Jeremy
Chickens are raised very quickly to a market weight and typically do not have the flavor of free range “yard birdsâ€. Brining the bird forces water into the muscle tissues which causes the tissues to swell and retain the water. The water, as well as any spices and flavorings, in the muscle tissues will make the meat more moist and tender. Brining will definitely make for a tenderer and moister bird however you can overdo it. 48 hours seems a LOT excessive, 10 – 12 hours should be sufficient. Too much brining will make the meat mushy, not to mention much too salty. Remember the longer the bird is in the brine, the more water and salt is absorbed into the meat.
A few things that you need to be remember when brining:
1.Make sure your brine does not contain too much salt. Use something sweet like as sugar, honey, or maple syrup to help balance the salt.
2.Do not leave the chicken in the brine for too long, 10-12 hours should be enough.
3.Make sure you wash the chicken in fresh water after you remove it from the brine.
4.Try to avoid using acidic products in your brines. This can begin to ‘cookâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji] the meat which can also make it mushy.
5.Only use the brining solution once it is cold. You should cool the brining solution in the refrigerator before using it.
6.Ensure the chicken is completely covered by the brining solution.
Good luck, let us know how you make out. Pictures would be nice :D
