Brining...

[The Mermaid Queen]

Do you? Don't you? Any favorite brine recipes?

I just wing it with some salt and a little suger... did some great boneless pork chops last year! I probably had a recipe at one time, but cannot seem to figure out where from...

 

[drogers]

Brining is pretty much a must these days, as lean as they make pork... Try using some apple cider vinegar and some mustard seeds in your pork brine next time - really works nicely.

I don't have any brine recipes though - just wing it...

 

[waste]

Hi Grace, my wife just started brining whole chickens this past winter I asked her where she had heard of it she gave me this link http://bbq.about.com/cs/barbecuetips/a/aa112000b.htm

I gave the first page a quick read where it describes the process - there are also links to some recipes. I hope yoou find the link useful - Ted

 

[nater]

A friend told me how to brine about 2 years ago. He made a Thanksgiving turkey that was the best I've ever had (Don't tell Grandma), turns out he brined it over night. Since then, I do most of my pork chops and chicken that way before I grill. Keeps everything very moist and tasty!!

 

[induce]

Love the brine. kinda still a secret around here. Really makes killer ribs.
In addition to the salt, i also add at times:

apple juice
brown sugar
pineapple juice
any good meat rub
beer
good ole Kentucky bourbon

Pork tenderloins brine great too. take em out and rub lightly with "big bubba's rubba", then smoke @ 250 til done. i found the rub and other good stuff @ www.peppersofkeywest.com
They sell great meat mops there too. look just like a floor mop only much smaller. great for soppin on the sauce.

 

[induce]

Grace,
try this one:

Jamaican jerk pork tenderloin

4 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rum
2 tbsp jerk seasoning (i like big bubba's rubba)

combine in a bowl, sometimes i'll heat it on the stove to help dissolve the salt. strip the "skin" off the tenderloin and clean it up good with a sharp knife. marinate 12-14 hours.
remove from brine, rinse the meat lightly, pat it dry. lightly coat it with olive oil and just dust it with a bit more big bubba's rubba. smoke that puppy @ 250 til done. use a meat thermometer and get it to about 155-160. take it off and cover with foil for 5- 10 min. (the internal temp will rise 5 more degrees) slice thin. take bows, smack your mama.
2nd try: adjust sugar and salt to your palate. add more rum...dark kind.

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

mmm now I'm getting hungry... it is 30's and rainy today, no grilling for me!
C'mon back, spring!!

 

[SeanB]

I've never tried brining, but I guess it makes sense. The salt solution is going to go into the meat which has a lower salinity, taking the seasoning along with it.

I'm gong to have to try that real soon. There is a dish at Outback Steakhouse that my wife likes "Alice Springs Chicken" and it is the moistest chicken breast I have ever had. I wonder if that's how they get all that moisture in there.

 

[mwsmith2]

Brining! Heck yes! This is one I've used very successfully on pork. Give it a shot!

NANCY OAKES' VANILLA BRINE

This recipe makes enough brine for a 4- to 6-pound boneless pork loin, or six 1 3/8- to 1 1/2-inch-thick center-cut pork loin chops, or 4 pork tenderloins, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each. The recipe is from a forthcoming cookbook on meat by Bruce Aidells.

INGREDIENTS:

-- 9 cups boiling water

-- 1/2 cup sugar

-- 1/2 cup kosher salt

-- 2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper

-- 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all brine ingredients in a bowl, small crock or heavy-duty plastic container; stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let cool, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Add pork of choice (see headnote). Weight with a plate if necessary to keep the meat completely submerged.

Refrigerate 3 days for pork loin, 1 to 2 days for chops and 12 hours for tenderloin. Stir the brine each day and turn the pork occasionally.

Roast or grill pork loin or tenderloins. Grill chops or pan-fry according to directions in Cider-Cured Pork Chops.

Michael

 

[crazycanuck]

whats the difference between brining and marinating... is it the amount of liquid or the salt involved.

 

[gonefishin]

whats the difference between brining and marinating... is it the amount of liquid or the salt involved.

It's brining because of the amount of salt involved.


take care,
dan

 

[medvampire]

Brining removes water by osmosis. You can totaly dehydrate using salt only but in the intrest of flavor we replace the water with liquids with a good flavor.We kinda seek the spices through the back door due to the osmotic changes in the food. Brining gives you a deep penratation while marinade is on the surface.
Myself on pork sholder I use salt, brown sugar, apple juce, DHMO, and tabasco. Let it brine overnight pat dry and use a spice rub. Spice rub is brown sugar, chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. I put it on a smoker (hickory) for about 5 to 6 hours or when the temp hits 120-130 near the bone. I will pull it wrap in foil for about a hour or so...Now I am hungry. :eat:
Steve

 

[MikeInTN]

A tip on brining - be careful what you brine in, as the salt solution can react with metals, and can also leach nasties out of plastic that's not food-grade plastic. So, just to make sure I'm OK, I use the Reynold's oven bags as a liner for whatever container I'm using. The oven bags are made of food-grade nylon, so you're good to go with a brine. And best of all, they're big enough to brine a turkey in. :-D

 

[billybrobob]

Brining is counterintuitive. It adds moisture to the meat. You gotta' love Alton brown.