To Brine or not to Brine?

Photo by Daryl Ann Yeany

To brine or not to brine? That is the question.  And as a chef it is a question that I am frequently asked!  So, in this week's blog I am going to discuss the world of brining, including how it works, benefits, drawbacks and techniques.  I will also share some great tips and guidelines to help you decide whether to brine or not to brine.  To answer this question it is important to first understand how the brining works.

What is Brining

Brining is a process where meats are soaked in a brine solution of salt, sugar and aromatics for flavoring.  Through osmosis the salt in the brine first pulls water out of the meat fibers.  It's counter intuitive, but initially brines dry out meats.  Next, through reverse osmosis, the brine is drawn back into the meat fibers creating homeostasis, or a balance of the liquid between the meat and the brine.   As the meat fibers absorb the brine, the flavors of the brine are also drawn in.  Next the salt starts to break down the connective meat fibers, making the meat more tender and allowing the meat to absorb more liquid than it initially contained before brining.

Effects and Benefits of Brining

1. Increase Moisture Content - Brining meats increases the moisture content making it less susceptible to drying out during cooking.  Brining in most cases is the best solution to avoid dry roasts. 
2. Seasons the Inside - Brine is drawn into the center of meat, seasoning it from the inside. 
3. Flavor - Another great benefit of brining is that whatever flavors in the brine are pulled into the meat as well.  This makes brining a great technique for flavoring meats from the inside out. 
4. Tenderizes - Once the salt from the brine is absorbed into the meat it starts to break down the connective tissue that makes meat tough.

Tips for Brining

1. Time - The longer the meat is left in a brine the more moisture it will absorb.  While meats will keep absorbing the brine over time, they will eventually reach a point where they cannot absorb any more liquid.  I generally brine fish for 24 hours or less, chickens for 24 to 48 hours, pork roasts for 36 to 48 hours and cuts like beef briskets for 3 days or longer.
2. Temperature - It is important to brine meats in the refrigerator for food safety reasons.  The only problem is the rate of osmosis is slower at lower temperatures.  To give the brining process a kick start, I cool my brine to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and then add the meat. 
3. Strength - The amount of salt in the brine will ultimately determine the amount of salt in the meat.  Generally a brine should be about 5% salt by weight of the brine.

Now, back to the question of whether to brine or not to brine.  I think brines play an important role in cooking, but only in the right applications.  So, here are my thoughts on different meats:

1. Turkey - While brining turkey helps avoid dry meat, I prefer not to brine my turkey.  I feel that the extra moisture content dilutes the meaty flavor of the turkey.  Brining turkey also makes the drippings too salty to use for gravy.  I follow the advice of food scientist Harold McGee and either roast the breasts and legs separately or I carve the breast into thin slices and mix them with the gravy, similar to saucing pulled pork.  The gravy will help moisturize the meat.
2. Pork Roast - I often brine pork roast, especially leaner cuts like pork loin.  Also, pork can stand up to the additional salt that brines add.
3. Chickens - I don't brine chickens that are being served as roast chicken for the same reason as not brining turkeys.  The chicken loses its meaty flavor.  But, if I'm cooking chicken to be cooled and used later for preparation, such as chicken salad or enchiladas, I find that a brine helps keep the meat juicy through the process of being cooled down and reheated later.
4. Beef - Rarely do I brine beef.  This is because beef tends to have a higher fat content, which makes beef roasts juicier.  The exception would be briskets for corned beef or pastrami, where the brine is essential to the preparation.

Here is a link to my basic brine recipe.  It's a versatile recipe that works great for poultry, pork or beef.  It contains pink salt, an essential ingredient for preserving meats to be smoked.  If you are brining meat to be simply roasted then I would recommend omitting the pink salt.