Chicken Brine

The key to moist, flavorful poultry is to brine the meat before cooking. Here’s my favorite brine, suitable for a 3-4 lb whole chicken or 4-5 lbs of parts.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon of water
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 10 ounces Kosher salt
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbsp black peppercorns (whole)
• 10 Bay leaves

Directions

1. Place approximately 1 quart of the water in a sauce pan over med-high heat. Add the salt and honey. Continue heating and stirring until the salt and honey are dissolved.
2. Pour the warm water into a suitable container with the remaining ingredients.
3. Place the brine in the refrigerator and allow it to chill before adding the meat (2-3 hours).
4. Add the meat and return the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
5. Remove the meat and discard the brine.