Alton Brown's Genius Prep Delivers The Juiciest Chicken And Steaks

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Alton Brown has some of the best home-friendly cooking tricks for elevating dishes. Restaurant-level food often depends on small hacks and tricks, some of which you can find in our beginner's guide to grilling like a master. Cumulatively, these easy pointers translate to elevated flavors in whichever dish you're tackling at home.  

Brown's advice is often rooted in simple science, offering straightforward steps to prep and cook with a few creative hacks thrown in for good measure. His method for ensuring chicken and other meats stay juicy and fresh while getting the perfect char on the outside is one such prep hack. In order for a chicken to roast perfectly, it must balance moisture and dryness. The insides need to be juicy, while the outside requires a low amount of moisture so that the meat can brown and get flavor. Ensuring chicken doesn't dry out whilst cooking involves keeping a close eye on the grill temperature; making sure it roasts well actually involves drying the chicken before it cooks.

In order to achieve both these objectives, Brown places a small fan next to the raw chicken while it's in the fridge, allowing a constant flow of breeze over the meat in the time leading up to the cook. The result is perfectly preserved, juicy protein with a dry exterior surface that's primed for grilling or roasting right straight out of the fridge.

To avoid the risk of spoilage, perishable foods shouldn't remain unrefrigerated for over two hours. Unfortunately, a layer of moisture forms on the outer surface of the meat once it is brought out to room temperature. While most of this surface moisture can be patted away, it's worth going that extra step to ensure the meat's outer surface is as dry as possible before it starts cooking. The smallest amount of moisture can slow down the browning, risking the rest of the meat overcooking as you wait for the perfect crust to develop. Even marinated meats benefit from a little dab to remove excess moisture before being placed on the grill or pan.

Given the importance of removing moisture from the surface, it's best to start on the task well before the cook. Dry brining is a great method to guide the moisture into the protein while keeping the skin relatively dry. This is because the dry salt rubbed on the skin helps draw out moisture, while simultaneously ensuring the meat also stays juicy and tender.

Air drying, however, is the best method of passively removing moisture from the meat, and Alton Brown's fan-in-the-fridge method speeds up the process significantly. Consider getting a small, wireless device, like the Otlonpe Personal Portable Desk Fan, which can be easily positioned next to the meat in the fridge. While large pieces of meat may require up to two days resting uncovered in the fridge to dry out, using a small fan can reduce the time this process takes. This is especially useful since even refrigerated raw chicken has a short shelf life.