Just a couple quick questions. Does the brine have to be cooked at all, and
do the serranos go in whole or chopped?

Hound's Citrus Brined Chicken

Prepare the brine:
1 gallon water
1 cup Kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
juice of 3 oranges
juice of three limes
juice of three lemons
rinds from same
1 sliced white onion
1 head of garlic, crushed
stems from a bunch of cilantro, chopped
serranos to taste, minimum of 4
rough ground cumin and coriander 2 Tbsp each
1/4 cup chili powder or any ground chile you prefer
(1/4 cup onion powder is optional)
(1/4cup garlic powder is optional)

Place the bird(s) and plenty of brine solution in a ziploc bag(s) and
leave refrigerated overnight prior to cooking. A cooler works fine
also.
I use a 5 gal beverage cooler for all but the biggest turkeys.
Frozen
soda bottles, or ice can be used to keep the cold. {8 lbs of ice= 1
gallon of water} An hour before cooking take the bird out and
thoroughly wash it down with cold water for at least 30 seconds. You
can place aromatics like garlic heads, apples, citrus in the cavity of
the bird for the cooking. I like also to place orange slices between
skin and meat. Smoke rear end of chicken toward the fire for 45
minutes/lb @ 225°F until the thigh is about 170°F. You can rotate as
necessary to avoid charring. Cooking this way will result in inedible
skin, but juicy chicken. If you like the crispy skin then place the
chicken near the firebox. This works for either chickens or turkeys.
If you eliminate the brine (salt and water) the rest of the recipe
makes
an excellent marinade for grilled chicken.


--
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

"tranch" wrote:
Just a couple quick questions. Does the brine have to be cooked at all,
and do the serranos go in whole or chopped?

Hound's Citrus Brined Chicken

My experience (admitedly limited). You only have to cook it if yer gonna
use it as a dip after it's been in contact with raw bird. The more ya chop
the Serranos, the more flavor they'll add. Hopefully, my betters will
correct me. ;-)

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http://anysoldier.com/

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wrote in message

"tranch" wrote:
Just a couple quick questions. Does the brine have to be cooked at
all,
and do the serranos go in whole or chopped?

Hound's Citrus Brined Chicken

My experience (admitedly limited). You only have to cook it if yer
gonna
use it as a dip after it's been in contact with raw bird. The more
ya chop
the Serranos, the more flavor they'll add. Hopefully, my betters
will
correct me. ;-)


All I'll add is that the salt dissolves better (faster) in warmer
water. I have boiled the brine, but that changes the taste because
the sugars in the citrus begin to caramalize (or something). The
powders do also seem to mix in faster with the hot or warm water.

BOB

BOB wrote:

All I'll add is that the salt dissolves better (faster) in warmer
water. I have boiled the brine, but that changes the taste because
the sugars in the citrus begin to caramalize (or something). The
powders do also seem to mix in faster with the hot or warm water.

I generally dissolve the sugar and salt in hot water off the heat. I add
spices and herbs while it is still warm and then use ice and cold water
to get to the correct volume. That way I don't have to worry about
undissolved ingredients or having to chill the brine before I can use it.

--
Matthew

I'm a contractor. If you want an opinion, I'll sell you one.
Which one do you want?

"tranch" wrote in message
news
Just a couple quick questions. Does the brine have to be cooked at all,
and do the serranos go in whole or chopped?

Hound's Citrus Brined Chicken

Prepare the brine:
1 gallon water
1 cup Kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
juice of 3 oranges
juice of three limes
juice of three lemons
rinds from same
1 sliced white onion
1 head of garlic, crushed
stems from a bunch of cilantro, chopped
serranos to taste, minimum of 4
rough ground cumin and coriander 2 Tbsp each
1/4 cup chili powder or any ground chile you prefer
(1/4 cup onion powder is optional)
(1/4cup garlic powder is optional)

Place the bird(s) and plenty of brine solution in a ziploc bag(s) and
leave refrigerated overnight prior to cooking. A cooler works fine
also.
I use a 5 gal beverage cooler for all but the biggest turkeys.
Frozen
soda bottles, or ice can be used to keep the cold. {8 lbs of ice= 1
gallon of water} An hour before cooking take the bird out and
thoroughly wash it down with cold water for at least 30 seconds. You
can place aromatics like garlic heads, apples, citrus in the cavity of
the bird for the cooking. I like also to place orange slices between
skin and meat. Smoke rear end of chicken toward the fire for 45
minutes/lb @ 225°F until the thigh is about 170°F. You can rotate as
necessary to avoid charring. Cooking this way will result in inedible
skin, but juicy chicken. If you like the crispy skin then place the
chicken near the firebox. This works for either chickens or turkeys.
If you eliminate the brine (salt and water) the rest of the recipe
makes
an excellent marinade for grilled chicken.


--
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.
I've used it severl times and have never heated it. I never have that much
time. Chop and crush everything and add more peppers. Never used less than
6-8. It doesn't make the meat spicy, only tasty.

"Matthew L. Martin" wrote in message

BOB wrote:

All I'll add is that the salt dissolves better (faster) in warmer
water. I have boiled the brine, but that changes the taste because
the sugars in the citrus begin to caramalize (or something). The
powders do also seem to mix in faster with the hot or warm water.

I generally dissolve the sugar and salt in hot water off the heat. I
add
spices and herbs while it is still warm and then use ice and cold
water
to get to the correct volume. That way I don't have to worry about
undissolved ingredients or having to chill the brine before I can
use it.

That's probrbly the best way. I, too, like to use only part of the
water and add ice, but sometimes I will add all of the ingredients to
the heated water. It seems to turn out better if I don't add the
fresh ingredients 'til after it's cooled a bit.

BOB

This brine with the same salt concentration works well prior to grilling
chicken or any other fowl.
Brine the breast, or leg-thigh for an hour or so before grilling and it
improves everything.

"tranch" wrote in message
news
Just a couple quick questions. Does the brine have to be cooked at all,
and do the serranos go in whole or chopped?

Hound's Citrus Brined Chicken

Prepare the brine:
1 gallon water
1 cup Kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
juice of 3 oranges
juice of three limes
juice of three lemons
rinds from same
1 sliced white onion
1 head of garlic, crushed
stems from a bunch of cilantro, chopped
serranos to taste, minimum of 4
rough ground cumin and coriander 2 Tbsp each
1/4 cup chili powder or any ground chile you prefer
(1/4 cup onion powder is optional)
(1/4cup garlic powder is optional)

Place the bird(s) and plenty of brine solution in a ziploc bag(s) and
leave refrigerated overnight prior to cooking. A cooler works fine
also.
I use a 5 gal beverage cooler for all but the biggest turkeys.
Frozen
soda bottles, or ice can be used to keep the cold. {8 lbs of ice= 1
gallon of water} An hour before cooking take the bird out and
thoroughly wash it down with cold water for at least 30 seconds. You
can place aromatics like garlic heads, apples, citrus in the cavity of
the bird for the cooking. I like also to place orange slices between
skin and meat. Smoke rear end of chicken toward the fire for 45
minutes/lb @ 225°F until the thigh is about 170°F. You can rotate as
necessary to avoid charring. Cooking this way will result in inedible
skin, but juicy chicken. If you like the crispy skin then place the
chicken near the firebox. This works for either chickens or turkeys.
If you eliminate the brine (salt and water) the rest of the recipe
makes
an excellent marinade for grilled chicken.


--
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me.