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Brining - How Long Is Too Long?

2K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  kaneohegirlinaz 
#1 ·
I put a split turkey breast in a wet brine yesterday at noon and went about my day,it was the first 'pool day' of the year... 80º out so we couldn't resist. I made a mental note to pull the bird out at 8pm to dry off...but everything got away from me (it was a really fun day).

I had made a basic brine of:

1/2 cup course kosher salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

6-7 quarts water

(and a boatload of aromatics)

When I got up this morning to make a cup of coffee, I reached into the `fridge for the cream pitcher and saw the pot-o-brine... ARGGGHHH! I forgot! DANG IT!!

So tell me, will the meat be inedible?

Both my husband I don't care for overly seasoned foods, salty is not a good thing to us.

I tried searching here at CT for the answer, I did multiple Internet inquiries, but no where do I find how long is too long to wet brine a turkey breast.
 
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#6 · (Edited)
That is quite a weak brine, It would likely be fine for up to 48 hours or more.

A good resource:

https://stellaculinary.com/podcasts/video/the-science-behind-brining-resource-page

By using only 1/2 cup kosher salt and 6qts water you are creating an equilibrium brine - which takes much longer than a stronger brine but makes it so that you can't really overbrine as the brine strength is the same % you want in the meat ~ usually 0.5% to 1% salinity.

[h20 (12lbs) + turkey breast (2lbs)] x 0.01 =0.14lb salt or 2.24oz (for 6qts water and small split turkey breast)

[h20 (14lbs) + turkey breast 4lbs)] x 0.01 = 0.18lb or 2.88oz (for 7qts water and average split turkey breast)

Kosher salt is between 5 to 7.5 oz per cup.

You used half a cup so between 2.5 oz to 3.75 oz

If you know how many oz per cup your brand of kosher salt is you can get much closer - especially if you adjust the above calcs to 'real' measurements rather than my 'guesses'

Hopefully you get the idea though!
 
#10 ·
@kuan I'm not wild about this one

it did come out a touch salty for us, but it's passable (that was lunch, I chopped up some of the meat and into a green salad it went)

I think what I really didn't care for was that I took a page from Ree Dummond's blog, I cut up two apples that were just about to go south on me....

meh, not so much, sorry #ThePionnerWomen
 
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