Create a juicy and delicious for diner is easier with this simple tip! No more dried out and tough meat. Bring out the natural juices of your poultry with the help of these age old trick.
Adding or submerging your poultry or pork in saltwater bath makes it absorb more moisture while it is raw. This helps it from not drying out during the cooking process. Since the water you will be soaking the meat in is seasoned, it also lets the seasoning seep into the inside of the meat.
This process is also called brining. Brining has been done for centuries. It is highly used in Thanksgiving and holidays that require cooking soft and juicy meats.
Below is a chart you can use to guide you on the quantity and soaking time of each type of protein.
This is how you do it:
Brining 101
Create the basic brine: This recipe will make 1 quart of brine. Adjust the ingredients when you want to increase the decrease the quantity.
Ingredients:
- A cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of kosher salt or 2 tablespoons of table salt
- A tablespoon of sugar
- Half a bay leaf
- One fourth black peppercorns
- 3 cups of cold water
Directions
Heat all the ingredients except for the 2 cups of cold water. Let it boil for a few minutes. Cool it down by removing it from the oven and adding in the three cups of cold water.
Brining the meat:
Meat: 2 and half inch thick pork chops
Brine: one quart of brine
Soaking time: 2 to 4 hours
Meat: Chicken or Turkey parts and Pork Roasts
Brine: 2 quarts
Soaking time: 6 to 8 hours
Meat: Whole chicken
Brine: 2 quarts
Soaking time: 6 to 8 hours
Meat: Whole 12 to 14 pound Turkey
Brine: 1 gallon
Soaking time: 12 hours
Meat: Whole 16 to 12 pound Turkey
Brine: 2 gallon
Soaking time: 12 to 24 hours
Before roasting brined meat, make sure to pat completely dry before coating it in oil and cooking it. Not doing will so may alter the taste and tenderness of the protein.
Another extra tip you can do to maximize your brine is to add spices like cumin, star anise, cinnamon stick and coriander to the brine. You can also add citrus peels, chilies, herbs and fennel. You can experiment with flavor and try out different combinations.
