Spencer Metzger is a legend.
Until recently he was Head Chef at the Ritz, but he first got my attention when he won Great British Menu a couple of years ago.
His cooking is off the scale good, but it was his insistence on brining certain fish and meat that really drew my attention.
Because I never used to brine.
More fool me. It’s a game changer.
Particularly, I think, when it comes to chicken.
Brine a chicken the night before you want to cook it, and you won’t ever go back.
There’s lots of science behind it all, but essentially it truly transforms meat that – let’s be honest – can go dry very quickly, into moist, tender loveliness that just brims with flavour.
I just wish I’d got to it sooner. Chapeau, Mr Metzger.
Best of all it’s super easy.
Anyway, the market opens again on Wednesday at 7am and I’m expecting that Ross will have some of his amazing organic chickens (which, rest assured, don't look anything like the one in the video above) for sale. Try brining one and let me know how you get on.
Just before I go, I can’t not share this podcast with you. I’ve written before about the brilliant Mr Spector (Tim, not Phil) and the amazing ZOE study but if you’re even vaguely interested in how we really, genuinely are what we eat then you’ll get a lot out of this.
Nick