What To Do With Leftover Chicken Brine? [3 CLEVER Ways]

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Nothing makes us drool like a juicy, delicious chicken. Chicken brine is an excellent way to ensure your chicken is tender and juicy. Since we used to store and season the chicken, chances are there will be some leftovers. 

Are you wondering what to do with it? Well, we are here to help you with exactly that! 

So, what to do with leftover chicken brine?

There is more than one way of reusing leftover chicken brine. Chicken brine makes a great soup base and adds more flavor. You can also use it to make a sauce by adding more ingredients and seasoning. And, of course, using it to smoke meats like pork and turkey tastes the meat to the next level!

We are always finding ways to use leftover food. Chicken brine can be tricky to figure out. But don’t worry because, in today’s post, we will tell you not one, not two, but three genius ways to recycle leftover chicken brine. Please continue reading to find out what they are!

Things to Note Before Using Leftover Chicken Brine

Before diving into ways to use leftover chicken brine, let’s discuss some points you should know before using it. 

Are you wondering if chicken brine is safe to use at all? Well, in most cases, chicken brine is okay to reuse. However, there are some situations when you’d rather avoid them. This will ensure that your health is not at risk. We’ve listed some situations where you should stay clear of chicken brine. Read further to find out:

• Please do not use the leftover chicken brine that has been sitting in the refrigerator for too long. Chicken brine stays alright frozen for up to 14 days. This, of course, only holds if you have packaged the leftover brine properly. It is best to wrap chicken brine with plastic wraps.

• Please throw away the chicken brain if it contains raw meat. Raw chicken pieces or not safe to reuse. 

• Another time leftover chicken brine must not be reused is when it’s already been used once before. It is only safe to use chicken brine once, as the acidity level changes after use.

Leftover Chicken Brine: 3 Clever Uses!

Leftover chicken brine can do miracles for you or dishes if used correctly. As we mentioned earlier, there are multiple ways you can use leftover chicken brine. We have discussed three excellent ways you can use leftover brine. Read further to learn more!

1. Smoking meat

First, we will see how you can use leftover chicken brine to smoke meat. If you like smoking meats such as turkey and pork, you’ll love this little tip.

Using leftover chicken brine eliminates adding more salt or other seasonings. You can marinate the meat in the brine to enhance its natural flavors. Additionally, since the brine is meat-based, it goes great with meats like pork and Turkey. 

If you want to take brine marinade to another level, there are some ingredients you can consider adding. We have given you two ideas you can try:

• Tomatoes & Lettuce: Tomatoes and lettuce are suitable ingredients to serve with smoked pork and turkey. They add a subtle burst of freshness which tastes incredible, along with the brine-marinated meat. 
• Pickles: Many love adding pickles to various dishes, including smoked meat. Pickles taste delicious with smoked pork and turkey. Their distinctive flavor jazzes most dishes you eat it along.

Looking for some pickle recommendations? Here are a few we love:

• Dill Pickle-Get it From Amazon!
• Sweet Pickle (Cucumber)-Get it From Amazon!
• Okra Pickle-Get it From Amazon!

Read our article on Reasons why ham is mushy

2. Soup base

Next, let’s discuss using leftover chicken brine as a soup base. Chicken brine tastes excellent as soup. It adds a salty flavor to the chicken, which makes the soup taste delicious!

Are you wondering what you can add to make flavourful soup? Here are some of our suggestions:

Vegetables: You can add veggies like mushrooms, peas, potatoes, etc., to make your soup tastier and more wholesome. It is also a good idea to add veggies if your brine is overly salty. Adding veggies will balance these flavors out.

It is always preferable to use fresh veggies from local farms or grocery stores. However, if you’re in a time crunch, you can pick out some instant soup veggies to add. We have recommended some healthy, well-preserved instant veggies options for your soup. Check them out!

• Frontier Co-op Soup Vegetables- Get it Now!
• Harmony House Premium Vegetable Soup Mix- Get it Now!

Meat: Meat tastes excellent in soup. Many people love having bits of chicken in their soup. You may have to figure out the taste components if you plan to use other meat, but chicken, fried or boiled, is sure to taste great!

Shrimp: Do you like shrimp in your soup? If you’re a shrimp lover, you’ve got to try this! Shrimp tastes incredible in certain soups, such as Thai soups. If you don’t have shrimp on hand, you can always find suitable alternatives. 

Spices: Now, let’s talk about spices. You can go for options such as garlic, ginger, cinnamon, tomato paste, or curry powder. These ingredients are sure to take your soup up a notch. Please pay attention to the salt levels in the soup while cooking. 

Recommended reading – What Temp Does Butcher Paper Burn? | Best Thyme For Flavorful Cooking

3. Sauce

Finally, we are going to talk about the sauce! Have you ever considered using a leftover chicken brine to make sauce? Well, if you haven’t, it’s time you do! You can create some delicious sauce by using leftover chicken brine. 

Of course, it takes some extra ingredients to make a sauce out of leftover brine. Here are some ingredients you can add to prepare a lip-smacking sauce:

Coriander/Basil/Bay leaves: You want to add ground leaves to accentuate existing flavors. Just a brine-based sauce may miss certain flavors. So, we strongly suggest spicing your sauce up with ground leaves!

Oil: Oils like vegetable oil are a great addition to the brine sauce. It improves the sauce’s texture and makes the consistency richer and thicker. It is essential to remember not to add too much oil as it can also compromise the taste and texture of the sauce.

We suggest picking extra virgin olive oil. As brine doesn’t contain oil, olive oil is the best option. We also know how delicious and healthy it is! If you want some direction on which olive oil to buy, we’ve got you. Check out some of our top picks!

• AmazonFresh Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 365 by Whole Foods Market Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lemon Juice or Zest: Lemon adds a fresh, subtle, but strong flavor to many foods, including sauces. It is not only helpful in offering a refreshing taste but also thins down excessively thick sauces. Please remember to add the lemon juice or zest in small portions rather than risking an overly lemony sauce.

Tips and Tricks For Using Chicken Brine

Now, let’s go through some tips and tricks to make your time with the chicken brine simpler!

Tip#1: It is best to use stainless steel kitchenware while storing brine. Chicken brine is quite thick and runs a risk of rusting regular steel.

Tip#2: The best way of storing the chicken brine, as per the basic recipe, is by freezing it. You can store leftover chicken brine in the freezer for up to 14 days without altering its taste. 

Tip#3: It is crucial to ensure that the chicken brine you use is safe to consume. If you find anything funny about the chicken brine or if it’s been stored too long, it’s best to dispose of it.

Further reading – Why Does My Food Taste Like Charcoal? | Reasons why brownies did not rise

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I marinate chicken after brining it?

Yes, you can marinate chicken after brining. Doing this will infuse more flavors into your chicken and make it more tender. We recommend not adding salt while preparing the marinade. When you brine chicken, it already absorbs a certain amount of salt. This will result in your chicken becoming too salty.

How many times can I use leftover chicken brine?

It is best not to use leftover chicken brine more than once. While many claims using it 2 to 3 times is okay, we recommend not taking the risk. After using chicken reusing chicken brine once, its acidic level may change. Please look out for hazy or foggy-looking brine and discard it immediately. 

Can I brine chicken with broth?

Yes, you can brine chicken with broth. Also, water is mainly used to prepare brine; you can use bases such as orange juice, apple cider, vinegar, wine, beef broth, etc. you can pick one depending on your taste preference.

Conclusion

We have finally reached the end of today’s post! We hope our article on “how to use Leftover Chicken Brine” saved your leftover chicken brine from going to waste. As discussed, several people enjoy using leftover chicken brine for soups, sauces, and even to smoke meat.

Chicken brine adds flavor to standard recipes and gives food a richer taste. Please check whether your leftover chicken brine is still good to use. Additionally., it is best not to use leftover brine after you’ve used it once.

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for our next post!