How to Brine Chicken the Dry Way by Mike Vrobel of Dad Cooks Dinner
Aug 20, 2010 at 0:01 Click here to subscribe to the podcast at iTunes.
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I've been looking forward to introducing you to a very special guy this week. Be sure to take some time to join me in the kitchen today as I chat it up with Mike Vrobel from DadCooksDinner.com. Mike sure is passionate about his cooking! Here's a Dad who really does know his way around a grill and a kitchen. He knows his way around so well that he cooks 
for his family just about every night of the week. Imagine that, ladies! Find out how Mike stays organized from week to week when creating a meal plan, and how he did in the 2009 & 2010 Finest Cut Steak Cook-offs in Ohio. Below, Mike explains how to brine chicken the dry way. Enjoy!
For a text-only, printer-friendly version of the recipe, click here.
Recipe: Rotisserie Chicken, Dry Brined by Mike Vrobel
Adapted from: Judy Rodgers, Zuni Cafe Cookbook
Equipment:
- Grill with Rotisserie attachment (I used a Weber kettle
with the Rotisserie attachment
)
- Aluminum foil drip pan (9"x11", or whatever fits your grill)
- Butcher's twine for trussing the chicken
Ingredients:
- Two whole chickens, 3.5lbs to 4.5 lbs
- 1/2 tsp per pound of chicken (2 teaspoons per chicken)
- 4 thyme sprigs (2 per chicken)
- 1 chunk smoking wood, fist sized (oak, hickory, or a fruit wood like apple or cherry)
Instructions:
See my Basic Technique: Rotisserie Poultry for more details. And, sorry for the lack of pictures - I got caught up in talking with people at the market. See the basic technique, and the other rotisserie recipes at the bottom of the post for pictures on how to set up a rotisserie chicken.
1. Dry brine the chicken: Salt and refrigerate the chicken at least the night before cooking, and up to 3 days ahead of time. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the entire chicken. I start by sprinkling salt in the cavity of the bird. Then I salt and rotate: I start with the breast, then I turn the chicken to one side (with the leg and wing facing up), then flip and do the other side. Finally, I salt the bottom (backbone) side of the chicken. I use about 1/2 tsp of salt per "side", using a little less in the cavity and on the backbone. Next, I loosen the skin from the breast meat by gently running a finger under the skin of each breast. Then I put a sprig of thyme under the skin, on top of each breast - two per chicken. Refrigerate the chicken in a roasting pan. If you are salting more than a day in advance, cover the chicken with plastic wrap, and remove the plastic the night before cooking to let the chicken dry.
2. Truss and skewer the chicken: One hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Fold the wingtips back under the chicken, then truss the chicken tightly. (Again, see the basic technique for trussing details). Skewer the chicken on the spit - get it on there tight! I like to put one set of prongs under the breast of the first chicken, then the other skewer through the thighs. Then, I put the second bird on upside down compared to the first bird. This makes the whole spit more balanced, which eases the load on the rotisserie motor. Also, it looks cool that way.*
*Yes, I'm a cooking nerd.
3. Prepare the grill: Prepare your rotisserie for cooking on indirect high heat. For my Weber kettle, I light a chimney starter* full of charcoal, wait for it to be covered with ash, then pour it in two equal piles on the sides of the grill, and put the drip pan in the middle, between the piles. I put the chunk of smoking wood on one of the piles of charcoal, and I'm ready to cook.
*I highly recommend the Weber Chimney Starter
4. Cook the chicken: Put the spit on the grill, turn on the rotisserie motor, and cook with the lid closed. The cooking time will be from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. A 4 lb bird will be done in about an hour. The chicken is done cooking when the temperature in the thickest part of the breast meat is 160*F to 165*F; start checking about 15 minutes before you think the bird will be done.
*It is better to determine doneness with an instant read thermometer, but the dry brine does give you some room for error. I overcooked the chicken I was serving at the market, because I was too busy chatting with people. Even though the breast showed 174*F when I took it off, the chicken was juicy and delicious.
5. Serve: Remove the spit from the grill, remove the chicken from the spit, and remove the trussing string from the chicken. Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes, then carve and serve.
Reader Comments (3)
Thank you, Mac! I had such a great time chatting with you, and I can hear that in the podcast.
Now, a few notes about the recipe:
Don't have a rotisserie? Dry brine the chicken as specified; trussing is optional. Set your grill up the same way (indirect high heat), put the cooking grate on the grill, and put the chicken, breast side down, over the drip pan. Cover the grill, and cook for 20 minutes. Flip the chicken breast side up, and cook for another 25 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the bird and the heat of the grill. Determine doneness with a thermometer as I say in the recipe above.
Don't have a grill? Dry brine the chicken. Preheat the oven to 450*F. Put the chicken, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Once the oven is heated, put the roasting pan in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes, flip the chicken breast side up, cook for another 25 to 45 minutes, until done.
Thanks again, Mac!
Mike, thank you for the cooking tips, and a great interview! It's always a welcome treat to have another cooking method to use, but it's especially wonderful to meet someone who is as passionate about their cooking as you are!
Hey Mike,
So sorry for the delay in listening to this great interview! Kudos on being a local celebrity. :o) I too, am addicted to the weekly ads. It's how we identify our protein sources for the week. Much more cost-effective when we can find stuff on sale, yes?!
Also, congrats on your win with the "pure" strategy. Simplicity works - I like it!
Great interview, thanks again, Mac!
[K]