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to include the herb stems and the papery garlic and onion skins, if they’re free of dirt. When planning this meal, be sure to allow enough time to let the chicken or turkey rest after brining, optimally for a day, but at least for a couple of hours.

The skin of brined birds can become so dehydrated that, with the sugar in the brine, it sometimes crisps quickly as the bird cooks and can become too dark; if you see this happening, place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the bird to deflect the direct heat.

THE BRINE

1 gallon/4 liters water

1 cup/225 grams kosher salt

1⁄2 cup/125 grams sugar

1 bunch fresh tarragon (about 1 ounce/25 grams)

1 bunch fresh parsley (about 1 ounce/25 grams)

2 bay leaves

1 head garlic, halved horizontally

1 onion, sliced

3 tablespoons/30 grams black peppercorns, lightly crushed with the bottom of a sauté pan

2 lemons, halved

One 3- to 5-pound/1.5- to 2.25-kilogram chicken or turkey breast

1. Combine all the brine ingredients in a pot large enough to hold the chicken or turkey; give the lemon halves a good squeeze as you add them. Place over high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate the brine until it’s chilled.

2. Add the chicken or turkey to the brine. Weight it down with a plate or other object to keep it completely submerged and place in the refrigerator for the appropriate time (see Brine Times, pages 61–62).

3. Remove the chicken or turkey from the brine, rinse well, and pat dry. Let rest uncovered in the refrigerator for 3 to 24 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F./230 degrees C.

5. Roast the chicken or turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F./71 degrees C. (the cavity juices will be clear when it’s done). Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

BRINING CHICKEN

The mise en place for brining a chicken: chicken, salt and seasonings, cold water, and a container bigger than the bird.

It’s critical when brining any meat that it remain completely submerged in the brine. It’s almost always necessary to weight the meat down; here a plate is used. Note that if this were for Garlic-sage–Brined Pork Chops (below) or any other brine that includes aromatics such as herbs or onion or lemon or garlic, those aromatics would be in this brine liquid.

After brining, the chicken should be refrigerated, uncovered, on a rack so that it can dry and form a pellicle, or tacky surface. The better the pellicle, the better the smoke will adhere to the skin. (Note that this bird is trussed. Trussing helps the bird to cook more evenly, and a bird that’s been trussed is much more elegant to look at and to serve. If you don’t feel comfortable trussing your own chicken, ask your butcher to do it.)

GARLIC-SAGE–BRINED PORK CHOPS

This is the Five Lakes Grill pork chop. Brian brines a whole bone-in pork loin, then cuts it into thick chops, ties each chop to keep the meat tight and uniform while cooking, and grills them (he simplifies the method here). Grilling adds smoky flavors, but these can be pan-roasted as well. Brian pairs the chops with a mustard-horseradish sauce, herbed spaetzle, and creamed savoy cabbage. But, the chops would work well with just about any starch—roasted potatoes, polenta, pasta, rice—and vegetable, though winter root vegetables are particularly suited to it. And any kind of mustard sauce tends to work great with pork.

THE BRINE

2 quarts/2 liters water

1⁄2 cup/125 grams kosher salt

3⁄4 packed cup/135 grams dark brown sugar

4 packed tablespoons/24 grams fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon/8 grams juniper berries, crushed with the side of a knife

2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed with the side of a knife

1 tablespoon/10 grams freshly ground black pepper

Four 11⁄2-inch/3.5-centimeter-thick bone-in pork chops, 12 ounces/350 grams each (or 1 bone-in pork loin; see the headnote)

1. Combine all the brine ingredients in a