[markdchef]

Immersing in a solution of salt and water is called brining.

The recipe varies but the basic ingredients are cold water and salt.

The Food Network show Good Eats did a Thanksgiving show 2 yrs ago about brining. www.foodtv.com

[Anneke]

One of my relatives tried Alton's brined turkey recipe last year; no difference whatsoever. No notable improvement. As an advocate of brining (especially shrimp and pork), I was very dissapointed.

[ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: Anneke ]

[DaveB]

Several recent posts have talked about "brined" pork or turkey. This is a culinary term I'm not familiar with.

Can someone explain?

[DaveB]

Anneke, what are the advantages of brining, especially shrimp and pork, since you recommend them.

[Live_to_cook]

I can only speak to brining whole poultry, since I don't do shrimp or pork. I have seen numerous brined pork roast/loin/chop brines, though.

A good stiff brine makes poultry tastier and more moist. That's my experience, at least. It tenderizes, and helps excess blood or fluid leave the bird.

My wife's favorite chicken is brined, butterflied and roasted at high heat over a bed of thinly sliced potatoes (a la Cook's Illustrated).

(honey brined turkey) http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=102478

[Isa]

I'm surprised by your post Anneke. I brined my turkey last Chrsitmas, everyone commented on how flavourful and moist it was. No one knew at that point the turkey spend the night in brine.

[Anneke]

Iza, my sister isn't the best cook in the world, so I should probably try it myself before I rule it out.

Dave, the advantages are hard to describe.
In the case of shrimp, brine seems to restore that fresh from the sea flavour. It also makes them snappy (?!).

For pork, try this recipe; you'll see what I mean. Pork is so bland, I find this really enhances the taste and the texture of the meat. Got this one from David Rosengarten.

PORK ROAST
7 rib, center-cut pork roast
Brine:
8 cups water
1/4 cup coarse salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, smashed
Salt and pepper
6 ounces thick sliced bacon
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups pork stock or beef stock

In a large pot bring water, salt and sugar to a boil. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and garlic and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool and pour over roast. Marinate 8 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain.
Season meat with salt and pepper, wrap with a few strips of bacon and transfer to a roasting pan. Place in a preheated 250 degree oven for about 2 hours or until an instant read meat thermometer, inserted in roast, registers 140 degrees.
Yield: 6 servings

The new issue of "Cooks Illustrated" has a very comprehensive article on brining . . .

[W.DeBord]

Sara Molton has an episode about 2 weeks ago with a older southern lady (I can't think of her name at the moment... she's like 6'5" and 70 plus years old). Anyway you can probably find the show and her recipes at Food Network.

She was fabulous, a scratch cook/baker who uses "dump" measuring (which means she eyes her amounts, doesn't measure them)! She demo.ed her fried chicken and talked about her secret to really moist chicken and it was soaking them in salt water to tenderize (she has a cookbook based on her restaurants recipes). If you get the chance you should look up this episode...I REALLY enjoyed it and it was my intro to brining.

[Pete]

W. DeBord, was it Edna Lewis? She is the "Grand Dame" of Southern Cuisine. I had the pleasure of meeting her and sitting in on one of her lectures while I lived in Atlanta. She has done lots in promoting the food of Regional America long before many of the more famous chefs came along. She is a true inspiration.

[Linda Smith]

Although I still suffer from an extreme abhorrance for turkey, having roasted about 500 turkeys per annum in my catering days, I am still obliged to pull out the roasting pan twice a year. My 80 year old father-in-law insists. Brining a free range/organic bird is the only way to go. I always use kosher salt and I often add some herbs to the brining mixture.

[Isa]

Anneke, get your sister the Cook Illustrated Marye mentionned there is an anrticle covering the basis of brining.

[Anneke]

Yeah, I could, but that would mean I'd have to have a turkey dinner at their place sometime this year... (Sigh! )

[Isa]

[Kimmie]

just get «high»