brining bbq chicken

[Sussan Estela Olaya]

Hi Alden.

Yes, you can brine the chicken before cooking, but it’s important to be mindful of the salt content. If you’re using the Bryan Furman Barbecue Rub (or a similar blend that already contains salt), we recommend reducing the salt in the brine or making a salt-free brine using just herbs, spices, sugar, or lemon for flavor.

The goal is to avoid the brine + rub combo making the chicken overly salty. This way, you still get the benefits of a juicier chicken from the brine without throwing off the final flavor balance.

Here’s a recommended mild brine (to avoid over-salting when using a rub that contains salt):

1 liter of water

30 g of salt (about 2 level tablespoons)

Optional: aromatic herbs, sugar, lemon, spices (with no added salt)

This 3% salt concentration works well for a whole chicken weighing 1.5 to 2 kg. It helps improve the juiciness of the meat without making it too salty, even after applying a salty rub.

Additional tips:

Brining time: 4–6 hours (for pieces) or up to 12 hours (for a whole chicken, 1.5–2 kg).

If you’re using a commercial or homemade rub that already includes salt, avoid increasing the salt in the brine.

You can lightly rinse the chicken after brining and pat it dry before applying the rub to better control the final flavor.

Best regards.