Beer Brined Chicken In A Beer Glaze

When the sun is shining the first thing many of us do is head for a good beer garden. Sipping a  glass of beer in glorious sunshine just seems a bit special.

It is pretty easy to get into a habit of drinking things like beer and cider a lot more regularly in the summer months so it is a really good thing that there are now some decent alcohol free versions. I know that I feel lousy if I drink too much alcohol over a prolonged period.. four days in Ireland has shown me that. Lots of people are cutting down on the amount of alcohol they consume, whether it is for health reasons such as pregnancy, safe driving or just out of choice, check out this article from the Guardian on mindful drinking. It is still nice to feel that experience and also the refreshing taste of a cold beer at your BBQ’s or get togethers and Dry Drinker have got you covered with a massive selection of low alcohol and alcohol free beers, ciders and even craft ale.

I was recently sent a section of Krombacher from Dry Drinker and I was pretty impressed with the crisp refreshing taste. I used some of my beer stash to create a delicious recipe for beer brined chicken with a sweet beer glaze. Krombaucher Pils was my favourite, it is low alcohol ( 0.5% ) and also isotonic ( so instead of drinking powerade post gym sash you could grab a beer instead ). They are also just 89 calories per bottle so perfect for anyone watching their calorie intake. You can get a crate of 24 for just £22.99.

Brewed using exactly the same ingredients as its famous Pils, this beer goes through a process of de-alcoholisation developed especially in Krombach, which enables the beer to retain the unique aroma which originates during the brewing process. Gleaming golden appearance, the fine-pored head, compact and resting like a crown, shows that this is a real Krombacher. Slightly sweet on the palate, the sweetness soon changes to a fine malty flavour and lightly hopped dryness. This typical Pils beer taste continues and remains constant in the mouth.
The largest brewery in Germany and the biggest family owned and operated brewery in Europe, Krombacher beers have been produced exclusively in Krombach since 1803 according to the German Beer Purity Law of 1516. This states that only 4 ingredients can be used in the brewing of beer – water, hops, barley and yeast. With sixty glasses of Krombacher drunk every second in Germany and its Pils being enjoyed more than any other Pilsener, it’s no surprise the brand is seen as the authentic taste of its homeland.

Why brine your chicken? Well it seasons the meat but also helps it retain moisture, in this case it also takes on a beery flavour.

So without further ado let’s get to the recipe for my Beery chicken!

Ideally you want to begin to prepare this a day in advance, you can brine your chicken for 8-12 hours if you prefer but 24 hours is best.

Beer Brined Chicken In A Beer Glaze

You will need:

For the brine:

600ml of water

4 tbsp of salt

1 bottle of krombacher

2 bay leaves

For the glaze:

1/2 bottle of Krombacher

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp of sweet smoked paprika

pinch of salt and black pepper

and a whole chicken of course ( I used free range, medium )

Brining: Mix your water, salt and beer together and pour over your chicken in a large bowl, add your bay leaves and cover in a fridge for 24 hours.

Glaze: Pour your beer, sugar, paprika and seasoning into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, leave to simmer until it thickens into a syrupy glaze.

Preheat your oven to 180c. Remove your chicken from fridge and pat dry with kitchen roll. Place in a roasting dish and brush your glaze ( reserving a small amount ) all over, sprinkle with sea salt and roast for the times given according to your chicken size, halfway through brush with your remaining glaze. I generally throw some potatoes alongside whenever I cook chicken and they really work well in this recipe.  I always recommend using a temperature probe for chicken, mainly because it is so easy to overcook and it can totally spoil the flavour and texture of your meat.  Leave to rest for 15-30 minutes and serve.