| What is brining? Why do it? | | | | Once you're ingredients are picked out, add them all in |
| Brining is soaking meat in a salt heavy solution. Just like | | | | a pot with enough water to easily mix and cover the |
| humans, most mammals are mostly made up of | | | | salt and sugar. Boiling is not necessary, just heat until all |
| water. When meat is soaked with brine, the water in | | | | the salt is dissolved. You can also just boil water in a |
| the meat will be drawn out into the brine because the | | | | tea kettle and pour into your ingredients. The brine |
| moisture inside the meat is greater than the moisture | | | | needs to be cold before adding the meat. You can |
| outside due to the salt. This happens until the point the | | | | wait until it's cooled, or just add it to the rest of the cold |
| that the brine dries out the meat so much that there's | | | | water and use ice cubes to cool it down faster. |
| more moisture in the brine. The meat will then start | | | | Brining takes 6 to 12 hours. Brining overnight is usually all |
| drawing in the brine and until the moisture is equal. This | | | | that's needed. At least double the amount of brine |
| is when the brine mixes all throughout the meat. Simply | | | | solution as the amount of meat is needed and at least |
| put, soaking meat in a salt heavy, flavored, and | | | | enough to submerge the meat in the container. Three |
| seasoned solution will replace the water in the meat | | | | times the amount of brine as the amount of meat and |
| with the solution, something no amount of basting can | | | | in a spacious container is best. Smaller items such as |
| achieve. This alone is reason enough to brine before | | | | pork chops can be easily put in plastic containers with |
| cooking, but brining also breaks down proteins which | | | | lids or even a large plastic zip lock bag if it's strong |
| make it harder for the meat to lose moisture by | | | | enough. Chickens or ducks may require a large stock |
| non-liquid means. So brining can evenly season and | | | | pot with a lid. It's always best to brine in the |
| flavor meat and also makes meat more juicy after | | | | refrigerator. Use a closeable cooler for brining turkeys |
| cooking. Brining is also the best way to season deep | | | | and keep the cooler cold and packed with ice. Never |
| fried turkey or chicken, since basting is not possible and | | | | brine in the sink or an open container. Although the salt |
| outer seasoning is limited to dry rubs or batter. | | | | in the brine greatly slows the breeding of bacteria, the |
| How to brine: | | | | brine and the raw meat are contaminated and should |
| The basic brine is about 1 cup of salt per 1 gallon of | | | | be treated as such. Prevent it from spilling or other |
| water. Many brine recipes will have equal parts sugar | | | | items in the refrigerator from touching it. |
| or brown sugar and salt. Sugar will help brown and | | | | After brining and before cooking, rinse the meat with |
| crisp the outside of the meat while cooking. Other than | | | | fresh water and dry. Do not add anymore salt during |
| salt and water, any other seasoning can be used in the | | | | or before cooking. Also keep in mind that most all |
| brine. Some of the water can be substituted with broth, | | | | meat cooks faster and browns faster after brining. |
| fruit juices, wine, or beer. Coarse herbs, seeds, and fruit | | | | Expect brined meat to cook about 10% faster than |
| can be added. Use whatever seasoning you want the | | | | unbrined meat. |
| meat to be seasoned with, including just black pepper. | | | | |