{FOOD PROCESSING} LET'S TALK ABOUT BRINE!

I am just going to tell it like it is. I really hate dry, tasteless lean proteins. In order to avoid this disappointment, I brine my chicken breasts and lean pork chops 99% of the time. When I am too lazy to brine, I am guaranteed to be disappointed with my meal.

So, let's talk about brines!

Most people already brine their Thanksgiving turkeys, so this is not new news! Some also brine their whole chickens for roast chicken. Also amazing! However, I brine pretty much all my chicken AND pork chops (not together of course!)

The process of brining involves soaking your protein in a salty mixture, flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices. The brine penetrates into the protein, absorbing the brine, which ends up making your protein more flavourful and juicy. This trick is particularly useful for lean proteins that generally dry out when cooked (ex. centre cut pork chops, chicken/turkey breasts)

Note: brining red meat (beef or lamb) is not recommended, since they can be enjoyed undercooked and are usually already flavourful and fatty.

A basic brine is usually salt dissolved in water, but I personally like to make my brine a little more flavourful. Feel free to test out different herbs and seasonings when you have time, but below is my everyday recipe!

TRCW recipe: 

for 1kg of protein = 4 chicken breasts

(increase amount of brine for the amount of protein you are brining)

Ingredients:

2 cups cold water

1/4 cup pickling or coarse salt

1-2 bayleaves

1 tsp whole peppercorns

3-4 peelings of lemon zest (I use a peeler to get the zest without the pith)

1 tbsp raw or white sugar

2 cloves of garlic, whole

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a light boil, then lower to simmer 5-7mins.

Allow to cool before transferring to a plastic container big enough for the amount of protein and brine.

Taste the brine to gauge the level of salt. At this point, it is definitely TOO salty, so add 1-2 cups of cold water to dilute it. Taste again, and gauge the level of salt. You want the brine to taste like ocean water. Salty, but JUST overly salty. 

Add your protein to the brine, and allow to soak 3-4hrs. Soak larger cuts of meat and whole chickens longer (4-6hrs)

Notes:

• If you are planning to brine overnight, your brine should be less salty. Or you can brine for the prescribed time, and remove from the brine and keep until the next day.

• Should you forget about removing your protein from the brine, you can soak in plain cold water for an hour to release some of the salt.

• Brining requires some trials at first, so don't despair if your first time you don't get the results you want. Take note of how long you brined and adjust accordingly the next time.

• You can brine your protein right away after purchase, then freeze in freezer bags. This is especially convenient for cutting down marinade times.

• You can also brine previously frozen protein in cooled down brine. The salt helps to defrost the protein while brining at the same time, however add defrost time to brining time. If you need it ready for same day, leave on counter to defrost/brine. Next day use, you can put into the fridge.

• Do NOT reuse brine! 

• Unused brine can be frozen and thawed, so feel free to make a large batch if you want!