A comprehensive guide to brining chicken, ribs, and turkey for juicier results.

Ingredients

Basic Concentrations:

  • Whole turkey: 2 cups salt to 1 gallon water, 12-24 hr
  • Turkey breast: 1/2 cup salt to 1 quart water, 4-6 hours
  • Pork chops: 1/2 cup salt to 1 quart water, 4 hours
  • Large whole chicken: 1 cup salt to 2 quarts water, 3-4 hours
  • Chicken pieces: 1/2 cup salt to 1 quart water, 2 hours (or 1 hr with 1 cup salt/1qt)
  • Cornish hens: 1 cup salt to 2 quarts water, 1 hr
  • Shrimp (1/2lb extra-large with shells): 1/2 cup to 1 pt ice water, 30 min
  • Thin fish fillets: 1/2 cup salt to 1 pt ice water, 10 min

Steps

  1. Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for the concentrations listed above.
  2. Cut salt amounts by 1/2 for table salt, or by 1/4 for Morton’s kosher salt.
  3. Use a food-safe non-reactive container. A plastic cooking bag works well for a turkey: set the bag in a deep pan, put turkey in bag and fill bag with brine and remove all air and twist shut and brine.
  4. Always refrigerate during brining.
  5. Always rinse brine off meat and pat dry with paper towels.
  6. Use low end of brining times so meat doesn’t get too salty tasting.
  7. Reduce salt used in your recipe until you have cooked it and tasted it.

Notes

  • Meat loses about 30% of its weight during cooking. But if you soak the meat in a brine first, you can reduce the moisture loss to 15%. Brining enhances juiciness.
  • A marinade is usually an acidic liquid (vinegar, wine, or citric juice). These liquids dissolve proteins and even plant cellulose, but the effect is localized to the surface of the food.
  • Table Salt has been refined with anti-caking agents and iodine.
  • Sea Salt comes from the ocean. Contrary to popular belief, sea salt is no more nutritious or salty than other varieties.
  • Coarse Salt has crystals of differing grain shapes. These dissolve at different speeds.
  • Kosher Salt is the choice of most professional chefs. It’s pure refined rock salt, also known as “coarse salt” or “pickling salt”. Because it does not contain magnesium carbonate, it will not cloud items to which it is added.
  • Small, thin items can stand a stronger brine for they are in solution a shorter amount of time, while bigger items brine longer and use a weaker concentration.
  • Meat cooks more evenly and less overcooking. Foods cook faster for water filled cells conduct more heat.
  • Pork can be “done” without being dry so don’t overcook.