Cooking Again: Garlic Apple Roast Chicken

After two colds and a virus I'm feeling better again. Besides being sick I have also been rather busy. In the past weeks I've been entrusted with keys to the restaurant; I now open on Fridays. I've written the test for the New York Foodhandlers certificate, which I aced. I volunteered for my former chef instructor, helping to give people a class themed on Thanksgiving sides. For American Thanksgiving I co-cooked a meal with my brother (whom is staying with us til he gets on his feat). And tonight I'm making roast chicken and mashed potatoes.

I've brined a 6 lbs chicken for 5+ hours. I made a sweet garlic brine and stuffed the chicken with a few apples.

Ingredients for 1½ gallons of brine:

1 qt hot water
1¼ gallons cold water/ice

5 bay leaves
1½ C salt
½ C sugar
¼ C honey
½ T pepper corns
½ T thyme
2 T lemmon juice

1. Combine all ingredients except the cold water. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 min.
2. Add cold water/ice.
3. Once brine is cold submerg in it the chicken under refridgeration.
4. Brine the chicken for 4-6 hours.
5. Remove the chicken and discard the brine. Roast the chicken or reserve for later use.

Note:

• Reduce the salt by half if you wish to double the brining time.
• Use any water soluble aromatics and seasonings in your brine.
• Double the recipe as needed.