Recipe for Brine
Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: Brine: 20 minutes plus cooling and brining time.
Chicken: 40-50 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 large roasting chicken (about 6-7 lbs.)
4 qts water
1 cup kosher salt
2 cups sugar
5 cinnamon sticks
1 Tablespoon dried thyme leaf
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. In a large pot, combine water, salt, sugar, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let this brine cool and then place in the refrigerator until very cold.
2. Place the chicken in the brine so that it is completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for 6 hours
3. Remove the chicken from the brine and dry well.
4. Tie the legs together using a piece of butcher's twine.
5. Place in a 400° F oven and roast until an instant read thermometer, placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 165° F (about 35-40 minutes). While the chicken is cooking, baste it frequently with the fat that accumulates on the bottom of the roasting pan.
6. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
