[bruno994]

Brine works for me as well. I go heavy salt, 1 cup, to 1/2 cup sugar, with 1 tbsp granulated onion, 1 tbsp cayenne (like my chicken with some kick), all this in a 2 quart container of water. I call it my "Chicken Kool-Aid" cause it's a bright orangeish-red. I have tried adding 1 tbsp of granulated garlic as well and like it, but my wife, who is a hater of salt says it seemed to really make the salty flavor even heavier. I have tried adding sweeteners to this brine with equal parts sugar and some brown sugar as well as apple juice, but the more sweet I put in kills the saltiness and to me that is what the Texas judges like, where as in KCBS, you might tend to go sweeter...but I haven't had near the success as you J$, so what the heck do I know, just what I like and my humble $.02.