Brining Confusion Solved

[jlloyd99]

Okay, I don't know if there is anyone else out there a bit mystified by the brining debate, but I was. So I went in search of answers as to why I should brine, when I should brine, what I should brine, can I compleatly say bollocks to this and continue on my merry way and not brine ever? I think these questions have finally been answered, in part by the great discussions I found here in this very forum and in part by a nice little post at http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/brining.html . This website breaks it down into very easy and quick explinations on pretty much everything you ever needed to know about the brining process and has links to more involved explinations. I suppose it also helped that I caught an episode of Good Eat's where Alton Brown brined a turky, bless his explinations and visual aids on how a cooking processes actually process.

Anyway, I just wanted to post this tidbit of info just in case any other newbies out there were baffled by brine as well. I suppose this would be a good place to weigh in on your thoughts on brining, your brine recipes, your experiences both good and bad, etc.

Happy Brining!

 

[scott in kc]

http://www.cookshack.com/barbeque_gu...Brining101.htm


I never cook chicken (for me this means breasts, not a dark meat fan) without brining, even if its been "enhanced" at the packers. A properly brined and smoked breast comes out as juicy as fried chicken, one of my favorites.

I have brined pork as well, but with less dramatic results on moisture content. It is a great way to introduce some flavors to pork butt which isn't one of my favorites. With a large cut like a butt instead of just a soak in the brine I find it to work better in a shorter amount of time to inject, then do a soak.

I don't brine enhanced turkey, just not worth the trouble of thawing early and finding room to do it in the fridge for me. I don't do whole turkeys any more so I'm really just talking about a breast here too. Instead of brining, I inject with butter that's just soft enough to be handled with the injector, when it hits the cold meat, it re-solidifies until the meat begins to cook.

Wow, I'm starved now, oatmeal isn't going to cut it for breakfast today!!

 

[reflect]

Thankyou both for the links. It made for a very nice read.

Take care,

Brian

 

[willkat98]

Agreed Reflect.

Cajun Smoker made a comment in someones welcome about 20 years doing birds and never brineing, and looking to maybe try it.

After these threads, I might want to try it to.

Good thread starter Lady J

 

[icemn62]

I always do some type of brine on chickens now, unless I am just cooking a few pieces. Then it is a marinade. The difference to me, is the salt content, and time length. If you brine, the meat will be the juiciest chicken ya ever had. It is worth the few extra steps needed to put good eats on the table.