Brine Chicken In This Breakfast Beverage For A Rich Unique Flavor

One of the reasons chicken often tastes better at restaurants is that they brine the bird before it ever hits the heat. Neglecting to utilize this technique is one of the common mistakes people make with raw chicken. It helps the meat remain juicy after cooking and can also impart various flavors to the poultry, depending on what's inside. Some folks use a pickle brine for a flavor overload, but if you want to achieve a truly one-of-a-kind profile with the meat, look no further than your morning cup of joe.

The Takeout spoke with Alan Thompson, the head chef at Cassiobury Court, and he sold us on using coffee to elevate the flavor and attain a uniquely rich-tasting chicken. He said, "Coffee in a brine gives you a bit of depth and earthiness, so almost a savory bitterness that balances out the natural sweetness of the meat." However, not just any type of brew will do. You want a kind of Goldilocks compromise between too strong and too weak. "I'd go for a medium roast filter coffee so it's nothing too light and acidic and too dark and burnt," Thompson said. "You want smooth, nutty notes that will sit nicely with the herbs and salt."

Salt is the not-so-secret weapon that makes a brine so efficient at keeping chicken and other meats moist after cooking, but Thompson mentioned that other ingredients would be a welcome addition to your brine. "Stir in your salt and sugar until dissolved (that is the base)," he said. Then, "Add any extras you fancy." One important note about using coffee to enhance a brine is that it shouldn't be hot. "Cool it down before you drop your chicken in, as you don't want it sitting warm," Thompson said.

Coffee is a game-changer when it comes to augmenting a chicken brine, but why stop there? Alan Thompson suggested adding supplemental ingredients to the mix to achieve a harmonious blend of appealing flavors. "A bit of brown sugar for balance," the chef said. "Garlic cloves, bay leaves, maybe some thyme, which are all fairly classic, and they work well with coffee. Black peppercorns, too."

That may seem like a lot of components to add to a brine, but each serves a specific purpose. "The idea is to layer flavors so when you roast or grill the chicken, you are getting a savory, slightly smoky background from the coffee, lifted with herbs and sweetness," Thompson said. The jolt juice may be the hero, but all the extras help round out the profile.

However, because the beverage possesses such a potent taste, you wouldn't want to brine your chicken overnight. "If it's just pieces, three to four hours is plenty," Thompson said. "Any longer and you risk the texture going a bit mushy or the coffee flavor becoming overbearing."