Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

Amarante

Tue, May 28 2024, 1:39 pm

It is pretty much grilling season year round in Los Angeles - yay Very Happy

but I thought I would try out a new grilled chicken variation.

I liked this very much as the marinade infused the chicken with a subtly delicious flavor - very easy as it needs to marinate for 24 hours anyway

Sweet Tea Brined Chicken

SERVES 6 to 8

Excerpt From: The Editors of Southern Living. “Southern Living - Best Fall Recipes

SWEET TEA HAS BECOME AN ICONIC SOUTHERN FLAVOR FOR POUND CAKES, ICE CREAM, AND EVEN FRIED CHICKEN. IN THIS RECIPE, WE BRINED PIECES OF CHICKEN IN THE TEA BEFORE GRILLING TO IMPART SUBTLE SWEETNESS AND MOISTURE.

2 family-size tea bags
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup kosher salt
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves
2 sprigs rosemary
1 Tablespoon crushed black pepper
2 cups ice cubes
3-4 pounds chicken pieces (I used bone in breasts)
2 (6-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan; add tea bags. Remove from heat; cover and steep 10 minutes.

2. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and next 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely (about 45 minutes); stir in ice cubes. (Mixture should be cold before adding chicken.)

3. Place tea mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal. Place bag in a shallow baking dish, and chill 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry with paper towels.

4. Light 1 side of grill, heating to 300° to 350° (medium); leave other side unlit. Place chicken, skin side down, over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 20 minutes. Turn chicken, and grill, covered with grill lid, 40 to 50 minutes or until done.

Transfer chicken, skin side down, to lit side of grill, and grill 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crispy. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.