Molasses Brined Roasted Chicken Recipes

MOLASSES BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
• Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Arrange in the prepared baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix the molasses, vinegar, and mustard.
• Bake chicken 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Coat chicken with the molasses mixture. Continue baking 20 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

MOLASSES-BRINED ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add kosher salt and molasses. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes or until salt and molasses dissolve. Transfer to a very large bowl, add ice and next 4 ingredients. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture cools to room temperature. Cover and chill 30 minutes to 1 hour or until cold.
• 2. Submerge chicken in cold brine. Cover and chill 6-8 hours.
• 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove chicken from brine; rinse and pat dry. Sprinkle with garlic salt.
• 4. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a 14-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 unpeeled garlic cloves, 1 thyme sprig, and half of chicken. Cook 5 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp (the molasses in the brine will brown the skin quickly). Turn chicken and garlic, and cook 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken and place on a wire rack in a jelly-rolls pan. Wipe skillet clean. Repeat with remaining oil, chicken, garlic and thyme.
• 5. Bake chicken, skin side up, at 400 degrees for 10-20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165 degrees (breasts will cook faster than legs, so check for doneness after 10 minutes). Cover with foil. Let stand 10 minutes before stirring. Serve with Roasted Chicken jus,, if desired.
• 6. Substitutions: 8 chicken leg quarters or 8 chicken breasts may be substituted.
• 7. To make roasted chicken jus: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Chop each carcass into 4 pieces; place in a lightly greased jelly-roll pan. Roast, turning occasionally, 35-45 minutes or until browned.
• 8. Cook onion and next 3 ingredients in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. (Do not overcook).
• 9. Add white wine to onion mixture, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring occasionally, 3- 5 minutes or until wine is reduced by three-fourths. Add carcass pieces and water to cover by 2 inches. Return to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 hours.
• 10. Pour sauce through a fine wire mesh strainer into a small saucepan, discarding solids. Let stand 10 minutes, and skim fat from sauce. Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat.
• 11. Whisk together constarch and 1 tbsp. water. Whisk constarch mixture into sauce. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat or to a desired consistency. Stir in parsley and chives; add salt and pepper to use.
• 12. Substitution: 2-3 lbs. chicken backbones or wings may be subsituted.

MOLASSES BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine salt, molasses, cloves, and boiling water in a large container. Stir until molasses and salt are dissolved; let cool to room temperature.
• Pour cold water into molasses mixture; stir to combine.
• Completely submerge pork chops in molasses mixture. Cover container and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly oil each chop.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pork chops on the hottest part of the grill; cook each side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium-high area of the grill and cook pork until it is slightly pink in the center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chop should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

MOLASSES CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Brush one side of each chicken breast with a light coat of molasses.
• Sprinkle both sides of breast with lemon pepper and seasoned salt.
• Grill, molasses side up, on medium temperature for 4-5 minutes.
• Turn (do not pierce breast) gently and continue to grill to desired doneness.
• I prefer to remove the breasts when they are still soft to touch at the thickest part.

BRINED ROASTING CHICKEN

Steps:

• For brine, combine the first seven ingredients in a large kettle. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Cool to room temperature., Remove giblets from chicken; discard. Place cold water in a 2-gal. resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Place in a roasting pan. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, turning several times., Discard brine. Rinse chicken with water; pat dry. Skewer chicken openings; tie drumsticks together. Brush with oil. Place chicken in a roasting pan. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 80-90 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings (cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly)., Remove chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Pour drippings and loosened browned bits into a measuring cup; skim fat and discard. Add enough broth to measure 1 cup. , In a small saucepan, combine flour and broth mixture until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken.