Salt Chicken?

We bring you quick, useful and fun cooking inspiration 3 days a week from places we like from around the web, in 3 minutes or less.

Let’s get to it, clock’s tickin’!

Everyday Recipes

• Soup again. But it feels right for a Monday. Make a pot of this white bean and kale and keep it around all week. This recipe is actually vegan - but don’t let that scare you away - or add some sausage if you don’t want to ruin your reputation in the carnivore community!

• Given that there’s no dairy in the first recipe today I figured we’d try one that has dairy in an unexpected place. I would not think to melt cheese over roasted broccoli, or broccolini in this recipe for Broccolini with Cheddar, but it feels like one of those “how could this be bad” AND "seems pretty easy” types of things so will definitely give it shot.

Project Time

• One of the first cookbooks I found myself both cooking out of and reading for fun was the Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers (amazon or bookshop.org). The recipes are great, but more important, Judy has a very specific point of view on how things should be done that has informed my approach to cooking ever since.

• The most famous recipe is the Zuni Roast Chicken and Bread Salad and Food and Wine did an update earlier this year. If nothing else, cooking this should make you a convert to salting your meat a few days in advance whenever you have a chance to since, as Judy says with authority, “it’s just more succulent.” It also lets you cook it really hot and fast without drying the meat out, leading to amazing crispy skin.

Something Fun (or Interesting)

• We’re going deep into interesting here today - or at least interesting to those of us who are want to see the science on the relative merits of wet vs dry brining with this truly thorough piece from Amazing Ribs.

• TLDR - “Wet brining is generally best for lean, small and relatively quick cooking meats while dry brining is generally best for tougher meats and larger roasts that take longer to cook. Dry brining is easier and uses less salt. Dry brines are also best for skin-on poultry to help crisp the skin.” … so it sounds like Judy is right, as usual.

Let us know what you tried (just reply)! More soon.

Your Salt Pig Pals