how long in brine for chicken??

[expat smoker]

I was planning to slow smoke a couple of chickens tomorrow and was going with a recipe that said 12 to 24 hrs in the brine, so I made up a brine with 1/2 cup salt, 1/2+ cups sugar and a lot of herbs etc in about a half gal liquid.  Ready to smoke tomorrow, but my daughter came home from school and says that she needs my favorite charcoal basket for a school project. Papa can't say no, so I was wondering if 36 hrs would be too long in the brine or should I try another basket??

And....to inject or not to inject the brine??

Thanks in advance............

 

[chef jimmyj]

Don't Inject and bump the water to 1 Gallon and you will be fine. I have had similar events causing an overnight brine to go 4 days with no issues using 1/2C Salt per Gallon Water.  Don't forget you need a solid day OUT of the brine on a rack in the refer, to get the skin dry enough to crisp up in the Smoker or Oven...JJ

 

[fwismoker]

I don't know your cooker but i don't think i'll ever brine a chicken again.  This is one i cooked last night and it was way way past dripping wet. 

SBT 6.jpg

• fwismoker
• May 29, 2013

 

[oldschoolbbq]

A moist Chicken, why complain

 I enjoy a Bird that drips juice.

As stated , your time is relative .Anything over 2hrs. ,for me is good, 24 even beter. JMHO

 

[bruno994]

As far as your current dilemma, I agree with Chef Jimmy that you should be fine as long as the water ratio is 1 gallon to 1/2 cup salt.  I brine all my chicken for comps for more than 12 hours (we cook chicken halves here in Texas) and I use only 2 quarts of water to 1 cup of salt so that I can get as much moisture and as much flavor deep into the meat for that one bite that a judge will take.  As Chef also stated, allow the chicken to dry for a day or so prior to cooking, really helps with the skin.

 

[expat smoker]

Thanks C JimmyJ,

now I can get a good night's sleep and relax tomorrow.  Totally forgot about the pelicle....duuh.  This was an impulse smoke project and my last was successful even when I injected it. I might give one of the chicken breasts an injection tomorrow morning as a test.....at hr16, then at hr 24, I'll remove it from the brine and let it sit over night.

I usually cut my chicken down the backbone and splay it on the grill with skin up and it seems to speed up the cooking.

FYI, what's wrong with wet?? I would rather have it wet than dry.....haha

Thanks again guys.............

will post the results and maybe a pic if I can figure out this pic posting on this forum.

 

[seenred]

Hi expat.

JJ and the guys have got your covered...good luck!  And don't forget the qview!  

Red

 

[expat smoker]

Another question re: rubs............should it be applied after taking it out of the brine or after it has set for a few hrs??  plan to use a dry Jamaican jerk rub.