Brine

A brine is a solution of salt in water, sometimes with sugar and spices. Soaking lean meat such as turkey, chicken or pork chops in a brine before cooking makes it juicier and seasons it more deeply. Brines are also used to pickle vegetables and cure fish and meat.

How to do it

1. Dissolve salt in water at about 5 to 6% salt by weight: 50 to 60 g of salt per liter (4 cups) of water, which is about 3 tablespoons of fine table salt. Coarse kosher salt is less dense, so measure it by weight.
2. Add sugar, herbs, garlic or peppercorns if you like. Warm part of the water to dissolve them, then add the rest cold.
3. Make sure the brine is fully cold, at 5°C (41°F) or below, before adding the meat.
4. Submerge the meat and keep it in the fridge the whole time.
5. Brine for: shrimp, 30 minutes; chicken pieces and pork chops, 1 to 2 hours; a whole chicken, 4 to 12 hours; a whole turkey, 12 to 24 hours.
6. Rinse if it was a strong brine, then pat dry well before cooking.

Why it works

Salt dissolves some of the muscle proteins, which loosens the fibers so they hold more water. During cooking, brined meat loses less moisture. Salt also moves into the meat, seasoning it below the surface.

Common mistakes

• Brining too long, which makes meat spongy and too salty.
• Brining meat that is already salted, such as kosher-style or "enhanced" pork and turkey. Check the label.
• Using salt by volume without checking the type. A cup of table salt is much saltier than a cup of flaky kosher salt.
• Leaving it out of the fridge. Keep meat at 5°C (41°F) or below.
• Not drying the skin, so it will not crisp.
• Using pan drippings from brined meat for gravy without tasting. They can be very salty.

In recipes

"Brine overnight" usually means 8 to 12 hours. A dry brine uses salt with no water. Brining does not change safe cooking temperatures; poultry still needs to reach 74°C (165°F). See internal temperature.