Brine Roasted Chicken

Brine Roasted Chicken

You know those rotisserie chickens from the market?, they are soaked in a brine, before being cooked, then patted dry, and rubbed with a mixture of oil and herbs. This recipe is based on that principle, with a Mexican flair. The brine gives the chicken an incredible flavor, tender and juicy.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2cups water
1/2cup coarse salt- like kosher or pickling salt
2Tbl. minced garlic
1Tbl. oregano
2Tbl. ground chilies ( I use chipotle)
3-limes
1can of frozen pineapple juice concentrate-thawed
a roasting pan with a rack
Preparation:
Heat the water and salt, on the stove, until the salt has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
In a bowl or pot, larger than the chicken, (The chicken has to be completely submersed) juice the limes and put the skin and juice in the pot.
Stir in the spices, pineapple juice, and cooled brine.
Put the chicken in the bowl, adding more water if needed, to cover it. Set a saucer on top of the chicken, for weight, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake at 375*  in a roasting pan with a rack, until crispy and cooked through. 1-1/2 to 2 hours

Mix the brine ingredients, in the bowl, submerse the chicken, adding more water if needed.

Set an inverted saucer over it, for weight. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

 I decided to roast it, this time, upright, on a clean empty beer can. I think I liked it better, this way, but I wound up with a bit more charring, than the rack method. It still tasted great though.
 

I discovered a  chicken and brine will fit in a gallon storage bag. If you remove the air, before you seal it, the chicken will be completely submersed. Set it in a bowl, in the fridge.