Beer Brine Recipes

BEER-BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Line 2-quart bowl or saucepan with 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add water, kosher salt and brown sugar; stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in beer. Add chicken. Tightly seal bag; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with foil. Remove chicken from brine; rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Place chicken, breast side up, in pan. Refrigerate uncovered 1 hour to dry chicken skin. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all rub ingredients except oil; set aside.
• Heat oven to 375°F Brush oil over chicken. Sprinkle with seasoning mixture; rub into chicken skin. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and drumsticks). Let stand 15 minutes for easiest carving.
• Time-Saver Tip:
• You can skip the step of refrigerating the brined chicken 1 hour to dry the skin. This step results in a crispier skin, a technique used in Chinese cooking.

BASIC BEER BRINE + FLAVOR VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Basic method: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the solution to the cold water to temper the temperature and let it cool down completely. Add the cold beer and any additional ingredients you are using. Submerge the food, cover with lid or plastic and refrigerate. Brine per the schedule below. Alternative method: Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the salt and sugar, whisk to dissolve and add 1 1/2 cups of ice cubes plus the cold beer. Add any flavoring ingredients. Mix to combine, then add the food. Cover with lid or plastic and refrigerate. Brine per the schedule below. Brining Schedule***: Brine for 30 minutes to 24 hours, depending on the weight of the food and its size (ex. 4 pounds of pork chops need less time than a 4 pound pork loin). less than 1 pound - 30 minutes 1 to 3 pounds - 45 to 60 minutes 3 to 5 pounds - 60 to 120 minutes 5 to 8 pounds - up to 6 hours over 8 pounds - 12 hours and up to 24 hours Always discard a used brine.

BEER BRINE

Steps:

• Place peppercorns, thyme, bay, garlic, water, salt, and brown sugar in a saucepan,.
• and heat to a boil, stirring until salt and brown sugar dissolves and mixture becomes.
• mostly clear.
• Remove from heat and stir beer. 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.
• Then remove meat from brine and pat dry, afterwards cooking as desired.

BEER-BRINED BEER-CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine the beer, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, orange juice and cardamom pods in a bowl; stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
• Put the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and add the brine; seal and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Prepare the grill: For a charcoal grill, pile 3 to 4 pounds briquettes in the grill; ignite and let burn until the coals are ashy. For a gas grill, preheat to high.
• Prepare the chicken: Remove from the brine and pat dry; reserve the orange zest and cardamom. Rub the olive oil all over the skin. Loosen the skin on the breasts and legs with your fingers; rub 1 garlic clove under and over the skin. Combine the brown sugar, coriander, cumin, paprika, allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper; rub under and over the skin of the chicken and inside the cavity.
• Pour half of the remaining beer can into a disposable 8-inch-square pan. Add the reserved orange zest to the pan. Poke 3 or 4 holes into the top sides of the beer can using a paring knife. Add the remaining 3 smashed garlic cloves and the reserved cardamom pods to the can.
• For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to both sides in two piles; nestle the pan with the beer between the coals and replace the top grill grate. For a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium on one side and turn off the burners on the other; place the pan under the grate on the unlit side.
• Set the chicken over the beer can, inserting the can into the cavity so 1 inch of the can is exposed. Set on the grill grates over the drip pan so the chicken balances on the can and legs like a tripod. Cover the grill and cook until the chicken is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. If using charcoal, this will take about 1 hour 20 minutes; add a handful of briquettes to each bank of coals every 30 minutes to maintain the heat. If using gas, it will take about 1 hour 5 minutes; carefully rotate the chicken halfway through.
• Remove the chicken from the grill, discard the can and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before carving.

BEER-BRINED BARBECUE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Brine the chicken: Combine 1 can of beer, the salt, granulated sugar, hot sauce and bay leaves in a very large bowl and whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the remaining 2 cans of beer, 4 cups water and the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Make the barbecue sauce: Combine the orange juice, vinegar, onion, garlic, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. (The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat a grill to medium low and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly season the chicken with salt, then arrange on the grill, skin-side up. Cover and cook until marked, about 12 minutes per side. Continue cooking, flipping and basting the chicken with the barbecue sauce every 3 to 4 minutes (keep covered in between), until a thermometer inserted into the center of a breast registers 165 degrees F, about 15 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

BEER-BRINED GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups water, beer, 1/4 cup coarse salt, sugar, and molasses in large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in ice. Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag. Pour beer brine over pork chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove pork chops from beer brine; pat dry. Mix garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and sage in small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over both sides of pork chops. Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 145°F to 150°F, about 10 minutes per side, occasionally moving chops to cooler part of rack if burning. Transfer chops to platter; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.

BEER-BRINED ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the brine: In a large pot combine 8 cups water, the salt and the sugar and bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring to help dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add garlic, leek, thyme, sage and shallots; let cool to room temperature.
• Place the chicken in a deep container large enough to hold it and the brine. Pour the cooled brine over the chicken. Pour in the 3 bottles of beer until the chicken is submerged; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Prepare the chicken and vegetables: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the brussels sprouts, potatoes, onions, chopped sage and lemon zest in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to evenly coat.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Place about half of the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan or large sauté pan and set the chicken on top. Rub the butter evenly over the top of the chicken to coat. Pour the bottle of beer into the pan and arrange the sage sprigs in the pan around the chicken.
• Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting every 20 minutes with the liquid in the pan.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Spread the remaining vegetables on a baking sheet and place on a low rack or the bottom of the oven. Cook until the chicken skin is golden brown and crisp and the vegetables are just tender and slightly charred, 20 to 30 more minutes, stirring the vegetables and basting the chicken once halfway through.
• Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Plate chicken with a mix of roasted veggies and the vegetables from the pan. Spoon the reduced cooking liquid from the pan over the top.

BEER BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Whisk the beer, wine vinegar, corn syrup, mustard, garlic, sage, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the onion and pork chops, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the pork chops and onions from the marinade and set aside on a platter. Drain the marinade through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the strained liquid. Spread the garlic mixture caught in the strainer over the pork chops. Wrap the onions in aluminum foil.
• Cook the packet of onions and the pork chops on the preheated grill until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

JAN'S BEER-BRINED CORNED BEEF

Steps:

• Place water, 3 bottles beer, 2 onions, kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, curing salt, 1/4 cup pickling spice, and 2 tablespoons garlic in a very large pot. Stir well until salts are dissolved. Add beef; stir gently. Use a large bowl or heavy plate to keep the beef submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring once a day, for 4 days.
• Soak wood chips in apple juice for 2 hours.
• Remove beef from pot, discarding brine, and rinse well until cold water. Let beef come to room temperature.
• Preheat an outdoor grill to 150 to 175 degrees F (65 to 80 degrees C). Place soaked wood chips in a shallow aluminum pan on the heat source.
• Place meat directly on the grate and allow to smoke for 2 hours.
• Combine 1 beer, 1 onion, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pickling spice, 2 tablespoons chopped garlic, and black pepper in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into a large roasting pan. Place beef in braising liquid in the roasting pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Increase grill temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Place the roasting pan on the grill and close the lid.
• Roast the beef until tender, 3 to 4 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (60 degrees C).
• Remove beef from the roasting pan, discarding braising liquid. Let beef cool until easily handled.
• Slice beef into very thin slices across the grain.

BEER-BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Line 2-quart bowl or saucepan with 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag. Add water, kosher salt and brown sugar; stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in beer. Add chicken. Tightly seal bag; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with foil. Remove chicken from brine; rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Place chicken, breast side up, in pan. Refrigerate uncovered 1 hour to dry chicken skin. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all rub ingredients except oil; set aside.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Brush oil over chicken. Sprinkle with seasoning mixture; rub into chicken skin. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and drumsticks). Let stand 15 minutes for easiest carving.

GRILLED BEER-BRINED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In 6- to 8-quart noncorrosive (stainless steel, enamel-coated or plastic) container or stockpot, mix water, kosher salt and brown sugar, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in beer. Add chicken. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Line 15x10-inch pan with sides with foil. Remove chicken from brine; rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine. Place chicken in pan. Refrigerate uncovered 1 hour to dry chicken skin. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix all rub ingredients except oil; set aside.
• Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking. Brush oil over chicken; sprinkle rub mixture over chicken. For two-burner gas grill, heat one burner to medium; place chicken on unheated side. For one-burner gas grill, place chicken on grill over low heat. For charcoal grill, move medium coals to edge of firebox; place chicken over drip pan. Cover grill; cook 15 minutes.
• Turn chicken over; cover grill and cook 20 to 30 minutes longer, turning occasionally, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest piece is cut to bone (170°F for breasts; 180°F for thighs and drumsticks).