Never Fail Basic Brining Food

HOW TO MAKE A BASIC BRINE

Steps:

• Brining is a process similar to marinating in that both expose food to a flavored liquid, but they actually work in significantly different ways. Marinating is usually a relatively short process (3 - 5 hours) that primarily uses acid to break down meat fibers, resulting in greater tenderness. The flavors involved are often strong and leave a big impact on the food. Brining on the other hand, uses osmosis (via a combination of salt and water), to develop flavor and moisture. How does brining work? Salt draws moisture out of food; which doesn't sounds like a good thing. As an experiment, take two slices of eggplant, and liberally salt one but not the other. Let them sit on separate plates for 10 minutes. When you come back, you'll find that the salted slice has exuded a significant amount of water to the surface, while the other still looks relatively dry. That water is drawn out by the salt. So you may ask, if salt pulls water out of food, wouldn't brining a piece of meat pull all of the moisture out of it? Well, the answer is it does, but that ok because of....Osmosis. Osmosis, is a process where water moves and out of cells. And because salt draws water, we can use it to actually move water in and out of food. Without getting into the gory details, the salt in a brine, given enough time, will carry moisture (and potentially flavor) into whatever is being brined. Most brines also contain sugar, to balance out the salt, and bring some additional flavor the party. You can also add many other flavors, like peppercorn, or other spices, herbs, or other flavoring liquids. Unlike marinades, you need to brine for a long time (I never do less than 8 hours). Short periods will draw moisture out of food, without giving time for it to be pulled back in. Applications - what should I brine? I generally use brines for low fat cuts of meat. Brines are great for chicken, pork, and turkeys. In fact, I don't think I've cooked an unbrined pork chop in years. Depending on the meat, and what your mood is, you can vary up the brine's flavors but they should always have salt, sugar and water. Some Brine Recipes: Chicken or Turkey Brine Pork Brine Flavored Brines How to make a brine The basic brine consists of three elements - salt, sugar, and water (technically just water and salt, but I never make one without sugar). I use about ½ cup of both sugar and salt to one quart of water. To ensure that the salt and sugar dissolve in the water, I'll mix the salt/sugar in boiling water, using ½ the amount of total water, and then cool the mixture by added the other ½ quart's worth of water in ice cubes. While water is water, and salt, salt (actually there's many different types of salt, but for a brine I'd just use regular kosher salt), you can definitely have some fun with the sugar. White table sugar is just fine to use, but brown sugar carries a different flavor, as does honey, molasses, and maple syrup. By swapping any of these with white sugar you can modify the flavor of the finished product. You can also add other flavor components to the dish - peppercorns at a minimum, but any other spices or herbs you'd like, or aromatic vegetables like onion, carrot and celery. With each, the flavor will get carried into the meat as it brines. Preparation & Cooking I like to take the meat out of the brine for 15 - 20 minutes before I'm ready to cook it, so that it comes back up to room temperature (always keep your brining foods in the fridge) and to release some of the excess moisture. Then I season them as normal. One thing to note, is that the meat's taken on a lot more sugar than its natural state, and sugar burns more quickly than protein. So be a bit more diligent than normal and check the sear a little sooner than you might otherwise to prevent burning.

BASIC BRINE FOR SMOKING MEAT

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.)

NEVER FAIL BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour in the milk. Stir until dough begins to pull together then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Press dough together and then roll out until 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch round biscuits and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until golden.

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.

NEVER- FAIL BASIC BRINING RECIPE

Steps:

• Dissolve salt and sugar in water in a large stockpot or clean bucket.
• Remove neck and giblets and use to make gravy stock, if desired.
• Thoroughly rinse turkey under cool running water. Immerse the bird in the prepared brining solution and refrigerate or set in very cool (40 F or less) spot for 4 to 6 hours. (4 hours for small bird, 6 hours for larger bird).
• Remove turkey from brine and discard solution. Rinse both cavities and skin under cool running water for several minutes until all traces of salt are gone.
• Pat dry inside and out with paper towels.
• Place turkey on meat rack set over rimmed sheet pan. Place in refrigerator, uncovered, and air-dry for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
• Toss 1/3 of the thyme sprigs, chopped onion, carrot and celery in the body cavity of the turkey and scatter the rest in the bottom of your pan, along with 1 cup water. Bring turkey legs together and perform a simple truss.
• Set V rack in roasting pan, brush breast side with melted butter and place turkey breast side down. Brush the underside of the bird with the remaining melted butter.
• Roast breast side down for 45 minutes.
• With wad of paper towelling in each hand, turn turkey, leg/thigh side up, baste with pan juices, return to oven and roast for 15 minutes.
• Turn turkey other side up and baste again. Return to oven and roast another 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven a final time, turn breast side up, baste again, and roast turkey until breast registers about 165 F and thigh registers 170 - 175 F (another 30 to 45 minutes).
• Remove from roasting pan onto cutting board or serving platter. Let rest, covered with tin foil, for at least 15 minutes before carving.
• Use pan juices to make gravy.