The science behind brining meat

In our last post showing you how we smoke ribs, we dry brined the meat before cooking. Brining works for meats other than pork. You may have heard of people brining their turkeys for Thanksgiving or Christmas, as it is especially effective at keeping cuts of meat from drying out during long cooking times. To explain how brining does this, you need to think back to your high school science class. Brining works because of osmosis. Osmosis is the process by which water moves from high concentration to low concentration through a membrane, until both sides are balanced. When meat is placed in a brine solution, there is more water in the solution than inside the meat’s cells. The water from the brine wants to move into the cells until the amount of water inside the cells and in the brine are at equal. When it does so, it also transfers the salt, sugar or other flavors that were in the brine into the meat. This causes the meat to swell slightly, and also to become infused with the seasonings in the brine.

In dry brining, the process works a little differently. When a piece of meat is rubbed with salt, water inside the meat’s cells actually moves out onto the surface of the meat, dissolving the salt. This creates a microscopic layer of salty water on the surface of the meat. This layer of water now has a higher concentration of salt than the water inside the cells, and it wants to move back into the cells until both sides are balanced again. In essence, the meat is brined in its own juices. Pretty crazy, huh?

Now that you understand the science behind brining, how do you make your own? For a wet brine, you can use the following ratios of water, salt and sugar, and add any additional herbs or spices you desire.

• 1 cup (250ml) water

• 1/3 cup (80g) Kosher salt*

• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

Bring water to a boil and stir in salt and sugar until they are fully dissolved. Remove from heat, and add in other herbs or spices if desired. Add enough cold water to measure 1 quart (1L). Once your brine is completely cooled, you can add your meat. How long your meat should remain in the brine depends on what you are brining.

• Boneless chicken breast - 30 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator

• Whole chickens, pork loins and turkey breast - 4 to 12 hours in the refrigerator

• Full-size turkey - 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator

For a dry brine, simply mix salt, sugar and spices together, and then rub onto the meat. Place the meat uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to one day before cooking. A good ratio for how much salt and sugar to use is roughly 1 teaspoon (6g) of salt and 1 teaspoon (4g) of sugar per pound (1/2kilo). We also always add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Once your have brined your meat for the required time, it’s ready to cook.

The next time you are preparing a roast, grilling chicken, or smoking pork ribs, remember to harness the power of brining to help you prepare the juiciest and most flavorful meat dishes.

*Keep in mind that 1/3 cup (80g) of table salt is not equivalent to 1/3 cup (80g) of Kosher salt. If you are using table salt, use approximately half the amount called for in the recipe.