The Best Dry-Brined Roast Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long should you dry brine a whole chicken? ›

Add the chicken and rub the brine in really well, ensuring it is well covered inside and out. Put a cooling rack over a tray and sit the chicken on top. Chill uncovered in the fridge for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight, but no longer than 24 hours.

Don't Rinse It Off

Once the dry-brining waiting period is up, there is no need to rinse off the surface of your food. The meat will not be overly salty, and rinsing the surface with water will undo all of the surface-drying achieved by the dry-brine process. That, in turn, will prevent browning.

Salt: As with any meat we want to dry brine our roasts at least a few hours before cooking. Overnight is better, and a day or two is best. Especially so on larger thicker roasts like prime rib. Salt will penetrate into the meat deeper with more time.

A brine adds flavor and keeps the meat tender and juicy.

You can brine whole chickens or broken-down birds; those pan-roasted thighs would surely benefit from it. All it takes is a little planning (you'll need to devote at least a couple of hours to the process, but it's happily hands-off).

Brine proportions for a smaller turkey: Turkey sizes vary, so if you have a larger or smaller bird, go by these proportions instead: For every 5 pounds of turkey, you will need 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

A good rule for the salt mixture is 1 tablespoon per 5 pounds of chicken.

After brining, take the chicken out, discard brine and rinse the chicken inside and out under cold water. Place it on a platter, pat it dry and place it back in the refrigerator for an hour to dry the skin. Take it out of the refrigerator an hour before roasting. Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper.

You can absolutely season your meat after brining. Keep in mind that the brine is very salt-rich, so you won't need to add any extra salt. Feel free to season with your favorite dry rub after brining. You can also toss the meat with low- or no-salt liquid marinades.

Minimum dry brining time? My answer to this question is “At least 1 hour before cooking, 4 hours is better, and at least 8 hours is best.” Thanks to Kenji Alt's research over at Serious Eats, we know that it takes about 40 minutes for the salt to start to work as a dry brine.

Trim and Salt: Trim and salt the bottom round all over [1/2 tsp Kosher salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt) per pound] and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Because this piece of meat is so large, it may take two days for the salt to fully penetrate, but overnight is long enough to get the salt well into the meat.

What is the best brine method? ›

Dry brining is actually a bit simpler than traditional wet brining, and is much more convenient for large pieces. I wholeheartedly recommend that you try dry-brining a turkey, for instance.

By leaving the steak uncovered on a wire rack, it allows the cold air from the fridge to circulate all around the steak, accelerating the drying process. Allowing the moisture to escape, enhances and concentrates the natural flavors of the steak. It will taste beefier and earthier in flavor.

For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt. Place the meat in the brine and put the whole container in the refrigerator. If it doesn't fit, place it in an ice chest filled with ice.

Bone-in Chicken Pieces (4 pounds): Mix 2 quarts cold water with ½ cup table salt; brine ½ to 1 hour. Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts (up to 6 breasts): Mix 1½ quarts cold water with 3 tablespoons table salt; brine ½ to 1 hour. Note: Do not brine longer than recommended or foods will become overly salty.

Chicken can safely rest in its brining solution for anywhere from a few hours to two days, but generally, for a liquid based brine, you'll want to stick to about one hour of resting in the fridge per pound of meat you're preparing.

Dry-brined roasted chickens are the best way to get succulent, juicy meat, and crispy, golden skin! The best part? You only need 5 minutes and some space in the fridge!

Brining time – 12 hours is enough, 18 to 24 hours is ideal. Don't go longer than 24 hours because the chicken starts getting too salty. Can take chicken out, pat dry and refrigerate for a while until cooking.

Dry Brine Steaks:

Season steaks generously on all sides. Place steaks on an elevated rack on a baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1 hour, overnight is best.

It will taste beefier and earthier in flavor. However, do not leave your steak to brine for too long! Remember, we are not aging but dry brining. Since there is salt, the steak will dry and become closer to jerky if left for too long.