We have mentioned before the old maxim that while cooking is an art, baking is science. We are sorry to have perpetuated a myth. We’re usually better than that.
The fact is, cooking is as much science as baking, and baking is as much an art as cooking. Very few artistic disciplines are rooted in as many scientific disciplines as cooking is. This is what really fascinates me about this whole thing. It’s like playing with a giant chemistry set every day.
Some days I even sport the “mad scientist” hair.
Cooking is a combination of chemistry, physics, thermodynamics, psychology, botany, zoology, anatomy and probably other sciences I am forgetting now. But cooking is not just the sterile practice of scientists, or the daring pursuit of chefs. Cooking at its worst, and best, happens every day in kitchens everywhere.
Home cooks and professionals alike have often fallen for old wives tales that bear no resemblance to scientific reality. I’m a skeptic at heart, so I love it when I see proof that something works (or not).
Enter brining, the practice of bathing meat in brine to supposedly make it tenderer and juicier. Brining is not a part of the Dominican cook’s repertoire, and it’s not like we have missed it terribly; after all braising is the preferred method of cooking meats in our home kitchens. And when it comes to roasting we have our own version of brining: we rub and stuff the meat with seasonings that contain both salt and water.
While I have done some brining in the past, I admit that I was a bit skeptical of the reasons why brining supposedly works. So, does brining work?
Yes, it does.
So I decided to do some more cooking, in the name of science, you understand…
Using Holland House lovely red wine vinegar, salt from my hometown of Montecristi and a few other ingredients and herbs of choice, I ended up with the juiciest chicken roast I have made so far. It was plump, tender and bursting with flavor, you will be sure to incorporate this technique in your cooking after you try it.
Aunt Clara
The juiciest, most flavorful chicken you would have ever cooked, try this brined roast chicken and it will become your family's favorite.
Ingredients
- 2 4-lb whole chicken
- 2 teaspoons of pepper
- 1 cup of oil
- 2 cups of sea salt
- 1 cup of Holland House Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 6 cloves of garlic, crushed
- A bunch of parsley
Instructions
- Mix two gallons of water with the ingredients for brining.
- Butterfly the chicken (cut open through the breast plate and flatten).
- Place the chicken in a deep pot and cover completely with the brine mix.
- Place the chicken in the fridge and let it rest for 4 hours.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Take the chicken out of the brine and discard the brine.
- Rinse the chicken to eliminate excess salt. Pat dry and brush all over with oil. Sprinkle with pepper.
- Place the chicken skin side up on a a roast tray with rack.
- Roast until the thermometer reaches 71 °C (160 °F), start measuring at 1 hour.
- Roast for an hour, remove from the oven and turn around, the chicken will be ready when the juices run clear, return to the oven until there is no sign of blood.
Notes
Why not add some potatoes to the pan and make your dinner in just one step.
This recipe and post is sponsored by Holland House cooking wines. I have received products and compensation to create this recipe.
Holland House offers several premium cooking wines and wine vinegars made with premium ingredients, which are perfect for enhancing the flavor of your dishes with robust flavors and aromas. Check out the Holland House labels for free brining recipes.
The opinions are 100% mine and have not been revised nor altered by the sponsor.
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve never brined my chicken but I would love to try one of these days.
Carol Lovett recently posted..Free Cookbook Kindles! Salmon Recipes, Healthy Salad Recipes and Baked Goods
I’ve heard that brining makes the best chicken. I am yet to try it. Your photos are so beautiful!
Thanks, Julia. It does make it a lot juicier. Instead of the chicken losing its own juices, it loses the water it gains.
I’ve always heard people raving about brining turkeys, I have never tried it, but now I have too. I want to dig into that chicken.
I never tried brining and I do agree with you on the chemistry part! Baking is more tricky than cooking. These looks perfect and love the styling!
Kankana recently posted..Zesty Fish Curry with Coconut Milk
That depends on what you cook. Mean is pretty trick, trickier than any baking I’ve done.