Basic Brine For Smoking Meat Recipe 45 Food

BASIC BRINE FOR SMOKING MEAT RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the salt, sugar and water. Whisk vigorously until all the salt and sugar is dissolved. Then pour this mixture over the meat, poultry, or fish that you are preparing. Soak for several hours, or overnight. (Note: Make certain the meat is fully submerged in the brine, and make more brine as needed to fully cover the meat.)

BRINE FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF MEAT

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water.
• Brine the meat for approximately 30 minutes.

MASTER BRINE RECIPE FOR MEATS

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely before using.
• Large heavy duty sealable plastic bags work the best.

BASIC ALL PURPOSE BRINE FOR MEATS, CHICKEN, AND TURKEY

Steps:

• Makes 1 quart- make up additional amounts of brine if needed until meat is submerged.
• Stir ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Continue stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Allow to cool.
• Place meat or poultry in a food safe plastic bag inside another container for support and leakage control (oven roasting bags are a fine choice- NOT garbage bags).
• Pour cooled brine into bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible and seal with a twistie tie.
• Refrigerate for 3-4 hours for 3 pounds meat (such as pork ribs), 5-6 hours for a nice roasting hen, or 12-24 hours for a turkey, 12 hours being for a small one and the longer time for those turkeys around 20+ pounds.
• Discard brine before using and pat meat dry.
• If using poultry, you may want to add citrus fruit such as oranges or lemons, additional fresh herbs, or cloves of garlic into the cavity.
• Prepare meat as desired- roast, bbq, etc.

CHICKEN BRINE FOR SMOKING

Steps:

• Put water, salt, and optional ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts turn off the heat. stir to make sure the salt is fully disolved.
• Cool the Brine.
• Add the chicken and Brine in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours. It is if the bird is fully covered by the brine. If this isn't possible, turn occasionally.
• 1/2 hour before putting in the smoker, take chicken out of the brine and allot it to drip dry. I put it on a cooling rack, on top of a high sided cookie sheet. Make sure the cat's don't sample it.
• Rub with a Rub.
• Smoke it at a temp between 200 degrees F and 225 degrees F. A lower temperature will add more smoke flavor and tenderness but take longer.
• After between 3 and 6 hours (depends on the size, depends on the temp) the Chicken should reach 165. Pull from the smoker.
• Wrap in Foil and let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes. When I have a longer wait I put it in a cooler to stay warm.

BASIC BRINE FOR JUICY, TENDER CHICKEN OR TURKEY

Steps:

• Mix brine together well with a whisk.
• Place 1 whole chicken (thawed or frozen- you may also use chicken parts.) in brine for 2 hours up to over night. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
• Remove chicken from brine and rinse chicken well. You are now ready to make a tender juicy chicken dish of your choosing.
• NOTES: You can do this with turkey, as well. Also, you will notice that your leftovers, even after refrigerated overnight, are so tender and juicy whether eaten cold or reheated. The moisture retention really helps to make a chicken meal morph into a second meal when it holds its moisture. If doing a whole turkey, use the recipe servings changer to up the servings to 6-10. Put your turkey in an insulated cooler with enough water to cover and add in a 5 pound bag of ice. Brine overnight.