Posts Tagged ‘brine’

SPICY BRINED AND GRILLED CHICKEN

Posted: September 23, 2022 in barbecue, brining, Carnivore!, CHARCOAL, chicken, Food, grilling, Recipes, spicy
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Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine chicken pieces for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

The first time tried this recipe, I used chicken wings. But later, I cut up a whole chicken, and found that parts is parts…every piece was delicious!

 

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The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

 

The rub…

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.

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If you have a baking pan like this, you can brine and then cook the chicken in one pan.

Place about 3 lbs. of chicken wings or parts in a baking pan, as above. Place it in the fridge for 3 hours. Pour in the cooled brine, making sure the pieces are submerged.

After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry the pieces with paper towels. Discard the brine, and place the chicken pieces back in the empty baking pan.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1/3 cup of the rub, rubbing it in to coat the chicken well. (Wearing disposable gloves makes this less messy.) Place the pan with the chicken in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.

 

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the pan from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 or light a grill.

Toss the chicken with some more of the rub, if you like.

Bake at 350 for 30–40 minutes or until they’re done, about 165 degrees.

If you’re grilling, cook the wings over medium heat, turning them frequently to prevent burning. Cook until the chicken reaches temperature of 165 degrees.

 

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SPICY BRINED AND GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

Posted: January 14, 2021 in barbecue, brining, Carnivore!, CHARCOAL, chicken, Food, grilling, Recipes, spicy
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Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

image

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

The rub…

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziplock bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place in the fridge for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the rub, tossing to coat the chicken well. Place the bowl with the chicken in the fridge until ready to cook.
About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the bowl from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 or light a grill.
Toss the chicken with some more of the rub, if you like, then place the pieces on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower oven temperature if it starts to burn.

If grilling, cook over medium heat, turning frequently to prevent burning. Cook until the wings are done.

 

BRINED AND GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Posted: June 26, 2019 in barbecue, Carnivore!, Food, grilling, pork, Recipes, Uncategorized
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I’ve got two methods for cooking pork chops, each depending on the thickness of the chop. If the pork chop is thin, I got for high heat over hardwood charcoal, flipping the meat often so that it cooks all the way through without burning. The famous Cope Chops are perfect for this method. (https://wp.me/p1c1Nl-1xU)

Cope chops.

 

 

But if I’ve got a thicker chop, I like to brine it first, so that it retains its moisture during a longer cooking process. I brine the chops for a couple of hours, then light a fire using charcoal briquets, which will give me a steadier, longer-lasting flame.

Nice, thick chops!

 

Making a brine is easy, and it adds wonderful flavor to the chop. I use a smaller batch of the brine I use on my Thanksgiving turkey.

2 quarts water
1 onion
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 bay leaves
2 quarts ice water
2 to 4 thick-cut pork chops

 

Pour the first 2 quarts of water into a large pot. Quarter the onions, carrots, and celery (not need to peel them) and add them to the water. Add the Kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice, and bay leaves. (A note on the Kosher salt: different brands have different weights. For example, Morton Kosher Salt is heavier than Diamond Crystal, so you’ll be adding more salt with the same 1/2 cup measurement.)

Boil for a few minutes, then remove from heat to cool.

 

Let the pot come to a boil for a few minutes. Remove it from the heat and let the brine cool down to room temperature.

Once the brine is at room temp, add the 2 quarts of ice water, and drop in the pork chops. Make sure they stay covered with the brine. Let the chops brine for about 2 hours.

The chops are in there!

 

After 2 hours of brining, rinse the chops under cold water, and pat them dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Light a fire using charcoal briquets. While the fire is heating up, make the rub for the pork chops.

 

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Combine the salt, garlic, onion, brown sugar and pepper in a bowl, and then season the chops liberally on all sides with the mixture.

Pork chops with the rub. I love grilling some Vidalia onions, too.

 

Let the chops rest at room temperature while you’re waiting for the grill.

Once the coals are ready, I establish a hot side and a cool side on the grill. I sear the chops on the hot side of the grill, being careful not to burn them. (The sugar in the rub may char a bit, but that’s OK.)

 

Once you’ve got a nice sear on all the chops, move them to the cooler side of the grill, and close the lid, making sure there’s air circulating so you don’t smother the fire.

Having a meat thermometer is handy, because although you want pork to be cooked thoroughly, you don’t want to overcook it. You’re looking for a temperature of 160 degrees for pork. Once you’ve reached that, you remove the chops from the grill, put them on a plate, and cover them with foil to rest for about 15 minutes. During that time, the interior temperature of the chops will rise to about 170, before slowly cooling down.

Removing the chops and letting them rest gives you enough time to throw some tasty veggies on the grill. I like to simply rub them with olive oil, and any of the pork rub that may be left over, tossing them over the hot part of the coals until just cooked.

 

 

By the way, when using a meat thermometer, be careful you don’t do something dumb, like I did. I didn’t notice that I had it on a Celsius setting, instead of Fahrenheit. So I couldn’t understand why my chops were “only” at 60 degrees after a long time of cooking! (That’s 140 Fahrenheit!) I caught my mistake in time, fortunately not cooking the crap out of my chops!!

 

 

 

SPICY BRINED AND GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

Posted: January 10, 2019 in barbecue, brining, Carnivore!, CHARCOAL, chicken, Food, grilling, Recipes, spicy
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There are few things that make me happier than a plateful of really tasty chicken wings. If I watched football, I could easily finish a plate off within the first quarter of the game. I don’t though (watch football, that is) so let’s just say I can finish a plate off before the credits roll on the end of an episode of “Chef’s Table” on Netflix. That’s right…I’m bad.

I come from a long line of gnawers. Nothing is better than meat on a bone. A porterhouse is the ultimate steak for that very reason. So nothing bothers me more than someone who orders a plate of chicken wings and leaves all that tasty gristle and cartilage–along with some serious meat–behind. What is that? When I finish my wings, I walk my plate over to the trash can and drop a pile of surgically cleaned bones into the bag…not a bit left behind. One look at that pile of clean bones, and even my dog high-fives me.

Brining is a process where you soak a hunk of protein in a seasoned salt solution for a few hours. It’s a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brined these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

image

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

The rub…

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziploc bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place it in the fridge for several hours.

After a few hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry the wings with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle them with 1/3 cup of the rub, tossing to coat the chicken well. Place the bowl with the chicken in the fridge until ready to cook.

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the bowl from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 or light a grill.

Toss the chicken with some more of the rub, if you like, then place the pieces on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil or a wire rack. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower the oven temperature if it starts to burn.

If you’re grilling, cook the wings over medium heat, turning frequently them to prevent burning. Cook until the wings are done.

Sometimes I’ll do a combination of the two and I’ll cook the wings in the oven until they’re almost done. Then I’ll throw them on a grill to get that smokey char on them, flipping them often to prevent burning.

 

SPICY BRINED CHICKEN WINGS

Posted: March 8, 2017 in barbecue, brining, Carnivore!, CHARCOAL, chicken, Food, grilling, Recipes, spicy
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Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. I fry them in oil, then finish them off in the oven.

 

image

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use Cup4Cup to keep it gluten-free)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

 

3 lbs. chicken wings
2 eggs

 

Place the chicken pieces in a Ziploc bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place it in the fridge for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine, rinse it with cold water and dry it with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pre-heat the oil in a heavy pan at 325 degrees.

Scramble the eggs in a bowl. Set it next to the bowl with the spice mixture. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the spice mixture, shaking off the excess. Place the pieces in the hot oil and fry them until golden. They don’t need to cook all the way through. Turn the chicken wings over to fry the other side, then place them on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil. When all the chicken wings are fried and on the sheet pan, place them in the oven to finish cooking, about 30 minutes. Watch the chicken so that it doesn’t burn.

 

 

SPICY BRINED AND GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS

Posted: June 30, 2015 in barbecue, brining, Carnivore!, CHARCOAL, chicken, Food, grilling, Recipes, spicy
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Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

image

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

The rub…

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziplock bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place in the fridge for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the rub, tossing to coat the chicken well. Place the bowl with the chicken in the fridge until ready to cook.
About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the bowl from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 or light a grill.
Toss the chicken with some more of the rub, if you like, then place the pieces on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower oven temperature if it starts to burn.

If grilling, cook over medium heat, turning frequently to prevent burning. Cook until the wings are done.

 

GIARDINIERA

Posted: May 31, 2015 in brining, Food, pickling, Recipes
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Whether it’s the Italian Giardiniera or the French spelling of Jardiniere, it’s a delicious mix of vegetables that get their kick from soaking in a vinegar-mustard seed brine. My Mom used to make Chow-Chow, which is similar, using vinegar and yellow mustard. Either way, I love the taste of this veggie medley that really has no rules: use whatever your favorite vegetables are, brine them, and enjoy.

I got carried away and used a gallon-sized glass jar for this recipe, perhaps far too much for most applications. This recipe has been reduced to fit a quart-size Mason jar.

 

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2 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar (I use organic cane sugar)
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1/2 head organic cauliflower, chopped into small florets
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2″ dice
1 celery stalk, sliced very thin
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin
1 garlic clove, through a press
1 tablespoon whole yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 cup olive oil

 

In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil, just until all the ingredients have dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Chop the cauliflower, onion, pepper, celery and carrot, placing them into the Mason jar. Feel free to use more of what you love and less of what you don’t!

Once the vinegar mixture has cooled, add the garlic, mustard seeds and oregano to the mixture and stir to combine. Pour this mixture into the Mason jar of veggies, seal the jar and shake the jar to thoroughly mix everything.

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Store in the fridge. It’ll be ready to eat in a couple of days…if you can wait that long!