I'm just about ready to put my chicken on the grill. I've marinated legs and thighs in ranch dressing and will brush them with BBQ sauce when they are almost done. I don't even know why I marinated them in ranch dressing but just thought it was the right thing to do this morning. I've had beef to long and no chicken so this is the chicken day but in a few days it may be seafood day.
Am I doing this right?

Should be good! I occasionally dip chicken in ranch dressing, coat it in breadcrumbs and bake it.

Gourmet cook, that's me.

Cooking is a PITA these days with a vegetarian in the family but it's forced me in to new areas. I made an eggplant parmasue casserole last night (I took ownership because I used ideas from different recipes and made my own creation). It was pretty damn good.
My son's out of town so tonight is Tofu...something. When he's around, I usually just make 2 versions of something; one with chicken, the other with Tofu. Since he's gone, I'm on the hunt for something that's designed for Tofu (as opposed to just using it as a substitute). The stuff is damn boring (and just takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you put it in). I'm hoping for something more lively.

I don't think you can go wrong with that, Maggot (like I'd know). I've used Italian dressing for marinating before and I've used Ranch in pasta salads.

(07-12-2015, 04:03 PM)username Wrote: Should be good! I occasionally dip chicken in ranch dressing, coat it in breadcrumbs and bake it.

Gourmet cook, that's me.

Cooking is a PITA these days with a vegetarian in the family but it's forced me in to new areas. I made an eggplant parmasue casserole last night (I took ownership because I used ideas from different recipes and made my own creation). It was pretty damn good.
My son's out of town so tonight is Tofu...something. When he's around, I usually just make 2 versions of something; one with chicken, the other with Tofu. Since he's gone, I'm on the hunt for something that's designed for Tofu (as opposed to just using it as a substitute). The stuff is damn boring (and just takes on the flavor of whatever sauce you put it in). I'm hoping for something more lively.

I use to go to this little Korean place that made a spicy tofu vegetable soup. It was absolutely delicious. Then the lady and her husband retired and sold the restaurant.

How she made it I don't know. So this post really isn't any help to you.

A chef told me recently that the only thing that penetrates chicken is salt. Anything else should be used to dress as the meat cooks.

(07-13-2015, 10:49 AM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: A chef told me recently that the only thing that penetrates chicken is salt. Anything else should be used to dress as the meat cooks.

When grilling lean cuts of pork or chicken, I use a brine solution . . . salt (sometimes with sugar) and water, for a couple of hours.

Rinse before grilling.

Tender.

(07-13-2015, 11:13 AM)BlueTiki Wrote: I use a brine solution . . .

That always interests me around Thanksgiving. I've seen Maggot talk about it before.

(07-13-2015, 11:13 AM)BlueTiki Wrote:

(07-13-2015, 10:49 AM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: A chef told me recently that the only thing that penetrates chicken is salt. Anything else should be used to dress as the meat cooks.

When grilling lean cuts of pork or chicken, I use a brine solution . . . salt (sometimes with sugar) and water, for a couple of hours.

Rinse before grilling.

Tender.

Same here. I brine in saltwater or apple cider and salt.

(07-13-2015, 12:25 PM)Duchess Wrote:

(07-13-2015, 11:13 AM)BlueTiki Wrote: I use a brine solution . . .

That always interests me around Thanksgiving. I've seen Maggot talk about it before.

I brined mine last year. Came out great.

(07-13-2015, 11:13 AM)BlueTiki Wrote:

(07-13-2015, 10:49 AM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: A chef told me recently that the only thing that penetrates chicken is salt. Anything else should be used to dress as the meat cooks.

When grilling lean cuts of pork or chicken, I use a brine solution . . . salt (sometimes with sugar) and water, for a couple of hours.

Rinse before grilling.

Tender.

I'm not NEAR the cook I think I am (sometimes). I've only ever heard of brining whole turkeys and chickens etc. It never occurred to me to throw some skinless/boneless breasts in to a brine for a few hours before grilling. As a result, when my husband is cooking on the grill, I almost always use at least bone-in, skin on breasts just so they don't come out tasting like cardboard.

Inside, I usually slow cook them in some small amount of liquid for the same reason--I don't want them to dry out.

Huh.

(07-13-2015, 01:48 PM)username Wrote:

(07-13-2015, 11:13 AM)BlueTiki Wrote:

(07-13-2015, 10:49 AM)Blindgreed1 Wrote: A chef told me recently that the only thing that penetrates chicken is salt. Anything else should be used to dress as the meat cooks.

When grilling lean cuts of pork or chicken, I use a brine solution . . . salt (sometimes with sugar) and water, for a couple of hours.

Rinse before grilling.

Tender.

I'm not NEAR the cook I think I am (sometimes). I've only ever heard of brining whole turkeys and chickens etc. It never occurred to me to throw some skinless/boneless breasts in to a brine for a few hours before grilling. As a result, when my husband is cooking on the grill, I almost always use at least bone-in, skin on breasts just so they don't come out tasting like cardboard.

Inside, I usually slow cook them in some small amount of liquid for the same reason--I don't want them to dry out.

Huh.

Brining gives you a juicy tender bone in or out chicken breast. I actually put them in the brine before I put them in the freezer for storage until I'm ready to cook it. This way it brines as it thaws.