Brining Chicken Breasts

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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If there is any such thing as a good groaner, then I think this
is one of them. Thanks to Rosemary Zwick for sending it in.

Andrew's mother gave him ten dollars to buy lunch for himself
and his sister Terri at the diner down the street. On the way,
they passed a man selling puppies for ten dollars each. Unable
to resist, Andrew bought one, named it Elvis, and went home.
While he stayed outside, playing with it, Terri went inside.
"Back so soon?" her mother asked.

"Yes," said Terri. "I'm afraid we never made it to the diner."

"Why not?"

"Because Andrew spent ten dollars on Elvis."

"Elvis?"

"That's right," explained Terri. "He ate nothin', bought a hound dog."

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Brining, or soaking in a solution of water and salt, is an age-old
technique to keep meats moist as they cook. The saltwater
causes the proteins in the meat to undergo a process called
denaturing. When protein molecules become denatured they
relax and begin to unwind from the tight little balls they used to
be. In unwinding they become interwoven with the protein
molecules that surround them, forming a mesh of molecules
that trap water in the spaces between them. This explains why
it is much harder to overcook brined meats to the point where
they become dry and flavorless, and that is why all of the
remaining recipes this week will call for brined chicken breasts.
The sugar in this recipe aids in the browning but really doesn't
contribute to the retention of moisture, so feel free to omit it if
you like. Naturally, the brining process also works on other
chicken parts as well as whole chickens, although you might
have to change the amount of brine you make depending on
the amount of chicken you are brining. As long as you stick
to the basic ratios in this recipe, you won't go wrong.

Brining Chicken Breasts

3/4 cup (180 ml) kosher salt, or 6 Tbs (90 ml) table salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar (optional)
1 quart (1 L) cold tap water
4-6 chicken breast halves, skinless and/or boneless if desired

Dissolve the salt and optional sugar in the water in a 1-gallon
(4 L) sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, press out as much
air as possible, seal, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours. (Brining the
chicken for more than 2 hours will result in an unpleasant mushy
texture.) Remove from the brine, rinse well, and pat dry with
paper towels. Season as desired, but keep in mind that the
meat is already salted and probably won't require additional salt.
Received on Tue Aug 31 23:14:19 2010