Instead of PM'ing this straight to Sean, I'll just post it in case anyone else wants to try it out
Beer-Brined Chicken
2 Quarts Beer*
2 Quarts Water or equivalent amount of Ice
1 Cup Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Sugar
4 Bay Leaves
1 Bunch Thyme, fresh
1 Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
1 Lemon, quartered
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced
*For the beer, I'd recommend Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Oktoberfest, Hefeweizen, Bock, Pale Ale, or Brown Ales will work fine, depending on your tastes. You could use a Porter or Stout, but you'll need to cut the soak time considerably (6ish hours).
- Put all ingredients except for the water in a stock pot & simmer for 10 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat, add water/ice. Refrigerate mixture until well chilled. Add chicken to 2 gallon container & top off with brine. Soak 12-24 hours.
- Remove chicken from brine, rinse well & pat dry. Let rest while preheating oven to 475. Place bird on roasting rack & cook until internal temp reaches 160 (45ish minutes). Rest 15 minutes before carving.
You could also hot smoke it at 250. I'd recommend apple, pecan or cherry soaked in the same beer used in the brine for 30 min. Don't use hickory.
Beer-Brined Turkey
Same ingredients as above, plus
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 carrots, peeled & sliced
3 onions instead of 1
2 lemons instead of 1
(add those to the simmer as well)
Prepare brine as above, increase soak time to 24-48 hours
-Preheat oven to 350. Remove bird & pat dry. Truss with twine for shape & even cooking. Cook to internal temp of 165. Rest 20-30 minutes before carving.