Beer Brine

1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 to 3 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, peeeled and sliced
3 cups water
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar twin
1 bottle (12 oz.) low carb beer

Directions:

Place peppercorns, thyme, bay, garlic, water, and salt in a saucepan,
and heat to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves and mixture becomes
mostly clear. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar twin and low carb beer and allow to cool.

Pour mixture over selected meat (chicken, pork, turkey, etc) in a food
safe container or plastic bag, ensuring that meat is covered (make
more brine if needed). Refrigerate meat and allow to brine for about 12 hours. Remove meat from brine and pat dry, then cooking as desired.

Comments from sue-l :

Brining produces moister meat than meat that is not brined. If you
brine your Thanksgiving turkey, you will never go back to doing it
without.

I think this is perfect for meats that are going to be barbecued, like
ribs or chicken. Sugar or molasses, while typical of many recipes, is
not required for a brine to work. Make enough brine to cover the meat
(if you use ziplock bags, this amount should be good for about 3
pounds- just get the air out of the bag and remember to turn it
frequently while brining).

User Reviews:

I used this brine for 3 bone-in split chicken breasts cooked on the grill (with the little cup o' water in the coals) and it did produce the juiciest grilled chicken ever, even when I reheated one of the pieces the next day. The seasonings were right on, too. I'm thinking this would be fantastic to use on grilled pork chops as well.

submitted by lebowskifan on December 07, 2004

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