by Amanda Vittitow

Created on: January 11, 2009   Last Updated: December 08, 2011

Brining consists of immerging foods - or in this case meat - in a saltwater mixture to give them flavor and great tenderness.

Meats already contain saltwater so by immersing them into a high concentration of salt, the brine absorbs into the meat. Any flavoring added to the brine will be carried into the meat as well. Because of the extra moisture that is in the meat, it will stay that way as it cooks.

Brining is easy but takes some planning. It can take up to twenty-four hours or longer depending on the size of the meat. For instance shrimp may only take thirty minutes whereas whole turkeys or pork tenderloin can take up to twelve hours. If you're going to be brining whole poultry, you will want to add an additional six to twelve hours between brining and cooking.

The basic brining process consists of a cup of salt for each two cups of water. You will need enough brine to totally submerge the meat. Depending on weight, you may need something to weigh the meat down so no part of the meat is sticking out of the liquid.

Wondering what to submerge the meat in? Any kind of plastic container, crocks, stainless steel bowls, re-sealable bags, or any non-corrosive material is good. Of course the bigger the meat, the bigger the container.

So now that you have your container, what do you need to do to prepare the brine? First you need to boil your salt and water until the salt is dissolved. Add any spices and herbs and add any remaining cold liquids (whether it is stock, juice, or beer). Now you can add other ingredients like more juices or cut up fruit. Be sure that before you submerge the meat in the brine, that the brine is cold so it doesn't cook the meat as it soaks.

You will need to brine the meat an hour per pound. It's also important that the meat and brine be kept under forty-degrees whether it's kept in the refrigerator or kept on or in ice. The longer you brine, the stronger the flavor will be. After the meat is properly brined, remove the meat and rinse it.

And last but not least a great brining recipe for your holiday turkey

Roast Turkey - recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, Food Network

-The Brine:

1 cup of kosher salt

cup light brown sugar

1 gallon vegetable stock

1 T. black peppercorns

1 t. allspice berries

1 t. chopped candied ginger

1 gallon heavily iced water

-For the aromatics:

1 red apple, sliced

onion, sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup of water

4 sprigs rosemary

6 leaves sage

Combine the brine ingredients until the solids are dissolved and bring to a boil. Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate. Combine the brine, water, and ice in a 5-gallon bucket. Put the turkey in the bucket with the brine and let it soak in a cool place for eight to sixteen hours.

After brining, take the turkey out and rinse with cold water inside and out. Steep the aromatic ingredients and put them in the bird's cavity. Cover liberally with canola oil and cook at 500 degrees.

Bon appetit!

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