Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [263]
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
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BRINING TIME
Brining small seafood and thin fish: 30 minutes
Brining thick fish and boneless poultry: 1 hour
Brining bone-in poultry, chops, and steaks: 2 to 3 hours
Brining roasts: 3 to 8 hours (depending on size)
GOOD WITH
Seafood: shrimp, scallops, any fish
Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen, duck
Meat: beef, lamb, pork, veal
INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP)
½ teaspoon ground ancho chile
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
½ cup chai tea concentrate such as Oregon Chai
½ cup plain yogurt, whole milk or low-fat
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve, about 30 seconds.
2. Put the bag in a bowl just large enough to hold it snugly. Open the bag and add the meat. Seal the zipper, leaving about an inch open; push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the zipper completely. Massage the liquid gently into the meat and refrigerate for the suggested time.
Apple-Chai Brine
This simple, sweetly aromatic four-ingredient brine is a favorite for flavoring the Thanksgiving turkey. Its essence of fruit and mulled spices is the perfect counterpoint to the savory herbs of a classic stuffing. See the introduction to the right for Hot Pepper–Chai Brine (facing page) for information on the ten blend chai.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
GETTING CREATIVE
• Vary the fruit with different types of cider, juice, and fruit nectar. Try apricot, pear, peach, pineapple, mango, or papaya.
* * *
BRINING TIME
Brining small seafood and thin fish: 30 minutes
Brining thick fish and boneless poultry: 1 hour
Brining bone-in poultry, chops, and steaks: 2 to 3 hours
Brining roasts: 3 to 8 hours (depending on size)
GOOD WITH
Seafood: shrimp, scallops, any fish
Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen, duck, goose
Meat: beef, lamb, pork, veal
INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS)
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chai tea concentrate such as Oregon Chai
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-lock bag; seal and shake until the salt dissolves, about 30 seconds.
2. Put the bag in a bowl just large enough to hold it snugly. Open the bag and add the meat. Seal the zipper, leaving about an inch open; push on the bag to release any trapped air through the opening, and close the zipper completely. Massage the liquid gently into the meat and refrigerate for the suggested time.
Molasses Brine
Here’s your best defense against dry grilled pork chops. Molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and ketchup make this sweet-and-sour brine perfect for pork. But try it also with duck or other poultry. The brine itself is fairly simple, so you may want to add a dry rub or sauce to further flavor the meat.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
TIPS
• Unsulfured molasses has a lighter, cleaner flavor than sulfured molasses, which is preserved with sulfur dioxide. Most supermarkets carry the unsulfured type.
• To dissolve the ingredients faster, mix them with ¾ cup hot water until dissolved, and then add the remaining 1 cup cold water to cool the mixture.
* * *
BRINING TIME
Brining small seafood and thin fish: 30 minutes
Brining thick fish and boneless poultry: 1 hour
Brining bone-in poultry, chops, and steaks: 4 to 6 hours
Brining roasts: 8 to 10 hours (depending on size)
GOOD WITH
Seafood: salmon or any other oily fish
Poultry: duck, chicken, turkey, game hen
Meat: pork, beef, lamb
INGREDIENTS (MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS)
1¾ cups water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons