Why brine?

[BlessedSmokeTx]

Hello all,
Can someone explain the purpose of brine and the differences between a wet and dry brine? I’ve seen it in practice. I’ve assumed it’s to tenderize meats, but I’m not entirely sure. Thanks in advance

 

[JckDanls 07]

The dry brine is used to tenderize more so than a wet brine... Wet brine is to infuse moisture into the meat so as to not dry it out when cooking...

It's my understanding the wet brine works on pork and chicken... Beef, not so much...

 

[BlessedSmokeTx]

The dry brine is used to tenderize more so than a wet brine... Wet brine is to infuse moisture into the meat so as to not dry it out when cooking...

It's my understanding the wet brine works on pork and chicken... Beef, not so much...

Thank you!

 

[chilerelleno]

Brine can do three things, tenderize, lock-in and add moisture and add flavor.

With certain cuts of lean pork a wet brine is almost magical for tenderness and juicy moistness, and it can save a meal you happen to slightly overcook it.

I dry brine things like, beef steaks and roasts, I almost always wet brine porkchops and Loin Roasts, chicken and other Poultry is 50:50 dry/wet depending on how I plan on cooking it.

 

[chilerelleno]

And then there is injecting meats with flavorful brine.

A dry brine can also help dry out pork skin, for example Pork Belly with Cracklin Skin.
Or help get better bite-through on smoked Poultry skin.

 

[Fueling Around]

I brine to infuse flavor (mostly salt) in meat.
Amazing how it helps with moisture retained during cooking especially in poultry which is the only time I use a wet brine.
I use a wet brine which means the amount of salt is proportioned to the weight of the water and meat.

Dry brine means salt and all other seasoning are blended together and rubbed directly on your meat. This is a common on pork butt or brisket to season the night before putting on the smoker.

Now let us enter the "cure" brine. This adds cure#1 or sodium nitrite in the mix of salt and seasonings.
For whole meats I usually dry cure only.
Sausage is a whole different story

What is best you have to determine with trial and error.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Now let us enter the "cure" brine. This adds cure#1 or sodium nitrite in the mix of salt and seasonings.
For whole meats I usually dry cure only.
Sausage is a whole different story

WHOOOAAAA NELLY ... Now lets not confuse him even more with a wet/dry CURE brine yet...

 

[sandyut]

Brine can do three things, tenderize, lock-in and add moisture and add flavor.

With certain cuts of lean pork a wet brine is almost magical for tenderness and juicy moistness, and it can save a meal you happen to slightly overcook it.

I dry brine things like, beef steaks and roasts, I almost always wet brine porkchops and Loin Roasts, chicken and other Poultry is 50:50 dry/wet depending on how I plan on cooking it.

this 100% I use wet brine primarily on poultry, dry on beef. But my wife dry brine last Thanksgivings turkey and it was so good.