Basic Meat Brine

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Basic Meat Brine

Brining has been around thousands of years but in the last century or so, it's starting to make a comeback. It is a simple procedure that dramatically improves the flavor of pork and poultry.

• 1 c Kosher salt
  
• 1 c brown sugar
  
• 1 gal water
  

Mix salt and sugar with water, when dissolved add your choice of meat. Soy sauce is a variation that works well, but cut down the use of salt due to the already high levels of salt in the soy sauce.

Large cuts of meat like shoulders and whole birds need do best with 24 hours of brining. Thinner pieces like cut chicken and pork ribs can go over night but no longer than 24 hours otherwise they take on too much salt. This can be avoided by reducing the amount of salt however.

Other salts may be substituted but be warned, nearly all other salts are saltier than Kosher. Sea salt, canning salt and table salt can be used but some experimentation will be needed so your meat isn't too salty.

Keywords: Easy

( RG124 )