The Best Dry-Brined Roast Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long to leave dry brine on chicken? ›

What to Do After the Meat Is Brined. After waiting the appropriate amount of time, remove the meat from the brine and pat it dry with a paper towel. You won't need to rinse it with fresh water unless you accidentally brined it for too long. From here, cook the meat according to your favorite recipe.

We all know how much better a turkey tastes if you brine it before roasting it. But we're about to take things a step further: You should also be brining your chickens—and not just for special occasions, like holiday roasts. A brine adds flavor and keeps the meat tender and juicy.

Better Browning and Crispier Skin

Dry surfaces brown, wet ones don't. So when you blast a dry-brined piece of meat with heat, whether searing in a skillet or finishing in a hot oven, you achieve Maillard browning really fast, which means you're less likely to overcook your food in the quest for a mahogany crust.

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

How long is too long for a dry brine? It depends the size of the piece of meat. The optimal time can range from no longer than an hour to a day or two. A roast or a turkey can go for 24 to 48 hours, but a steak or a chop needs only an hour or two.

Seasoning and Dry Brining

Yes! You can choose to use a seasoning blend, make your own, or salt-then-season. Just remember to omit salt from the seasonings you are using after you pre-salt or dry brine. If you choose to add seasoning when you dry brine, start with the salt on your food.

Cook's Illustrated magazine says you can improve water-chilled boneless skinless chicken breasts with dry brining. Sprinkle evenly with 1-1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt per pound, place on a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet pan, and refrigerate for 1 hour before cooking.

Yes, the salt will penetrate the skin—but you can also apply some of the salt underneath for crispier skin. Allow the salted bird to sit overnight or up to 24 hours uncovered in the fridge to help dry out the skin.

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.

What is the formula for brining chicken? ›

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.

To sum up, dry-brining is a foolproof way of getting perfectly seasoned, crisp-skinned, tender, juicy roast chicken.

The best salt for dry brining is kosher salt because it sticks the best and distributes evenly. Coarse sea salt will also work, though, if you have it handy. Steer clear of fine sea salt or regular table salt — if it's all you have, it'll work, but you'll need to cut the recommended amount in half.

Morton Coarse Kosher Salt is perfect for brining because the flat, flaky crystals dissolve extremely well in water and create a crystal clear brine. Consider brining this grilling and holiday season.

Some recipes mention brining your bird in an ice filled cooler, but to be sure your brine and bird stay cold enough and avoid any food safety issues, it's best to keep it in the refrigerator.

If you go to extremes, such as leaving chicken in brine for more than 24 hours, you'll get overly-salted chicken. It can also change the texture of the chicken. When in doubt, 1 hour per pound is always a good plan.

You will need to place your steak back in the fridge for it to dry brine properly. Keep the steak open to airflow while in the fridge, either by placing it on a rack with a plate underneath, or by flipping it every so often. Generally, the longer you dry brine your steak, the better (to a maximum of 48 or so hours).

A good dry brine takes anywhere from 24-48 hours but you can short cut it if you need to. This post may contain affiliate links. Dry brining steak is a great way to make sure your steak is super flavorful. Use this method on anything from ribeye to flank to filet cuts – in fact, this will work well on any beef cut!

A dry brine usually goes on at least 24 hours but sometimes as many as 96 hours before you cook the chicken. The longer you do it, the more juicy and flavorful the meat will be at the end. Just rubbing some salt and spices on the chicken's meat and skin a few days before cooking can make a huge difference.