Pickle-juice brined chicken legs

Simcan · July 2017

My wife and daughter were away, and my son just polished of the last two dill pickles from a big jar, so I decided to experiment. I had heard that pickle brine makes chicken very tasty and moist. So I added a couple of tablespoons of salt and sugar to the juice, plus some black pepper and a pinch of cayenne, whisked and added two whole chicken legs. Left it in there for several hours, patted dry, and applied my usual basic rub. Then smoked it (apple) for a couple of hours at 250, added new potatoes tossed in duck fat I happened to have in the fridge along with some salt and pepper, left it go another hour, added some sauce (last minute decision) and quickly boiled some corn.

Though the pictures are not really inspiring (that plate needs some green!) the chicken was really excellent. Hard to describe as it did not taste like pickles at all, which is good, but had a "tang" and tasted great. The revelation was how juicy it was...will never throw out pickle juice again, that is for sure.

(And my son loved it, as you can see.)

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/nf/aws4dt0u00t2.jpeg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/bk/jolrb1ycbho0.jpeg

REMtx · July 2017

I think I have heard that Chick Fil A also uses pickle juice for brine/marinade.

epcotisbest · July 2017

I tried it with the juice leftover from a jar of jalapeno peppers a while back and it worked great too. So I'm with you, no more throwing out pickle (or pepper) juice.
Looks like your son was truly enjoying.

GrillSgt · July 2017

We never throw out the juice. You can use it for quick pickles of whatever you want. I use it for some zip in a Bloody Mary. Definitely will have to try the chicken brine. Thanks.

Richard Fl · July 2017

Must be the new rage drink. Went to a wine tasting last week at my favorite grocer and they had a tent giving away samples of this. I like pickles but not to just drink the juice some bartender friends say the kids like with a shot of whatever,
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/entertainment/dining/chef-qa/2017/06/06/passion-pickle-juic

TN_Sister_State · July 2017

I drink the pickle juice at the rate i eat the pickles so we never have any left. Ill try to refrain from drinking it so i can give this a shot.

Theophan · July 2017

Simcan said:

... And my son loved it, as you can see.)

Love that picture! And somehow the bandaid on his shoulder completes the picture -- looks like a typical boy, rough and tumble, now chowing down on chicken.

THEBuckeye · July 2017

Given he's only a young fella, I'll give you a NO FORKS pass.......this time

Simcan · July 2017

THEBuckeye said:

Given he's only a young fella, I'll give you a NO FORKS pass.......this time

To be fair, I am the one that gave him the fork, which he quickly discarded.

Gulfcoastguy · July 2017

And I just finished off the last pickle in the jar last night. Sounds like a new experiment is coming. Maybe Shaking the Tree for a rub or one of the ones Cincy Tikki gave me.

Pickle-juice brined chicken legs

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