Brining
I could say I have never heard of the word "brining" before, but that wouldn't be 100% accurate. I think I've "heard" the word but I haven't ever paid attention to what it was...until now!
I got a few chicken breasts at the grocery store the other day and I was looking for new ways to bake them. I always bake them because it's supposed to be "healthier" (even though I usually have a bowl of ice cream for dessert)! So I was looking on the handy-dandy Internet for baked chicken recipes when information "popped up" about brining chicken. Curios, I clicked on the link and began reading.
For those of you who have been doing this already, you're probably thinking "welcome to the club" but for those of you (like me) who haven't - here's the deal. Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of osmosis. The salt and sugar in brine make changes to protein that improves its texture and enhances its ability to retain moisture. And that my friends, translates into better tasting chicken come supper time.
So, I took about a quart of cold water, added about 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of honey. I mixed it with a whisk until the salt was pretty well dissolved. I beat my chicken breast with a rolling pin (yes, literally beat it) until the thicker parts of the chicken were almost even with the thinner parts. I did this because I also learned, during my research, that if you leave parts of the chicken breast thicker it takes longer to cook, leaving your thinner parts more dried out. ANYWAY - back to brining. After evening out the chicken breast, I submerged them in the water/salt/honey mixture for an hour.
I totally lost track of what I was actually looking for once I found all the information on brining that by the time the chicken was done soaking, I realized I didn't even find a new recipe. SO, I used an oldie but a goodie. I placed the chicken in a baking dish lined with foil, brushed on olive oil, covered in salt and pepper and then sprinkled Mrs. Dash® Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend on top (okay, so I did add a few slices of butter down in the pan too) and baked on 375degrees for an hour.
Let me just say (not to brag) that it was some of the better chicken I've ever made. I do believe that this girl will be brining chicken from now on. It was a lot more moist, more flavorful and cooked evenly. Paired with some good ole sweet potatoes, it was pretty good eats!
I got a few chicken breasts at the grocery store the other day and I was looking for new ways to bake them. I always bake them because it's supposed to be "healthier" (even though I usually have a bowl of ice cream for dessert)! So I was looking on the handy-dandy Internet for baked chicken recipes when information "popped up" about brining chicken. Curios, I clicked on the link and began reading.
For those of you who have been doing this already, you're probably thinking "welcome to the club" but for those of you (like me) who haven't - here's the deal. Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of osmosis. The salt and sugar in brine make changes to protein that improves its texture and enhances its ability to retain moisture. And that my friends, translates into better tasting chicken come supper time.
So, I took about a quart of cold water, added about 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of honey. I mixed it with a whisk until the salt was pretty well dissolved. I beat my chicken breast with a rolling pin (yes, literally beat it) until the thicker parts of the chicken were almost even with the thinner parts. I did this because I also learned, during my research, that if you leave parts of the chicken breast thicker it takes longer to cook, leaving your thinner parts more dried out. ANYWAY - back to brining. After evening out the chicken breast, I submerged them in the water/salt/honey mixture for an hour.
I totally lost track of what I was actually looking for once I found all the information on brining that by the time the chicken was done soaking, I realized I didn't even find a new recipe. SO, I used an oldie but a goodie. I placed the chicken in a baking dish lined with foil, brushed on olive oil, covered in salt and pepper and then sprinkled Mrs. Dash® Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend on top (okay, so I did add a few slices of butter down in the pan too) and baked on 375degrees for an hour.
Let me just say (not to brag) that it was some of the better chicken I've ever made. I do believe that this girl will be brining chicken from now on. It was a lot more moist, more flavorful and cooked evenly. Paired with some good ole sweet potatoes, it was pretty good eats!
I will have to try. Thanks for the info. I knew what brining was but had not thought about using it With
ReplyDeletechicken. I simmer my chicken in salsa then melt mozzarella cheese over it after it's done.
I will have to try. Thanks for the info. I knew what brining was but had not thought about using it With
ReplyDeletechicken. I simmer my chicken in salsa then melt mozzarella cheese over it after it's done.
Mmm, salsa and mozzarella sounds Yummy!!! I'm gonna try that :)
ReplyDeleteI need to try this!!!
ReplyDelete