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The most important thing I've learned about Poultry in my cooking life is that to brine is best.
It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized I dislike turkey. I wouldn't even cook it inside the house (I did occasionally do it on the barbeque for
Frank) until I had read for a few years about brining. Wow! It makes a difference. I've even tried it with chicken to discover a remarkable
advantage of flavor, especially chicken breast.
Brining is a process of soaking the cleaned poultry in a solution of water, brown sugar and kosher salt for several hours or overnight. Herbs and seasonings may be added to the brine. The tissues, aided by the salt, absorb the moisture and the added flavor, and retain it during the long cooking process. It's pretty tough to overcook brined poultry and the resulting flavor is remarkable.
To brine you need a large enough container to allow your bird (or pieces) to be submerged during the brining period and which will fit in the refrigerator. You use 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/4 cup brown sugar to 1/2 gallon water. You can increase the amount of sugar and salt if you wish, but don't decrease the salt. The brine solution must have a higher salt content than the meat has naturally. The sugar aids browning and adds flavor. Try brining about an hour per pound to start.
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