Pimp Your Finances

if anyone wonders, the salt helps the water mixture overloads the meat cells using osmosis to help it absorb/retain extra water, and the chicken DOES NOT taste salty...bon appetite!

Hey great exposure, keep up the good work!

I liked your grilling tips on the ddfd site! I have two additional pieces of advice for the backyard chefs out there:

1)Use actual hardwood charcoal. Not kingsford or anything like that, but true, natural charcoal. At first I would have to go to whole foods to find it but now see it at kroger, giant eagle, and even lowes! The taste is much better and it is healthier, as charcoal briquettes require plenty of toxic chemicals to manufacture (they are actually technology invented by henry ford). They also burn hotter and longer so use less than you are use to using with briquettes. Also, using a charcoal chimney and paper to get it started instead of lighter fluid also improves taste & health.

2) Don't marinade chicken...brine it: Mix 1/2 gallon of boiling water with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup salt (the boiling water makes it easier to mix). Let it cool a few minutes and add 1/2 gallon of ice. Rinse off the packaging slime from the chicken and soak in the icy mix for 1-2 hours before cooking (if there is enough ice you can do it on the counter, otherwise do it in the fridge). Right before cooking remove the chicken, rinse, and pat dry. Brush it with olive oil, rub with a dry rub (I use rosemary, garlic powder, pepper, chili powder, cayenne powder, and a hint of curry and salt) and grill to your hearts content. WHile it's grilling, baste with blend of vinegar and tabasco (nothing sugary). If you like bbq sauce or terriaki add this for two minutes per side at the very end, over direct heat (if you baste with sugary sauce the entire time it will burn on and taste bad but doing it the last two minutes lets it caramelize just the right amount) and you will have the juiciest chicken you've ever tried!

Good idea on the charcoal. We don't want to use chemicals to flavor our food, right? I have a chimney, but haven't really used it as I didn't think it could get enough charcoal started. I should give it another shot though...I've been trying to use less charcoal (to cook more slowly), so it should be enough.

I really like the chicken brine tip. I'll have to try that out.