There are many different types of brining but for this post we are referring to flavor brining which is the process of soaking meat in a salt solution infused with seasonings. Most people think of brining in regards to the Thanksgiving turkey. However this method is not restricted to the holidays. I regularly brine whole or pre-cut chickens before cooking them. This works better with leaner meats and is not beneficial for fattier cuts like Pork Butts or Beef Tenderloins.
In my opinion there are two main reasons you would want to brine your meats.
- Brining helps to retain moisture in meats which contain less fat.
- Brining shields you from over cooking.
There is nothing worse than an over cooked chicken or turkey. Compare an over cooked regular turkey to one that has been brined and the latter will still taste moist and delicious. This saved me last Thanksgiving when I was distracted and cooked our turkey to 180 degrees! Normally this would produce a ! However because I brined it overnight the turkey came out perfectly cooked.
The ideal meats for brining are:
- Chicken
- Cornish Hens
- Turkey
- Pork: Only for leaner cuts such as chops, loin, tenderloin, or fresh ham
[framed_box]
[button size=”small” align=”left” link=”https://newsouthfoodcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/New-South-Brine1.pdf”]Print Version[/button]
Ingredients
- 8 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
- 1 ½ teaspoons allspice berries
- 1 ½ teaspoons chopped candied ginger
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except for ice in a stock pot and bring to a boil to dissolve sugar, salt and infuse seasonings. Remove from heat.
- Allow to cool slightly
- Add your meat to the brine and make sure it is submerged. If not then use a lid or something to hold it down.
- Depending on the type and size of meat you will want to brine anywhere from 4-24 hours. Chicken pieces pre-cut will take less time. Whole birds or large meats will do better with overnight.
- Place pot with lid in bottom of fridge. if it will not fit you can use a cooler with extra ice to keep it cold.
[…] Brine your pork for 24 hrs. Read more about why I love brining here. […]