Get ready to brine!

In this blog, Chef John is going to take us through the brining tips & tricks he’s gathered over 30+ years of being a chef. With these techniques under your belt, you can truly be the King (or Queen) of the Cul-de-sac!

When to Brine

Although brining comes up most often around Thanksgiving Turkeys, most folks assume it’s a complicated process and have been intimidated to try it. Have you ever overcooked poultry, pork, or lean beef? If you have, then you know that lean meat can go from juicy to dry in a New York minute. The brining process will add moisture to those lean proteins and help slow down the overcooking process. It’s not actually difficult and the effort is worth it for the results! Now is the time to try your first brine!

Tools for the Job

10 Pack of Steamer Pans
Nitrile Gloves
Holiday Celebrations Poultry Brine

Choosing Your Brine

There are two different types of brine, a wet brine (most common), and a dry brine. A wet brine is a saltwater and sugar mixture that you soak your protein in before cooking.The salt(kosher)/sugar/cold water ratio is 1cup/1cup/1gallon. Or, use our new Holiday Celebrations Poultry Brine. That is a perfect starting place if it’s your 1st time brining. Adding herbs, citrus, and spices is a great way to punch up the flavor profile of your wet brine. A dry brine at its most basic is equal parts salt and sugar, and it’s usually reserved for beef, fish, and sometimes pork. Dry brine is removed before cooking, by simply dusting it off or you can even rinse the meat under cold running water to remove brine. If you use cold water, remember to dry your protein before cooking. Adding spices, and herbs is a great way to add kick to your dry brine.

Seasonings to Enhance

Colden’s Freakin’ Greek Rub
Jody’s Asian Persuasion Rub
Ray’s Loco Gringo Rub

How to Brine

The very first thing you need to wet brine is a food-safe container big enough to fit your protein. For small items, you can use a zip-top bag, pot, aluminum pan, cooler or they make a ton of brining containers online. You just want your protein to be fully submerged in the brining solution. Simply dissolve the salt and sugar in water (I like to gently heat the water as I go to speed the process up, but it’s fine to use room temperature water). Once salt and sugar are dissolved, I remove it from the heat and cool brine down with 2-3 quarts of ice. Never add warm or hot brine to your protein, it will start the cooking process which will negatively affect the protein. Cover, and let sit in brine for 12-18 hours. The general rule is to brine for an hour per pound, this will ensure that you don’t leave your protein in the wet brine too long. Brining not only adds moisture but also tenderizes your proteins. The salt helps breakdown the muscle fibers in the protein but left too long it will cause breakdown in the muscle fibers that give the protein it’s shape and turn your protein to mush!

The Perfect Recipes

Here are a few recipes that are perfect to “break the ice” when it comes to a simple brine. My advice is to try something new and trust yourself. Whether you’re using the wet or dry method, play around with flavor combinations until you find something you really love. Remember, it’s always worth the effort because quality of food is quality of life!

Corned Beef Brine
Brined Chicken Wings
Holiday Turkey with Brine