Salt brine

[Sally_O]

We just did our first batch today: 43 chickens (lost 7 of the original 50). They are in trash bags with ice and salt overnight. We plan to package them tomorrow. What is the purpose of the salt in the ice water?

 

[countrygoddess]

I haven't heard of using the salt at processing, but it may have been called for in the instructions you have to help tenderize the muscle fibers. We refrigerated our birds for 48 hours before shrink-wrapping them to give the muscle time to relax. When it comes time to cook the birds, that's when I use a salt (and sometimes salt/sugar or salt/sugar/spice) brine. I always brine my whole chickens--I find it makes them especially juicy and tasty.

 

[dmack]

Might wanna be careful about using to much salt with the ice. And you may want to add some water to the salt and ice. To much salt can make the chicken crazy salty when cooked. A little helps cure the meat. I keep mine in ice water for 24 hours then vacuum seal. Then before cooking I will soak in a ice and salt brine the night before cooking this helps open the poors of the meat and allows the seasoning to cook in better

 

[anorwood]

How did you figure out how much salt per ice? I want to prebrine also but didn't know if I should use my standard 1/4 cup to 1 qt water (2 lb ice) or if that would be too much. How long are you leaving the birds in salt? Do you think garbage bags are okay to keep the meat in, I assume within a cooler? We're doing ours in 2 weeks. Would you please let us all know how your birds come out as far as saltiness, juiciness, etc.?

 

[Sally_O]

I didn't use too much salt and I did use water in the ice. I use salt in fermenting to keep bacteria down (bad bacteria can't thrive in salt) so I'm thinking this may be the "why."

We left them in the garbage cans/bags overnight with the icy salt water and were going to bag today. But maybe we will wait until tonight so they've been in there 24 hours. At least until the muscles relax. Thanks!

 

[Sally_O]

How long do you brine before cooking? And how much salt per bird. Ours are like 4lbs average, it looks like. We'll know more when we shrink-wrap today. Looking forward to that!

 

[dmack]

I soak in the salt ice brine over night and through the next day till I'm ready to grille or roast. Then I take it out pat dry season and cook.

 

[dmack]

And just about a table spoon of salt or so.