How to Brine

Edible Exercises

To truly appreciate brining, you must taste the results for yourself. To do this, gather three boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Set one of the breasts aside to be cooked as is. Then make a simple brine solution using only salt and water (2 cups water and 1 tablespoon of table salt). Make a second brine solution (again, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon of table salt) but this time, infuse this liquid with spices and herbs of your choice. For example, you can use a couple cloves of smashed garlic, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a few peppercorns and the zest of ½ a lemon. Let the flavored brine steep for about 20 minutes or so. Once both brining solutions are completely cold, submerge one chicken breast into each of the brines for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350º degrees Fahrenheit or 175º degrees Celsius.

Once brined, pat the breasts dry and either pan fry or grill them. Pan fry or grill all three breasts. Make sure to keep track of which breast is which. Once cooked, cover and let the meat rest for about 5 minutes. Taste and compare the results.

Try one of the recipes below. If making the Butterflied Roast Chickens, rather than making the All-Purpose Brine, feel free to experiment by adding different aromatics and spices.

Practice Recipes