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Make it up as I go along Brine

DieselkW
DieselkW Posts: 909
Grey day, light rain today - high of 60 in Indianapolis, mid October.  Early morning. Perfect Conditions.
I have a container that fits one whole chicken with a little space above it. It's my brining container, and I use it because it allows me to brine a whole chicken in about 2 quarts of water. Also it fits in the fridge without having to adjust shelves. 

I also have a small hand held device that contains all of mankind's knowledge, and it makes phone calls too! I can look up a brine recipe... but that's like going on a road trip as a passenger. 

Today's brine is make it up as you go along brine. Almost fill a small pot (two quarts) with distilled water. I don't want any chlorine, chloramines, dead biologicals, superfund contaminants or whatever the hell else is in this tap water. Indy happens to have the 3rd worst water in the country, and everyone here has bottled water on shelves in the garage; or a water softener and a reverse osmosis filter if they don't. 

Add to the water a half cup of powdered sugar - it dissolves better. Then a handful of kosher salt. I would use the same measuring cup but I dipped it in the water to get all the sugar off the outside and I'm not washing two cups. This is basic brine 101 - salt to plump up the chicken muscle, sugar to caramelize the exterior. Now it's time to look in the cabinets and fridge and see what else might taste good.

8 years ago I grew sage in the back yard of a house I no longer own, in Maryland. I still have some of those dried leaves. Add three.
Texas Pete's hot sauce purchased at Costco in a two pack of quarts - shook out a thimble full and got frustrated so just take the top off and add a healthy dose.
Red Pepper flakes in a take home container, probably from some long ago pizza purchase. Add all of it, what the hell. Buffalo Brined Chicken, you saw it here first.
Garlic - minced, in a refrigerated container that looks like a squeeze bottle of mayo. Add that right on the chicken. Make that Garlic Buffalo Brined Chicken. (TM)

Now that the brine is heating up, that sage is looking like over boiled spinach and the water has a distinct reddish hue like the moon the other night. Time to add a boullion cube, more salty flavor.  


Take it off the heat, add a few ice cubes, wait very impatiently for the ice to melt and the brine temp to come down to bathwater, and bathe that bird.

My container holds just enough water to immerse the bird, but the damn thing floats, so make sure the back is toward the ceiling. I then place it in an empty sink, fill the container, and let the tight fitting lid push the bird back down. It's in the sink for a reason, 'cause when that bird is pushed down, brine spills all around the container, but that's how I know the container is filled to max. 

Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, I got started before dawn today, so I'm going to get about 10 hours on this one. At 3pm I'll light a fire, should be ready by 6pm.
 I'm planning "beer" can, but the can will contain another make it up as I go along mixture of whatever I got in a clean pop can - (I'm sober, there's no beer in the house) I did see a gallon of apple cider in the fridge - good news for my chicken tonight. 

I like to shove a small onion in the neck to keep the contents of the "beer" can in the bird, I don't see one so I'll likely use an apple. Apple Cider Garlic Buffalo Beer Can Chicken.(TM) Even though I wrote (TM), I freely give permission to anyone to use it.

Stand by in anxious anticipation while time flies and I'll post the results. 

Tim. imageimage

Indianapolis, IN

BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



Comments

  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 909
    Went out to clean the old egg, look what I found:


    image

    Yep, that's a gnarly crack in my ceramic, down where the firebox meets the fire grate. Called my friend who sold me this $1300 beauty, he asked for a picture, he got this one. 5 minutes later I got an  email confirming he ordered a replacement for me, and that he would call when it arrives.

    I'm still going to cook on it - I don't even know how long that crack has been there.

    Another reason to use a shop vac when cleaning your grill - I would never have seen this if it were covered in ash. 

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 909
    OK, bird came out of the fridge and sat in the sink for a while, then I mounted on the can half full of apple cider, patted it off and carved an apple to fit the neck hole.


    image

    I carefully separate the breast skin from the meat, and use my finger to rub in some dry itallian dressing seasoning, and then coat the rest of it with my rub.

    image

    BGE is indirect at 400f, I knocked it back to 350 or so, and put the poor little gal on. 

    I'll post a picture before it's nothing but bone and gristle later tonight.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 909
    First hour check, holding steady at 350f.

    image

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically. 



  • Looking good.
    Wimberley,TX
    X-Large,Large, Medium and Small
    17" and 28" Blackstones
  • cazzy
    cazzy Posts: 9,136
    edited October 2014
    Looks great man!!  Sucks about the egg...do you see it on the other side?
    Just a hack that makes some $hitty BBQ....
  • lkapigian
    lkapigian Posts: 11,177
    DieselkW said:
    Went out to clean the old egg, look what I found:


    image

    Yep, that's a gnarly crack in my ceramic, down where the firebox meets the fire grate. Called my friend who sold me this $1300 beauty, he asked for a picture, he got this one. 5 minutes later I got an  email confirming he ordered a replacement for me, and that he would call when it arrives.

    I'm still going to cook on it - I don't even know how long that crack has been there.

    Another reason to use a shop vac when cleaning your grill - I would never have seen this if it were covered in ash. 

    Keep the new one as a spare, you can cook with that cracked for quite some time
    Visalia, Ca @lkapigian
  • DieselkW
    DieselkW Posts: 909
    edited October 2014
    Dinner was pretty tasty tonight. Nothing too fancy - chicken, mashed taters, green beans. Brining did it's job - plump, juicy chicken with loads of flavor.

    I put the contents of the can in the mashed with milk and butter - a little sweet from the cider, but it added a different flavor and no need for the hassle of gravy.

    This is typical for us - just my two cents.  As October descends into autumn cool at this latitude, I'm not sure if I will keep up my current 3-4 times a week cooking duties. The wife surprised me the other day with a pork shoulder in the crock pot. 

    In the crock pot.

    shakes head and rolls eyes.

    Indianapolis, IN

    BBQ is a celebration of culture in America. It is the closest thing we have to the wines and cheeses of Europe. 

    Drive a few hundred miles in any direction, and the experience changes dramatically.