Poultry Brine Recipe & Method
This poultry brine recipe is a beautifully balanced mix of earthy herbs like sage and thyme with warming notes from spices like cinnamon and star anise, all married together with bright fresh flavor notes from raw garlic and citrus.
Ingredients
- 1 liters water (about a quarter of a gallon)
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 3 tablespoons dried star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 bunch fresh sage (about half a cup)
- 1 bunch fresh thyme (about half a cup)
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary (about half a cup)
- 4 cloves raw garlic (sliced)
- 1 lemon (quartered)
- 1 orange (quartered )
Directions
- 1
Place the poultry in a container with a lid and add all the flavouring ingredients.*
- 2
Depending on the size of the container, mix up a liter of salt solution at a time by adding the salt to water and stirring until dissolved.
- 3
Pour it over the poultry. Mix more as needed.
- 4
Once the poultry is fully covered in brine, place lid on container and put it in a cold place (fridge or outside if below 4 C / 40 F).
- 5
Leave the poultry in brine for at least 10 hours or up to 24.
- 6
Take the poultry out of the brine one hour before you want to put it in the oven.
- 7
Pat the poultry dry and roast it, setting the time to 20% less than you normally would.
- 8
Poultry is ready when an internal read thermometer reads 74 C / 165 F.