Brining is the process of combining saltwater mixture to meat before cooking to add tenderness and flavor to dishes. Brining food also lessens the cooking time

Brining as a method of preserving food has been done for centuries. In the old times, meat is mixed with salt mixture so that the food can be brought by the military to their missions as well as in ocean voyages.

The use of brining has changed when the refrigerator was invented as meat products are brined to allow the saltwater mixture to permeate the meat for a more flavorful dish.

Brining explained

Meat products already have salt water but the immersion of meat into saltwater concentration produces tastier meat dishes and products.

Brining is simple and easy to do, but it may require a cook to plan for brining. It may take around 24 hours to brine meats depending on how big the meat is.

The most common way of brining is by mixing a cup of table salt that has no additives or even iodine to a gallon of water. And then, the meat has to be submerged into the combined water and salt. The cook must ensure that the entire meat is submerged and not out of water; otherwise; there will be a discrepancy in the taste or saltiness of the meat.

Some meat might float and as such; the cook must find ways to weigh down the meat.

The meat should be brined for at least one hour per pound. The cook must then take out the brine and the excess salt after. Cooks should not re-use the brine for another meat.

Any meat can be brined. Brining is very beneficial for poultry products regardless of the dish that will be cooked. Meat that will be grilled, smoked or fried is best brined first.