Apple-Brined and Smoked Turkey Reci...

Roasted Eggplant

Perfect Pork Loin with Effortless A...

How to Bake Chicken Breast in the O...

Pickled Eggs Recipe

Grilled Pickle Brined Chicken

Balinese Spiced Barbeque Pork Shoul...

The Simple Blonder Brine (6.4%) Rec...

How to Cook Beans and Chickpeas fro...

How to Cook Beans and Chickpeas fro...

Brine for Pork Chops

Native American Style Hot Smoked Sa...

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

Top 15 brining recipes from across the web

The most viewed brining recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Schmancy Hot Smoked Salmon Recipe

Ad Hoc's Buttermilk Fried Chicken R...

Apple-Brined and Smoked Turkey Reci...

Roasted Eggplant

Perfect Pork Loin with Effortless A...

How to Bake Chicken Breast in the O...

Pickled Eggs Recipe

Grilled Pickle Brined Chicken

Balinese Spiced Barbeque Pork Shoul...

The Simple Blonder Brine (6.4%) Rec...

How to Cook Beans and Chickpeas fro...

How to Cook Beans and Chickpeas fro...

Brine for Pork Chops

Native American Style Hot Smoked Sa...

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

The most viewed brining recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine