Brine

[dwags55]

I am a newbee so please be gentle with me. My ? is can I use wine instead of water to make my brine for curing fish for smoking? Years ago I had a charcoal smoker & didn't know about brine to cure your food to smoke so any info would be apprecitated.

 

[nwdave]

Be gentle?  You must think this is one of those Diesel Truck Forums.  Nah, here they're gentle as lambs (although I think there's a couple of wolves lurking somewhere, it just seems too good to be true).  As to your wine brine info request, can't help you, though it's an interesting thought.  Be sure to check in to the Roll Call forum so you'll get a bigger audience and a proper intro.  Others will be along to comment and welcome you. 

 

[iso]

Nah, here they're gentle as lambs (although I think there's a couple of wolves lurking somewhere, it just seems too good to be true).

Hmm lamb.... that sounds good on the smoker for New Years.

Canyou use wine in a brine.... I don't see why not. Depending on the wine it may end up being really sweet. The key to brine is the salinty levels. During the brining process the meat would pull back in the wine flavors and sugar. Since you are new I would suggest starting out simple then work your way up on complexity.

Try something like this for fish:

1 Gallon warm water
2 Cups salt
2 Cups Brown Sugar
4 Tablespoons garlic powder
8 Tablespoons onion powder
2 ounce bottle of mapeline
1 1/2 cups Karo Corn Syrup

Mix and let cool. Brine fish for 6-12 hours. Remove from brine and let dry on paper towels for at least an hour or so. Smoke until done. Let cool. For a neat candy type smoked fish, brush with warm honey after drying on paper towels.

Or even easier:

Salmon brine:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup non-iodized salt
1 tea spoon garlic powder
1 tea spoon onion powder
1 qt warm water, mix good in plastic/glass container, and let cool before adding fish

Soak for 5 hours, rinse, let dry for at least one hour, and pepper like a steak.

This one would be the better candidate for substituting water with wine.

 

[mballi3011]

Now you can use wine in a brine but instead of the water.???? Isn't that alot of wine??? Now I have always used Tip's Slaughter House Brine for all my brining needs and it works just fine.http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/tips-slaughterhouse-recipes-for-poultry     here's a link to it.