Learn How to Brine

Looking to jazz up your next chicken, beef or turkey dinner? This blog will explain a great technique that will do so, and it’s called “Brining”. Brining penetrates the meat and provides a great depth of flavor that an ordinary marinade or plain salt and pepper can’t match! It is so simple but requires some time so plan ahead when making a meal with brined meat. Let’s begin with what goes into a brine.

Brine: A solution of salt, water and seasonings used for flavor and preserve foods.

When making a brine you can make as much or as little as you choose, depending on the meat you are preparing. You want to make enough so that the meat can be submerged in the brine to obtain maximum flavor. If you are a little pressed for time, you can inject the meat with the brine in the meat. I found a recipe but I thought that I would make it more customized so people can add what they wanted. Here is a list of ingredients which go well in a brine:

-Salt, sugar, brown sugar, honey, black peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, onions, juniper berries, sage, rosemary, citrus peel, thyme, pickling spice and of course water. Use warm water and taste the brine before adding the meat to make sure it is to your liking.  

There are so many more ingredients that can go into a brine but those are just to list a few. You can add as much or as little of any ingredient to make the flavor profile of your choice. If there is one thing I can advise is that you be careful not to add too much salt!! Lol you want a happy medium of salt, sugar and spices so your meat can be happy too! :D  Use warm water when making the brine so the sugar and salt will melt and not settle to the bottom. Cool the brine before placing the meat in.

Depending on how much time you have to brine the meat you can brine for a few hours or overnight. Before cooking the meat, rinse it lightly under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Any excess salt needs to be removed. Proceed with the cooking method of your choice and enjoy a great brined meat. I find that brined meat comes out a lot juicier and more tender than regularly cooked meat. Also, if you have the tools to do so, brine your next Thanksgiving turkey and you will have your guests begging for your recipe. Enjoy! Please feel free to ask me any questions. Rock on ya’ll!!   \m/