Foodie Friday ~ Brined Chicken and Pork Chops

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Brining a whole chicken (or turkey breast)

Chicken or Turkey Breast Brine Recipe:
1 1/4 cups coarse kosher salt

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

16 cups water

In a large stockpot, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 gallon cool water. Place chicken, bone side up, in brine and weight it with a plate (if necessary). Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours. Rinse chicken thoroughly under cool water and pat dry with paper towels.

(got this recipe from Food Everyday)

Rinse it and cut it up the back and remove backbone.

Sliced apples with cinnamon and butter.

Put chicken on the grill and use your favorite BBQ. Meat will cook faster after brining.

Apples are cooking nicely.

The chicken was so moist. I had never brined before. I could not believe how moist and tender the meat was. Since the chicken was sooooo good I thought I would try pork chops.

Here are the pork chops brining in sort of the same recipe.

Pork Brine Recipe:

3/4 cup course kosher salt

3/4 cup sugar ( I used dark brown sugar)

1 cup boiling water

16 cups cold water

1 tablespoon pepper

In a large stockpot dissolve salt and sugar in boiling water, then add cold water; add pepper and stir to combine. Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding pork. Place your pork in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.

Pork Chops 1-inch to 1 1/2 -inch thick - 12 to 24 hours

Whole Pork Loin - 2 to 4 days

Whole Pork Tenderloin - 6 to 12 hours.

Experiment with seasonings. Salt is essential, but everything else is optional. Consider garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, juniper berries, clove, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, mustard seed, coriander see, star anise, hot pepper flakes or Sichuan peppercorns. To give pork a sweet edge and encourage browning, add 1/2 cup sugar to each 2 quarts of water.

Rinse pork twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook pork according to your favorite recipe. Do not overcook your brined pork. Once brined, the pork cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

(I used Center Cut Pork Chops)

(I googled this recipe)

Rinsed and seasoned and ready for the grill.

Halved peaches with cinnamon and butter and of course green onions. We just love grilled green onions......can you tell.

Can you smell......I am telling you the smell is wonderful.

You must try the Brine. I will always be brining my meat. It is the best you will ever taste. I could really do a commercial about brining.