Achieving juicy fried chicken involves three critical components: the brine, the breading, and the oil temperature. While many cooks focus on the last two to get that perfect golden crust, it’s the brine that truly sets the stage for greatness. Some may think brining is costly, laborious, and time-consuming. But this culinary technique is what transforms a regular chicken dish into a moist, tender and flavorful masterpiece.
Beyond enhancing tastes and textures, brining is a winning entrepreneurial strategy to grow your profits and build a loyal customer base. It’s the game-changer that can set your fried chicken business apart. Scroll on to discover the benefits of brining you can soon enjoy.
1. Brining Results in a Stand-Out Dish
Brines “protect” meat from drying out as it cooks.
When you deep-fry any meat, the high heat forces the water content within the cells to evaporate. That’s why most fried chicken ends up with a crispy shell but a rubbery inside. Brining, however, guarantees tender and juicy fried chicken every time.
As the poultry soaks in the brine, the sodium content breaks down the meat’s protein structure. The tightly wound proteins uncoil and form strings that retain more moisture. This transformation helps prevent the chicken from drying out, even after multiple fries. With a brine, you can say goodbye to dry, tough, and hard-to-chew chicken.
2. A Brine Ensures Consistent Flavor
Brining ensures your fried chicken is flavorful inside and out.
Lean cuts of meat like chicken breast tend to be bland because they lack natural fat. Marinating them with spices often only imparts flavor to the surface. Brining, on the other hand, redistributes moisture and pushes all the seasonings deep into the muscles – all the way to the bones. This means you’re infusing rich, umami flavors into the chicken even before coating and breading.
Additionally, brining is a more reliable, straightforward method for preparing chicken. Marinating results can be hit or miss, depending on factors like marinating time, meat thickness, and marinade acidity. In contrast, a brine delivers consistent flavor with every batch.
3. The Brining Process Is Cost-Efficient
A basic brine only requires three pantry staples.
Brine basics for tender, flavorful fried chicken are water, sugar, and Knorr Chicken Powder. These pantry staples are inexpensive and readily available, meaning you don’t have to shell out for fancy flavorings, tenderizers, and other ingredients.
The process of making and using a brine is quite simple. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot over low heat and stir until it boils. Let the brine cool, then submerge the cuts of meat. Allow it to stand in the fridge overnight for the best results.
If you have a commercial kitchen or enough storage space, preparing large quantities of brined chicken requires minimal effort. You can prepare it today and leave it for tomorrow’s cooking – no need to monitor the process. Plus, you won’t need to spend extra on equipment, manpower, and other overhead costs. Just remember to keep your brining containers far away from other fresh products and ingredients to avoid contamination.
If you have a smaller enterprise, try cooking in batches. Turn that amazingly delicious fried chicken into a special and serve it on specific days. This will allow you to maximize your storage space while keeping your customers anticipating and excited.
4. Using a Brine Opens Room for Innovation
Feel free to add herbs and other ingredients to the traditional salt-and-water brine.
Brines don’t have to be boring. You can experiment with new, exciting flavors by adding other ingredients to your saltwater mix. Using Knorr Chicken Powder already gives your brine a deep, meaty profile. From there, you can choose herbs, spices, and seasonings that complement this linamnam.
Need inspiration? Add brown sugar or molasses to the brine for a subtle sweetness, like in this Honey Butter Garlic Fried Chicken. Spice up the brine with ginger and black pepper to make Korean Fried Chicken Wings or Crispy Fried Chicken Fillet with Waffles. You can also swap the water with buttermilk to recreate Chef Brando’s Ultimately Juicy Fried Chicken. The possibilities are endless!
5. Brining Fried Chicken Gives You a Competitive Edge
Your customers will appreciate the extra attention you put into your dish.
It’s tough to win customers when you’re competing against hundreds of fried chicken eateries. In such a saturated market, even the smallest detail can make a significant impact on sales. So, make brining part of your establishment’s unique selling proposition.
For example, put “24-hour Brined Fried Chicken” on the menu to highlight that your dish is a cut above the rest in terms of quality. Emphasize how your version is meatier, juicier, more tender, and more flavorful – because that’s the truth!
And don’t stop at fried chicken. You can apply the same technique to grilled and roasted chicken, as well as to other types of poultry, beef, and pork.
6. Brined Fried Chicken Boosts Customer Satisfaction
Satisfied customers will leave positive reviews and recommend your fried chicken restaurant to their friends.
Customer reviews are a critical marker of success in the food industry. When it comes to businesses serving fried chicken, the most common complaints include bland seasoning, dryness, and blood or pinkness inside the meat. Thankfully, a brine can solve all these problems.
Brining amps up the flavor and moisture of the chicken, ensuring every bite is cooked to perfection and bursts with savory goodness. Plus, soaking the meat in salt before cooking helps reduce the amount of “blood” (redness from the myoglobin in the muscle tissues) inside the meat. Good fried chicken means happy customers, and happy customers are more likely to return.
A simple solution of Knorr Chicken Powder, sugar, and water is all you need to make juicy fried chicken and set your business apart. Start incorporating this cooking technique into your kitchen routine and reap all these brining benefits, stat. Your customers – and bottom line – will thank you for your effort!
