Everyone loves a really juicy chicken with crispy skin. Dry brining is much easier than wet brining and results in a juicy, well-seasoned bird that can be finished in the oven or smoker.
Preparation:
To cook:
Level: Easy
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cups Salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 whole Chicken
- FOR RUB:
- 1 tbsp Ground thyme
- 1 tbsp Ground mustard
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground sage
- ¼ cups Olive oil
Preparation
About 24 hours before cooking the poultry, combine the salt and baking powder in a small bowl.
Remove the backbone from the chicken and set aside. Taking a pinch of salt at a time, hold your hands about 6 inches above the bird and apply liberally all over the bird, on all sides. Rub into the chicken. Refrigerate uncovered for up to 2 days, a minimum of 24 hours.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the smoker or oven to 400ºF. Cooking times should not vary significantly between them.
Remove the chicken and on a cutting board, apply generous amounts of all the seasonings. The amount depends on the size of the bird, but you want plenty of seasoning on the bird. Also apply under the skin if you can. Use olive oil generously to help distribute the seasonings.
Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the internal temperature of the poultry reaches 160ºF for the breasts and 165ºF for the thighs. Leave to rest for 10 minutes then cut and serve!
Note: If you are sensitive to salt, you can wipe off the salt mixture before applying the rub.
