How to Make Brine
One way to avoid overcooking meat and seafood is brining, or soaking lean meats or seafood in a solution of salt, sugar and water prior to cooking to make for a smoother texture and juicier flavor. As the meat soaks in the solution, it slowly takes on the flavors of the seasoning and becomes covered in a sticky coating. Once the meat is heated and cooked, the sticky coating turns into a jelly-like barrier, trapping in the meat's moisture. A wide array of brine formulas exist, but you can use a standard, all-purpose brine for most things. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Sugar
- Cold water
- Apple cider or orange juice
- Bay leaves
- Dried herbs and spices
- Lemon or orange slices
- Black peppercorns
- Garlic
- Lean meat, such as turkey, poultry or pork, or seafood, like salmon or shrimp
- Plastic 1 to 2 gallon zipper-lock bags, plastic containers or a cooler
- Ice packs
Instructions
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1
Choose the meat you would like to brine. The best options are ones that are lean and have a mild flavor, such as pork, poultry and turkey. Shrimp is also a good candidate.
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2
Mix together cold water, sugar and salt in a brining container. For every pound of meat, use 1 qt. of cold water and a bit of either apple cider or orange juice, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Kosher salt measurements vary depending on the brand you use.
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3
Stir mixture together until sugar and salt dissolve.
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4
Add extra ingredients for flavor. Some examples are dried herbs and spices like sage, basil, rosemary, cinnamon and cloves, citrus slices, black peppercorns and garlic cloves.
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5
Place meat or seafood in brining container and submerge in the solution. If you are using a large brining container, be sure that the meat is fully submerged in the brine by weighing it down with a heavy plate or bowl.
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6
Refrigerate. If the brining container you are using is too large to fit in a refrigerator, cover the meat with ice packs. For every pound of meat you are brining, refrigerate for 1 hour before roasting.
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Tips & Warnings
To maintain a crispy skin after roasting your brined meat, dry it in the refrigerator, uncovered; meat parts should be dried for several hours, whole birds, overnight.
Do not brine beef or lamb. Both are typically eaten rare to medium-rare, meaning that they maintain more natural moisture than leaner meats and do not benefit as much from the process.
Do not make more than 2 gallons of brine.
Avoid refrigerating brine for less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.
References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
