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Eightyrecipes
Homemade Deli Meat
by Bity · eightyrecipes.com
Chicken breasts brined overnight in salt, honey and garlic, poached gently below a simmer, then chilled and sliced thinly for sandwiches.
Homemade deli meat sliced thinly and stacked on parchment paper with black pepper
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 5 servings
Calories 125 kcal

Ingredients  

Brine

  • 4 cups water 960 ml
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Chicken

  • 2 large chicken breasts about 1 to 1.3 lb total

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix the water, salt, honey and crushed garlic until the salt has fully dissolved.
  • Add the chicken breasts, making sure they are submerged, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
    Raw chicken breasts submerged in a salty brine with crushed garlic
  • Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry.
  • Place in a saucepan and cover with fresh water.
  • Heat gently until just simmering. Do not boil.
    Chicken breasts poaching gently in a pan of barely simmering water
  • Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until fully cooked through.
  • Remove and allow to cool completely.
  • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to firm up.
  • Slice thinly using a sharp knife, cutting across the grain.
    Chilled poached breast being sliced very thinly on a wooden board

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate. Total time includes 12 to 24 hours of brining and at least 4 hours of chilling. Never let the poaching water boil, as a hard boil tightens the fibres and dries the meat out. Chill the chicken completely before slicing, since warm meat shreds under the knife. Keeps only about 4 days, as there are no preservatives in it.
Nutrition
Calories 125 kcal
Fat 2.5 g
Saturated Fat 0.7 g
Protein 25 g
Carbohydrates 1 g
Sugar 1 g
Sodium 480 mg
Nutrition is an estimate, calculated automatically.
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