The Joy of Brining

Wow--has it been a long time!!!

Just have to say a few words about brining---it's the cook's best friend, aside from the always handy pressure cooker. I've become quite adept at brining: I decided to brine a turkey for Thanksgiving, and, true to my life form, my family takes my cooking, like my nursing, with a grain of salt. So, after a couple of months of telling mom that I was going to brine and cook a turkey, what happened? My grandmother decided to pay someone to fry a turkey. To make a long story short, I brined and roasted a turkey breast, and there wasn't quite enough of it to satisfy appetites after tasting the over-fried (and left out in the elements!!!!! what's up with that????) fried turkey.

Okay---got that off my chest. Here's what I do now: If I just want to have a chicken breast or two for supper (like tonight's grilled chicken on salad), I simply thaw the meat in a container big enough to accomodate them, with 2 or 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and water. If you have apple juice, throw that it, along with any herbs you like (I like rosemary).. then flatten the breasts with a cast iron skillet and grill stove top. Tonight's music lineup included the moody blues, led zeppelin, heart, fleetwood mac. Bill, after working hard all day building railings for the patio, sipped Ancient Age and 7 up, and it was Espresso Martinis for me. Which explains why I'm still up.

Brining----do try this at home.

L