Naomi Pomeroy's Brined Chicken
This is a wow!
Naomi Pomeroy grew up cooking, learning from her mother. Me too. She makes soufflés. One of my favorite accomplishments was when my mother hosted a dinner party and asked me to make a Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert (after hers deflated). So when I heard Naomi had died in an inner-tubbing accident on the Willamette River near Portland, I wanted to learn more because I felt we had something in common. She started out with family dinners, served in her home, and ended up with prix fixe single menu dinners at the Beast which closed during Covid (been there with Comradity!) But the thing we really connect on - is the pig:
We’ll get to the brined pork later, but this chicken is awesome.
For the brine (enough for 4 chicken breasts, each serves two):
Bring 4 cups water to a boil, then remove pan from heat and add 1/2 cup salt and 6 TBS sugar. Stir until dissolved.
Add 1.5 lbs ice or 3 cups cold water to bring brine to room temperature.
This is enough for 4 chicken breasts with skin on and bones removed.
Since that’s a lot for my usual needs, I freeze half the brine and cook 2 chicken breasts at a time. But you may need the full recipe to cook 4 breasts.
The Chicken
Brine the chicken breasts for at least one hour, but no more than 1.5 hours. If you go longer, rinse and soak in fresh water for about 15 minutes or they will be too salty.
Rinse the chicken breasts and dry them. (Discard the used brine)
Pre-heat oven to 400˚F. If cooking 4 chicken breasts place a baking sheet in the oven to heat it up.
If cooking only 2 breasts . . .
Heat a cast iron skillet until very hot.
Add 1 TBS oil and heat until rippling.
Add two chicken breasts skin side down. Weight down with another pan or a grill press.
Cook for 2 to 2.5 minutes. Then flip over the chickens adding another TBS of oil and 1.5 TBS of cold unsalted butter. When the butter has melted, baste the meat. When moist, remove from stove and put the cast iron skillet in the oven to finish for 6-9 minutes until 140˚F.
If cooking 4 breasts . . .
See above to crisp the skin of the first 2 breasts. Then, transfer the first two chicken breasts to a plate and repeat for the other two. Then, rinse and dry the pan, bring to medium high heat and add 1 TBS oil. When shimmering, place two of the chicken breasts, skin side up, in the pan.
Add 1.5 TBS unsalted butter to the pan and when it melts, spoon over the chicken.
Remove the first two and all the basting juices to a plate and repeat.
After basting the second batch of two, remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the chicken breasts and all the basting juices on it and return to the oven for 6-9 minutes until 140˚F.
The Finish
Let the chicken breasts stand for 4-5 minutes, tented in aluminum foil. Then slice horizontally, into 7-8 slices.