Name: How to Brine a Chicken or Turkey
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 liters ice water (fill the cup with ice, then measure to 2L); 1 liter water; 150 g sea salt; 50 g honey; 1 tsp black peppercorns ((optional)); 5 pc cloves ((optional)); 2 pc bay leaves ((optional)); 1 sprig sage ((optional))

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To brine or not to brine a chicken is actually a big debate in the food world. I’d like to settle this debate for you, the humble home cook, so you don’t have to waste time thinking about it. Do the brine. Trust me.

Why Brine?

I’m definitely a brine kinda guy for a few reasons. If you brine a chicken the meat will be much juicier and lot harder to overcook, which is exactly the kind of help you need over the holidays. When you’re cooking at home it’s always nice to have a method that makes cooking a little easier – especially if you have one too many alcoholic beverages and forget about your poor bird in the oven!

The brining process keeps the chicken juicier longer, so it’s more difficult to overcook. That’s why most professional chefs use this technique. It’s practically cheating.

What is a Brine Actually?

When you brine a chicken or turkey you are submerging the whole bird in a saltwater solution. This salt travels into the center of the meat which also helps it to retain moisture.

The Downside to Brining

When you brine you need to be careful because the extra salt can ruin a turkey or chicken gravy. But this brine is not too high in salt so it is still possible to make a delicious gravy from the drippings of the roasted chicken or turkey.

To solve this, I recommend using extra unsalted chicken stock to balance the saltiness from the drippings and not adding any extra salt to the gravy.

Dissolving the herbs and salt in a small amount of water. — You can add whatever spices or herbs you like to the brine to add a little extra flavour.

What is a Brine Actually?

When you brine a chicken or turkey you are submerging the whole bird in a saltwater solution. This salt travels into the center of the meat which also helps it to retain moisture.

The Downside to Brining

To solve this, I recommend using extra unsalted chicken stock to balance the saltiness from the drippings and not adding any extra salt to the gravy.

If you need a recipe for a solid mushroom gravy – try this one.

How Long to Brine a Chicken or Turkey?

The bigger the bird, the more time it will need for the salt to slowly penetrate the meat. Without getting too technical here’s my advice:

Chicken – Overnight to 1 day in the brine
Turkey – 2-3 days in the brine

The Importance of Using a Scale

Using a scale is super important in making a brine because it allows you to be accurate. If you measure by hand you run the risk of over-salting or under-salting the chicken.

If you are looking for a reliable and precise scale I recommend this one. It’s actually two scales built in one that and they’re both very precise. I use the Heston Blumenthal precision scale by Salter and absolutely love it.

In case you don’t have a scale I’ve made a rough version using measuring cups you can use below.

Can I Brine From Frozen?

It’s not ideal but you can brine a frozen bird. Although you will need an extra day for it to properly defrost. I would also recommend a less salty brine otherwise you run the risk of over-salting the bird.

If you are defrosting in a brine then try this ratio:

If you are defrosting a turkey then make a 2x or 3x batch depending on the size of your container.

3% Brine for Defrosting a Chicken:

3L luke warm water
90g (approx. 1/4 cup) sea salt
+ desired spices or herbs

Stir everything with a spoon. Place the frozen bird in the brine and set in the fridge.

Because the brine is 3% we do not need to heat it to dissolve the salt.

Tools Needed for the Brine