Chef's Table

Beer Brined Free Range Chicken

This Beer Brined Free Range Chicken recipe creates a incredible flavored chicken, perfectly seasoned in side and out, moist, juicy and so tender!

CourseChicken, Comfort, Entrée | Main, Family Style, Fowl, Lunch, Main Dish
CuisineAmerican, Beer Cuisine, Comfort, Thanksgiving Feast
SeasonalFall Seasonal, Spring Seasonal, Summer Seasonal, Winter Seasonal, Year Around Seasonal
Food SectionBeer Brine, Chicken
Cooking MethodBeer Brine, Grilling, Roasting
BrewerySierra Nevada

Servings	Prep Time
4guests	10minute

Cook Time	Passive Time
15minute	24hour

Servings	Prep Time
4guests	10minute

Cook Time	Passive Time
15minute	24hour

Ingredients

Beer Brined Chicken Ingredients:

1quart water
1cup salt, kosher
1/2cup sugar
1each onion, yellow, large,peeled and sliced
1each lemonsliced into quarters
4each garlic, clovespeeled and smashed or sliced
4each bay leaves, preferably fresh
1bunch thyme, fresh
2pound iceor 1 quart ice cold water
60ounce beer, ice coldsee beer suggestions below (60 oz = 5 x 12 oz bottles)

1each chicken, preferably organic, free rangeabout 4 – 6 pounds

Instructions

Beer Brine Chicken Directions:

In a medium pot, over high heat, add the water, salt, sugar, onion, lemon, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors together, dissolving the salt and sugar. Turn off the heat and let the brine cool for 20 minutes, then add in the ice and beer of choice. Mix the ingredients together and take the temperature of the finished brine. A thermometer should read 40°F | 4°C or lower in order to be safe to use. If it is warmer, place the pot into a refrigerator/kegerator until 40°F | 4°C is reached.

Beer Brining the Chicken Directions:

Take the fresh chicken and remove it from its package in a large sink. Remove the neck, gizzards and liver, setting aside (for stock or gravy). Rinse the bird under cold water, turning the bird over a few times, washing any blood from the cavity and under the neck flap. Remove any remaining quills from the skin, if visible. Remove any excess fat from around the inside cavity. Turn off the water and lightly dry the chicken off with paper towels.
Use either a large 2 gallon container or 2 gallon Ziplock bag and add the chicken, then top off with the cooled beer brine. Place in the refrigerator or in an iced cooler for 12 – 24 hours.

Oven Roasted Beer Brined Chicken Directions:

Remove the chicken from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, then place onto a large plate. Discard the beer brine as it has done its job and shouldn’t be re-used. While the chicken rests and warms to room temperature, Preheat the oven to 475°F | 246°C, using a convection roast setting if your oven has this setting. As the oven is warming, place a large sauté pan (with oven proof handle), cast iron skillet or roasting pan fitted with a rack into the oven. Once the oven set to the roasting temperature, truss the chicken with kitchen twine (the technique on how to truss a chicken is below). Pat the chicken dry on last time with paper towels and lightly season the bird with salt and freshly cracked black peppercorns.
Remove the pan from the oven. Add the fat of choice (I love the flavor of goose/duck fat, but any fat or oil can be used) into the hot pan. Once it has melted add the trussed chicken back side down. Tilt the pan, so the fat pools to one side and using the spoon, ladle the hot fat over the breasts/leg/thighs, coating in the chicken in the fat. Then place the chicken into the center of the oven.
Roast the chicken until the internal temperature is 160°F | 71°C, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes. This will allow for any carry over temperature (the chicken will continue to cook even outside the oven, bringing the chicken to a safe 165°F | 74°C, due to the high heat cooking) and let the juices re-distribute through the muscles. Now the chicken can be carved, or used as needed.