Dry brining ?

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jfletcher84

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I read on another thread about dry brining. I always wet brine my birds and like the results but always looking to try something new. I googled it but I would like to know it any of you have any experience with dry brining? Do I put the salt on top of the skin or under?
 
Under the skin. America's test kitchen has a nice tutorial on how its done.

Rub your chicken under the skin with ~1 1/4 tsp kosher salt per lb, refrigerat for up to 24-hours. Then rinse thoroughly, dry and you're ready to cook.
 
I've dry brined turkeys. In fact, it's become the standard way we do our holiday birds. I follow the method outlined by Cook's Illustrated - it takes a few days (I'm sure it takes a lot less time for a chicken), but we get great results. I think the salt goes under and on top of the skin.
 
MS2SB said:
Under the skin. America's test kitchen has a nice tutorial on how its done.

Rub your chicken under the skin with ~1 1/4 tsp kosher salt per lb, refrigerat for up to 24-hours. Then rinse thoroughly, dry and you're ready to cook.
Click to expand...

Yup. Dry brining works by the same processes (diffusion + a little osmosis) as a wet brine. Basically, the salt is dissolved on the meat's surface by the liquid it draws from the meat. This wet brine layer then diffuses back into the meat just like when using a standard wet brine.

Try this process on some big thick ribeyes. It's fabulous!
 
I believe that this process is also known as koshering as this is the process used to draw blood and impurities out of meat to make it kosher.
 
kcmike said:
Try this process on some big thick ribeyes. It's fabulous!
Click to expand...

This^ x100. It's pretty much the only way I do steak anymore. I add a bit of black pepper and usually one other type of flavor (garlic most often) in with the salt. It will carry those flavors back in with it.
 
I've been dry brining chickens for quite awhile. Not when smoking but when roasting at high heat. I salt/season both under the skin and on top

Chef Judy Rodgers made this technique popular with her Zuni chicken at her Zuni Cafe in San Fran.

Makes for some really crisp skin and very juicy and flavorful meat.

A couple of pics. One with the bird seasoned with herbs under the skin prior to roasting and one after roasting.
 

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When I rinse it do I rinse under the skin as well? Oh and have any of you tried this method with removing the skin?
 
A good through rinse should get under the skin as well if you have loosened it with your fingers prior to salting. Once you've rinsed and dried you should try adding some herbs under the skin like what Scubadoo did above.
 
jfletcher84 said:
When I rinse it do I rinse under the skin as well? Oh and have any of you tried this method with removing the skin?
Click to expand...


You really want to keep the skin on. Will hold seasoning on and add moisture during cooking. Even if smoking where skin can be flabby keep it on until done.

I have smoked boneless skinless thighs and seasoned then smoked. This meat is fatty enough to be quite moist and not dry out.

I should correct what was said above and that I have dry brined before smoking. Just not for 2-3 days like I do before roasting. Not sure why I do this.

I just boned out a chicken a few minutes ago using Jacques Pepin's method. Seasoned with Dizzy Pig Tsunami and Raging River and will smoke it very soon.

This video is fun to watch. After a couple of times you will be able to bone out a chicken in just a few minutes while keeping the skin intact

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAekQ5fzfGM"]Pepin Debone Chicken Galantine Ballotine - YouTube[/ame]
 
Did a dry short cure with Dizzy Pig Tsunami Spin and Raging River on this boneless bird. Smoke over apple wood

Damn tasty. Served with a salad. The chicken was the star

Pulled the tenderloins and liver off earlier as snacks before the rest of the bird came to temp.
 
There are several threads here on dry brining. there is a Google search box near the bottom of the page that searches just this site.
 
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