Pickle Juice Vs Buttermilk: Which Marinade Is Better For Fried Chicken?

A buttermilk marinade may be a traditional part of a classic fried chicken recipe, but in the last decade or so, using pickle juice to brine chicken before frying it has gained a lot of adherents. With both methods, the goal is the same: juicier, tastier meat. But which method is better? We tapped two experts to help us out with this nagging culinary query. According to French-trained Southern chef Virginia Willis, both methods achieve similar results. The salt in both brines locks in juices while the lactic acid in the buttermilk and vinegar in the pickle juice help to tenderize the meat. "Both the pickle and the buttermilk brines act the same from a chemical standpoint — the main difference in the two is flavor," the James Beard Award-winning chef told Chowhound.

If you're looking for bold and bright flavor, a pickle brine may be the way to go. "Pickle juice imparts a nice salty, pickly flavor," Lynne Just, consumer test kitchen manager at Hamilton Beach and a pastry chef, told Chowhound. The flavors you associate with dill pickle brine, like garlic, dill, mustard seeds, and coriander, will permeate the meat from the inside without being overpowering. You can also add your own spices to the mix. A buttermilk brine can also include additions but will likely be a little less bold than the pickle-brined chicken. There are some other differences between these two methods, according to our experts.

Beyond flavor, there are time and convenience factors to consider. Virginia Willis, who prefers using a buttermilk brine, warns that keeping raw chicken in the pickle marinade too long can result in "mushy" meat. That leads us to another difference. Pickle brining takes less time than buttermilk brining, so if you're in a hurry or not someone who plans ahead, you should take this into consideration. "The lactic acid in buttermilk tenderizes the chicken in a similar manner as pickle juice but does it much more gently," Lynne Just said. "Typically, a buttermilk marinade takes longer, up to 24 hours."

When it comes to convenience, the better option may be whatever you have in your fridge: If you have a jar of pickles, you can use some of the brine, while buttermilk is ready to use straight from the carton. If you want the crispiest fried chicken, go for buttermilk since pickle brine results in a thinner crust. "Buttermilk will holds on to more dredge and creates a classic crusty fried chicken," Just said. If you can't decide between the two, you can always do what Just does. "A few hours in the pickle juice then overnight in a seasoned buttermilk give me the best of both worlds," she said.