Brining a chicken or a turkey (for flavor and moisture)

John & Elizabeth

From the California Culinary Academy cookbook, BBQ, Grilling and Smoking, 1988
1 gallon of water
2 cups of kosher salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of molasses
2 Tablespoons of black pepper
2/3 cup of crushed fennel
1 Tablespoon of crushed sage
Zest of one tangerine or orange
Zest of one lemon

Make enough of the brine to cover your bird, and pack the bird into a cooler large enough to allow the bird to move a bit.  Weight the bird so that it stays below the level of the brine. Cover the bird with several frozen icees.  A chicken may be brined in 24 hours, but it will be a couple of days for a turkey, based on weight.  You may experiment with the seasonings as well.  Drain the bird well and season and bake as usual.  Enjoy :)

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How to use our Mild Italian Sausage

Mild Italian Sausage, suggestions for uses  (not a real recipe):

This bulk Italian sausage is seasoned mildly with fennel.  We often eat it over pasta or rice, with or without tomatoes, sauteed with sliced peppers and onions.  Our family likes garlic and sometimes we add crushed red pepper.

Served warm with a crusty loaf of bread and a crisp salad you have a quick and satisfying dinner.  A pound of sausage prepared this way will serve four hearty appetites.

Also:

• Cook, cool and crumble to top your favorite pizza
• Add, one to one, with grass fed ground beef, to your favorite spaghetti sauce recipe
• Add to your favorite meatball recipe
• Use it in stuffed peppers or in stuffed mushroom caps.

Check out more recipes on our recipes dedicated page.