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To Brine or Not to Brine
By Jo Ann Miller
My grandmother put her cup-up chicken pieces for fried chicken in salt water. I never knew why. I just knew that her fried chicken was wonderful. I thought it was just that she was the best cook ever.
Many corned beef recipes require cooking the salt water with pickling spices and brining the meat for a week or so before cooking. Salt is a natural preservative, and the British used brining to make their meats last longer. Thus, delicious corned beef.
CooksIllustrated.com says that the water and the two ions in salt add and retain moisture. Writes the tester, “Table salt is made up of two ions that are oppositely charged. Proteins, such as those in meat, are large molecules that contain a mosaic of charges. When proteins are placed in a solution containing salt, they readjust their shape to accommodate the opposing charges… reducing overall toughness… creating gaps that fill up with water … . The result is meat that is both juicy and tender.”
Thomas Keller, Uber chef, reveals his secret of fabulous fried chicken in the September 2008 issue of Bon Appetit. His secret? Brining. Thomas not only uses salt but also bay leaves, cloves, rosemary, peppercorns, thyme, honey, Italian parsley, and lemon peel in the brining solution.
The New Food Lover’s Companion says that brining flavors AND reduces cooking time. “Brining is an age-old process that has recently enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. The trick is the right balance of salt - too little and it won’t do any good, too much and the food will taste salty. Other liquids (such as apple juice, beer or wine) can replace all or part of the water in the brining mixture.”
Brining is best with white meats. It turns beef and pork gray; so, it is important to brown these meat after brining. Overbrining makes any meat mushy. It is best to use a container large enough to accommodate the food with enough room for the brine mixture to cover it.
Many recipes offer specific formulas for brining, but here are some basic guidelines offered by CooksIllustrated.com:
- 1 whole chicken or 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces - Use two quarts water, 1/2 cup table salt and 1/2 cup sugar for 1/2 to 1 hour.
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts - Use 2 quarts water, 1/4 c table salt and 1/4 cup sugar for 1/2 to 1 hour.
- 1 turkey (12-17 pounds) - Use 2 gallons water, 1 cup table salt for six to 12 hours.
- 1 turkey (18-24 pounds) - Use 3 gallons water, 1 1/2 cup table salt for six to 12 hours.
- 4 bone-in rib loin pork chops - Use 1 1/2 quarts water, 3 T water, 3 T sugar for one hour.
- 1 pork roast (3-6 pounds) - Use 2 quarts water, 1/4 table salt, 1/4 cup sugar for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Follow this with your usual cooking procedures, be it frying, roasting, or baking. The end result of brining is a more tender, more flavorful meat, regardless of your cooking methods. Call or email with questions!
Happy Cooking and Eating! Jo Ann Miller (Karyn’s mom)
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By Michael Osborne
February 21, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
Brining works like a charm on a wide assortment of meats. I have used the following brining recipe for Thanksgiving turkey roasted in the oven, as well as venison backstrap and pork loin. Brining time does vary depending on the meat. Turkey works well overnight, pork takes about 12 hours, and six hours is adequate for venison. Here’s the recipe for Oz’s All Purpose Brine: Per gallon of water add— 1C salt 1/2C brown sugar 1/4C cider vinegar 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 2 cloves garlic—crushed 12 black peppercorns 2 whole cloves (the spice)
Bring the water to a boil. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to dissolve. Cool the brine to room temperature. Place the meat in an appropriately sized baggie. Pour on enough brine to submerge the meat. Squeeze out the air, seal the bag and refrigerate for the prescribed amount of time. Remaining brine can be refrigerated and used within a week.
Try this for pit smoked feral hog, boston butt (oven or pit), beer butt chicken, or any big ol’ honkin’ slab of meat you roast in the oven.
By ruan pearson
February 25, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this | Report comment abuse
YEA! A new blog on brining. Loved Oz’s “big ol’ honkin’ slab of meat.