Good Eats USA

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Brining for BBQ

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We then go on to FURTHER information after SALTINESS
was encountered on our first go-around.

IMPORTANT NOTE !

Below please review the INDEX ===> and then go to
============================================
"General Comments"
directly below the Index to read Important Thoughts !
============================================
INDEX

Part 1 - INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS BRINING ?

Part 2 - GENERAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Part 3 - MORE QUESTIONS AFTER ST "BRINE"

Part 4 - TIME FOR FOOD TO BE LEFT IN BRINE

Part 5 - BRINING THOUGHTS FROM FERGY AND DAN GILL
 (Includes a major article From Dan Gill -
 "Turkey: To Brine or Not To Brine")

Part 6 - EXCELLENT BRINING RECIPES
 (Courtesy of Jim Minion, Big Wheel,
 Garry Howard, Marlene Rausch and Dan Gill

Part 7 - BRINING VENISON By Dan Gill

Part 8 - 3 IMPORTANT BRINING ARTICLES (Long)
 (These include additional Recipes)

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GENERAL COMMENTS

Be VERY CAREFUL on your salt solution.

Brining is VERY easy to do.

But it DOES require that you follow the
instructions detailed below. You will almost ALWAYS have
excellent results if your Poultry or Pork is Under Brined
(too little salt or too little time) but it MAY be almost
unbeatable if:

A) The brine solution includes too much salt,
B) The brine solution does not contain enough sugar,
C) The meat is left in the brine solution too long or
D) The meat is not washed thoroughly afterwards before cooking.

We might suggest you try the following:

1) Make your (basic) Brine Solution up using:
a HALF CUP of Kosher salt
a GALLON of water,
and use at least a HALF CUP of sugar.
And of course, your spices.

Brown sugar is preferred by many.
Also note that Instead of sugar or maple syrup, you
can try sweetening the brine with honey, molasses,
or even caramelized sugar.

2) Leave your meat in the brine solution on the low end of the
time table shown, or maybe an hour or more less to begin with.

3) Brining MUST take place at 40 degrees or below.
Please do not try and cut corners on the proper temperature.
Place your poultry in the brine solution after it is Cool -
 not while it is still warm.
Cool the brine solution with ice in plastic bags, if necessary.

4) Please be CAREFUL with what you put into your brine solution.
Acidic foodstuffs, such as apple juice, beer, orange juice
should NEVER be used on POULTRY.

5) To help make this text file easier to read,
we have divided the "Parts" with long ****** marks,
and divided up the recipes, etc. contained in each
part with ===== marks.
 
This should make this document easier to read.

Hope y'all enjoy this !
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PART 1 - INTRODUCTION

 "WHAT IS BRINING ?"

Much of this section taken
from Bill Wight's Grilling Perfect Chicken page
http://www.homestead.com//wight/files/chicken_grilling_faq_page.htm ~
============================================
Bill Wight is also the
Editor Of The BBQ FAQ's

"Frequently Asked Questions"
http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/

Brining a whole chicken or turkey (or parts thereof) is simply
submerging the whole bird, or pieces, in a brine solution for
about 12 hours. Be sure to do the brining below 40F, in the
refrigerator or in an ice chest under the ice.

It is GREAT on pork also.
See the first long article in Part 7 !
================================================
Why should I brine a chicken ?

Well, to get the perfect grilled chicken, brining is THE
way to go. To get a juicy tasty turkey, brining is ALSO
the ONLY way to go.

Brining also simply injects loads of flavors into meats.
Brining will give your meats the most amazing flavor and texture.
It should also be the moistest poultry you have ever eaten.

You will get similar results with Pork roasts, etc.

One last point - LEFTOVERS.

Leftover regular poultry is usually even drier and has that
typical day-old taste. But brined poultry will still taste
moist and fresh.
================================================
What's in the Brine ?

The brine is mostly water, some salt at a minimum and some sugar
and spices and herbs and onions and garlic at a maximum.

 What does the brining process do for my chicken or turkey ?

The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the
meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional
moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water.
The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more
moist and tender. Any spices, herbs or other flavorings you add
to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the
water. See section 10.5.4 of the BBQ-List FAQ version 2.0 for more
information on brining (brining a chicken is similar to brining a
turkey).
================================================
What do I use for a brine ?

As a general starting point, take one gallon of water and add 3/4
(preferable - but you can use up to a cup) of salt (kosher is best !),
1/2 cup of sugar and then the rest is up to you. Sliced onions are
nice, a few cloves of crushed garlic add a nice flavor and then
there's the spices and herbs.
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PART 2 - GENERAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

NOTE: Sections 2 and 3 are comprised of Questions posed to a
few of America's Top Pitmasters about brining, along with
their respective answers. Part 2 rambles on to cover more than
just "Brining," and hopefully proves quite useful on cooking
excellent BBQ chicken as well.
================================================
1) Do people smoke other than WHOLE chickens ?
I would really like to smoke breasts, but the one time
I tried breasts, they really did not turn out all that
good.

Dan Martin (DM): I have smoked boneless, skinless
breast's with good result's. I rub them with my regular
rub I use on butt's, smoke at 300o for about an hour
or an hour and a half. I use a polder probe in the thickest
part horizontally. I go to about 150o internal, I know that
sounds low but by the time I let them sit for a bit they
are up to 175o. I than put a light coat of sauce on
them and sometime roll them on the grill just to crisp
up a bit.

Bob In GA: Yes, I believe so. In fact people have actually
been heard saying they "smoked" barbecue also, so I
guess anything is game :)

Kit Anderson (Kit): Yes. I prefer cutting them in half and
keeping the backs for stock.
================================================
2) Is the Beer can approach the BEST way to do chicken ?

DM - I have done it also. I still like to roll on the
grill to crisp up.

Billy In Texas (Belly): Not for me.

Kit: "Chicken On A Throne" is a "presentation" recipe.
Meaning folks laugh when they see the chicken propped
up with a beer can. You put spices in a beer can, stuff
it in the chicken and smoke it. The problems are:

1. Waste of spices. There is no resulting flavor from
putting spices in the beer.
2. The chicken falls over a lot.
3. It doesn't get hot enough to evaporate the beer so
it adds nothing to the moistness.
4. You have to buy beer in cans. The only good beer
in cans is Guinness and the IRA will put a nail bomb
in your smoker for wasting it. So you are stuck buying
swill beer which only encourages them to make more.
5. The can keeps smoke from getting inside the chicken.

The result is good but not due to the beer.
Use the rub and forget the can.
================================================
3) How do you do (ie, smoke) chicken wings ?

DM: 2 hours at 250o, with a lot of hickory. I than
dip in a "buffalo wing" sauce and finish on the grill.

Belly: Soak them in Oil, Beer and Dr. Pepper,
La. hot sauce for an hour or three.
Then smoke for about one and 1/2 hours, or till done.

Kit: Like the rest of the chicken.
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4) How do you get the skin done, so that it
is not like 'rubber' like and yet not dry out the
chicken at the same time ?

DM - Cook at a hotter temp., and finish on grill.

Bob In GA: I think this is where your term "smoking"
and "grilling" come into play. With pieces, I can
get the skin very crisp and edible, almost as good
as hog skin by grilling it very fast on my 8" grill.
It more resembles fried chicken than slow cooked chicken.
My only guess to have the best of both worlds would
be to slow cook first and then finish the skin as you
would a pork bbq cut. But this may prove to require a
lot of judgment in knowing when to switch methods.
You could easily overcook your chicken trying to blister
the skin. I think it's basically like cooking pork bbq
but there may not be as much room for error in judgment
because of the lack of fat in chicken.

Belly: Cover with tin foil after smoke gets to
your liking.

Kit: Move it to the hot spot or increase the temp to
350 degrees for the last 30 minutes.
================================================
5) Any suggestions for both TIME and TEMPERATURES for:
a) Breasts ?
b) Whole Chickens
c) Wings ?

Bob In GA: Time will obviously depend on the size
of the meat in relation to temperature. As for
temperature, throw away your thermometer when
cooking the skin.

Belly: Breasts - 250/300 45 min. to an hour
-- Whole Chickens 250, Three hours
-- Wings 45 min.

Kit: A 4 lb bird will take about 4 hours at 250.
Start breast down for one hour. Pull it off when
the breast temp is 170.
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6) What about seasonings ?

Bob In GA: Avoid any finishing sauce that contains
ketchup/tomato products. You may as well have
oven-cooked it if you go that route. Salt and pepper
works good as do most ethnic spice schemes.

Belly: Any thing you like, Sweet Suzy Rub.

Kit: Peanut oil, pepper, sage, thyme, lemon pepper...
... the sky is the limit.
================================================
7) What does brining do to the chicken meat ?

DM - Helps retain moisture, adds flavor
if you spice the brine.

Belly: Makes it better, lots more moist.

Kit: It draws water into the meat and starts
cross linking (coagulation, cooking) of the
cellular proteins. This raises the temp at
which the cells breakdown losing their moisture.
Hence, juicer meat. The flavor is also enhanced.
================================================
8) Is brining a necessity ?

I have heard TWO conflicting opinions to brining:

One that it is the ONLY way to go, and Two,
that it was just TOO salty for people's tastes.

IMPORTANT NOTE;
Please read both the below part, as well as Part #2.
 
DM - Rinse REALLY WELL.

Belly: You MUST wash chicken a good two times after
brining and dry good; then put your seasonings on.

Kit: If it is too salty, you brined too heavily or too long.
================================================
 9) If we were to brine, would you brine chicken
breasts and wings also ?

DM - Absolutely.

Belly: YES, YES

Kit: Yep.
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10) And lastly, while we are on brining, I have read
several places that people bring more than just poultry.
Any comments ?

DM - Have only tried chicken.

Belly: Just Chicken for me.

Kit: When making pastrami or corned beef.
The flavor from brining is not desirable in pork
or beef BBQ. They will taste like SPAM.
================================================
11) Seasonings you might suggest for poultry
smoking ?

Belly: Sweet Suzy Chicken Rub ( makes out of sight
Chickens) While you're at it, use Belly's BBQ Rub or
Paluxy Valley BBQ Rub,
For pork Ribs try Jack's Rib Rub

Kit: See above. Just don't salt the meat if you brined.
================================================
PART 3 - MORE QUESTIONS AFTER ST "BRINE"

Well .... We did our first brine this weekend. The
results were rather incredible. Very juicy and
tender meat.
 
There was, however, too much salt for the breasts,
and almost right for the full-sized hen. We did
use Kosher salt, and we did let the solution cool
completely before we added the poultry. We also did
wash the poultry twice before we let it dry - smoked
9 hours later.
================================================
a) Would using sea salt, which supposedly has less
sodium, be as good as using regular or Kosher salt ?

KIT: No. Use kosher (doesn't have to be capitalized)
or pickling salt. Save sea salt for baking bread. To
reduce the sodium, use less salt.

Someone Else: No, it would just be a lot more expensive.
Don't use regular salt either. Stick with Kosher salt.
================================================
b) Can the percentage of salt used in the solution
(1 cup per gallon) be reduced without affecting the
brining process substantially ?

KIT: Oooo ! 3/4 cup per gallon is the upper end !!!
Add 1/2 cup brown sugar. It will reduce the salt flavor.
 
S.E. : Yes. The starter for my brine has 3/4 cup of
Kosher salt and 2/3 cup of white sugar. The sugar seems
to reduce the salty taste.
================================================
c) Can Dr. Pepper be substituted for 1/2 of the
water ? Example: 1/2 gal water, 1/2 gal Dr. Pepper,
3/4 cup sea salt, other spices as desired. (And the "Dr.
Pepper" could also include orange juice, beer, apple
juice, etc.).

KIT: Keep away from acids in the brine. It will cause
the meat's exterior to get mushy. Dr. Pepper is loaded
with phosphoric acid.

S.E.: Well, I don't know about Dr. Pepper. Belly swears
by it. You want to increase the sugar level in your
brine, and Dr. Pepper might just work. Stay away from
any acidic liquid such as orange juice or vinegar when
brining tender cuts of meat.
================================================
d) Any further comments.

KIT: Yeah...What's wrong with Glavine?
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PART 4
TIME FOR FOOD TO BE LEFT IN BRINE

shrimp - 30 minutes

whole chicken (4 pounds) - 8 to 12 hours

chicken parts - 1 1/2 hours

chicken breasts - 1 hour

Cornish game hens - 2 hours

whole turkey - 24 hours

pork chops - 12-24 hours

whole pork loins - 2 to 4 days
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PART 5 - BRINING THOUGHTS FROM FERGY AND DAN GILL

PART 5-A Fergy's Thoughts On Poultry

After brining, for turkey seasoning, I simply use just
salt, pepper, onion, garlic. Sprinkled on.

Baste with butter, garlic and onion.

Inject with a Honey-Butter-Garlic-Onion mixture after brining
in: Salt, Garlic, Onion, Molasses and Brown Sugar Brine.

I do them a little fancier than I really need to.
Simple is good!
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PART 5-B
Dan Gills' Web Page ADVICE On Brining

Dan Gill is another one of America's most respected
Pit Master's (like Fergy, Danny G, Dan Gill, Rock,
Kit, Belly), a title bestowed upon very few.

He has an EXCELLENT home page
(http://members.tripod.com/~DanGill/)

with a VERY large section dedicated to BBQ'ing and
Smoking, and helping others to learn the right methods.
He also has a rather complete page detailing the brining
process.

http://members.tripod.com/~DanGill/Smokecooking.htm#poultry

He has kindly allowed me to "borrow" his page intact.

NOTE: Dan is also the most kind host of
the "6th Annual Remlik Steamed Crab, Silver Queen, and Q Feast"
held at his home in Virginia at the end of July.
You can real all about it at
http://members.tripod.com/~DanGill/Announce.htm
================================================
"Turkey: To Brine Or Not To Brine"
By Dan Gill

"Turkey and chicken may be slow smoked but the skin is
rubbery and not very good.

They don't need a great deal of smoke flavor, so
temperatures of 275 * to 325 * are ideal. Use lighter
flavored woods such as cherry and apple.

If you smoke a turkey at temperatures of
180* to 225* F.,
you need to brine it or risk making everyone very sick
because the bird spends a lot of time in the danger
zone (40* to 140* F.). At 250* F. and above the risk
decreases dramatically. List members (starting with me)
discovered that brined birds are moist and taste really
good. Many of us have publicly declared that we will
not cook another turkey without brining it first.

Some people are sensitive to salt and find that birds
subjected to the full treatment are too salty for their
tastes. To reduce the saltiness, add sugar, decrease
salt, decrease brining time or soak the bird in fresh
water for an hour prior to cooking. You can brine just
with salt but since salt takes flavors in with it, why
not take advantage. Sugar moderates the salty taste and
helps keep the birds juicy. Most of the people who have
commented that their birds were too salty did not use
enough sugar. The garlic, ginger and maple flavors are
very subtle but enhance the flavor of the bird. For
safety, I would definitely recommend using the brine
full strength when cooking below 200* F. At higher
temperatures, you can cut the salt in half if you are
salt sensitive.

Do not over cook! Brined birds cook faster so be careful
and use a real thermometer inserted into the thickest
part of the breast. Cook to 170* internal. There is no
need to cook with the breast down because the bird will
be plenty juicy.

Estimate how much liquid will be required to completely
cover the bird(s).

for each gallon (which should cover one 16# whole bird
or two 8# breasts), mix:
1 1/2 cups salt
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/2 T crushed or minced garlic (or garlic powder)
1/2 T onion powder
1/4 cup pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 oz maple flavoring

I also usually throw in about 12 oz ginger ale.
Alternatively, use 1/2 T ginger (ground, minced or
whatever) in place of the garlic and onion.

Cover birds completely with brine and refrigerate
overnight. In the morning, remove from brine and
drain while preparing smoker. Smoke at around 275
(measured at grate level) to an internal temp of
170 basting with butter every few hours to give you
the golden brown skin."
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PART 6 - EXCELLENT BRINING RECIPES
Jim Minion:

Here are a couple of different recipes to try:

Honey Brine for Poultry

1 gallon water
1 cup salt ( sea or kosher)
1 oz tender quick (2 tbs.)
1 cup honey
3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. pickle spice
Mix ingredients and bring to boil, allow to
cool to room temp and brine recommended times
in the brine post.
================================================
Here is a second recipe

1 gallon water
3/4 cup salt( sea or kosher)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup molasses
2 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. thyme
1 tbs. oregano
bring mix to boil and allow to cool to room temp.

You can do your own other ingredients like maple syrup,
garlic, onion, allspice, ginger, or spices you like can
be used.
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Big Wheel's Prize Winning Brine !
1. Prize-Winning Brine Ingredients

1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or molasses
2 T. black pepper
1 T. mustard seeds
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped garlic (from the jar)
(or 2 Tablespoons granulated garlic)
1 T. Tarragon
1 T. Oregano
================================================
2. Split the chickens down the middle and rinse.
3. 12 hrs. is about right on time... a few hours either way wont hurt a thing.
4. Make sure the brine is "cold" before you place the birds in it or
they will absorb too much salt.
5. Make sure you use glass, ceramics, plastic or stainless steel
for brining cause it is highly reactive.
6. I usually make this up in half gallon batches which fit nicely
into empty half-gallon bottles of Ezra Brooks
-- Wife drinks the stuff ... I'm a teetotaler myself
================================================
7. Procedure

I then get the bottles of brine cold in the icebox.

Put 2 chicken halves in each bag and dump a half gallon of
cold brine on top of each.

Then stick the whole mess into an ice chest with ice.

Massaganate about once an hour or so ... (nothing critical
... just give them a shake now and then) while you help
empty more bottles for future brining episodes.
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FIVE (5!) GOURMET NEATO CONTRIBUTIONS THANKS TO GARRY HOWARD

(1) Joe Simone's Brine-Cured Roast Chicken
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Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
12 black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups boiling water
4 cups ice water
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) - cut into 6 pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh lemon - cut in half
================================================
In addition to roasting, Joe Simone of Tosca in Hingham often grills
these brine-cured chicken pieces (8 to 10 minutes on each side).
The delicate flavor of the brine allows the natural taste of the
chicken to shine through.

Combine the salt, sugars, fennel and coriander seeds, peppercorns,
thyme and rosemary in a large non reactive container.

Whisk in the boiling water and continue whisking until the sugars
and salt are dissolved.

Whisk in the ice water and let the brine cool.

Add the chicken to the brine, making sure all the pieces are
submerged.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at
least 24 hours, but no more than 36 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the brine and lightly pat dry.

Rub with the oil and shower with lemon juice. Season with
several pinches of salt and place in a roasting pan.

Roast for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is just cooked through.

Compliments of Garry's Home Cooking
http://cooking.netrelief.com
Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA
email: me@garryhoward.com
================================================
(2) Andy Husband's Brine-Cured Tuna over Frisee
with Champagne Vinaigrette
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
For the tuna:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 cups boiling water
1 dried chipotle chile - coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds - toasted
1 pound fresh tuna - Approx. 1 inch thick
 Canola oil - For brushing tuna
================================================
For the salad:
1 clove garlic - minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme - chopped
6 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2/3 cup Canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
2 small heads frisee (or other delicate salad green) -rinse and pat dry
================================================
At Tremont 647, Andy Husbands smokes the tuna after soaking
it in a stronger version of this brine.

Since the tuna in this recipe is going to be fully cooked,
the brine contains less salt and sugar.

For the tuna: Combine the sugar, salt, and boiling water in a
large non reactive container.

Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Add the ice water, chipotle, and cumin seeds,
and let the brine cool.

Add the tuna to the brine, making sure it is submerged.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

For the salad: Place the garlic, thyme, and vinegar
in a small bowl.

Slowly whisk in the oil to emulsify the dressing.

Whisk in the sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the frisee in a salad bowl and toss with half of the dressing.

Transfer the dressed frisee to 6 salad plates.

Prepare a grill or broiler.

Remove the tuna from the brine and gently pat dry.

Lightly brush with the oil.

Grill or broil to desired doneness
(approximately 6 minutes per side for 1-inch-thick tuna rare
in the center).

Cut the tuna into thin slices and arrange over the salads.

Drizzle the remaining dressing over each salad.
================================================
Compliments of Garry's Home Cooking
http://cooking.netrelief.com
Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA
email: me@garryhoward.com
================================================
(3) Maple and Dill Brined Salmon
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
1 quart cold water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 large bunch dill - coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic - smashed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 salmon fillet - About 2 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
================================================
this delicate brine performs magic on a sparkling-fresh fillet
of salmon. It plumps the fish with moisture and produces the
most tender, succulent salmon I have ever eaten.

Combine the water, salt, and maple syrup in a large non reactive
container.

Stir to dissolve the salt.

Blend in the dill, garlic, and pepper.

Place the salmon, skin side up, in the brine,
making sure it is submerged.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Turn on the broiler.

Remove the salmon from the brine and lightly pat dry
with a paper towel.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side down,
and coat with the oil.

Broil for 15 minutes, or until just cooked through.

Compliments of Garry's Home Cooking
http://cooking.netrelief.com
Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA
email: me@garryhoward.com
================================================
(4) George Germon and Johanne Killeen's Brine-Cured Pork Chops
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
1 cup fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme, and - coarsely chopped
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons fennel seed
10 coriander seeds
10 black peppercorns
5 juniper berries
5 bay leaves
1 quart hot water
3 quarts ice water
12 pork chops - 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
================================================
Since brining partially cooks the pork, the finished chops
will be rosy inside and very tender.

George Germon and Johanne Killeen often serve these pork
chops with pickled pears. Caramelized onions or any kind of
sweet-and-sour chutney would also make a nice accompaniment.

Combine the fresh herbs, sugar, and salt, fennel and coriander
seeds, peppercorns, juniper berries, and bay leaves in a
large non reactive container.

Add the hot water and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.

Stir in the ice water.

Add the pork chops to the brine, making sure they are submerged.

Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for
18 to 24 hours.

Prepare a grill or broiler.

Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry.

Lightly brush with the oil and grill or broil for
about 8 minutes on each side.

Place on a platter and let rest 5 minutes.
================================================
(5) Benjamin Nathan's Orange-Soy-Chile Brine-Roasted Duck
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
3 quarts ice water
3 cups soy sauce
1 1/2 cups mirin
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 1/2 un-peeled oranges - slice into half moon
1 1/2 peeled onions - slice into half moon
6 whole garlic cloves
1/3 cup fresh peeled ginger root - chopped
1/4 cup garlic chili paste
3 dried Thai chilies
1 1/2 tablespoons whole Szechwan peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 5 pound duck
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
This brine infuses the duck meat with a delicate, savory flavor
and makes it velvety and moist. It's good warm from the oven or
cold the next day. Note that the duck must soak in the brine
for 3 days - prepare it on a Wednesday night for a dinner party
Saturday night.

Combine the ice water, soy sauce, and mirin in a large
non reactive container.

Put the oil in a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat.

When hot, add the orange slices, onions, garlic and ginger.

Sauté until browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic chili paste and sauté for 2 minutes more.

Transfer to the soy mixture and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the duck on the rack in a roasting pan.

Roast for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 275 degrees.

Roast the duck for 1 hour more, occasionally pouring off the
fat as it accumulates in the bottom of the roasting pan.

Transfer the duck to a platter and let cool slightly before slicing.
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
Honey and Apple Smoked Turkey
By Marlene Rausch

You don't have to brine a turkey before smoking it,
but it does provide you with a moist, succulent bird.
I prepared four turkeys before getting this recipe
right and it is quite delicious. It turns out slightly
sweet and salty, nicely smoky and is one of those
mahogany visions that would be the envy of any every
gourmet magazine food stylist. You could probably use
maple syrup for this instead of honey. I also tried a
glaze of brown sugar and water, applied every hour or
so, during smoking and got great results.

1 turkey (10 to 12 lbs.)
================================================
BRINE
16 cups of water - approximately
4 cups hot water
3 cups pickling salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1 teaspoon saltpeter (optional)
================================================
DRY RUB
================================================
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup maple syrup
2 apples, quartered
================================================
SMOKER PREPARATION

Pre-soaked apple and/or maple chunks
apples, about 3 medium, quartered water

24 hours ahead: brine turkey
Fill a large, non reactive container such as a large
stock pot with 16 cups of water. In another bowl, stir
the four cups of hot water with the salt, sugar, onion
powder, garlic powder, pickling spice and saltpeter (if
desired). Stir into cold water in stock pot to dissolve
salt and sugar.

Immerse turkey in salted, spiced water and weigh down to
keep submerged. (I used a brick wrapped in a zip lock bag).
Refrigerate overnight or at least 4-6 hours. Once in
awhile, swish turkey around (this is called "overhauling').

Meanwhile, soak about 12-20 medium large chunks of maple
and apple hardwood in water overnight (or at least a couple
of hours).

Next day, remove turkey from brine. Dry very well. Mix dry
rub seasonings together: paprika, Old Bay, salt, pepper,
and garlic powder. Pat all over turkey.

Fill turkey cavity with a couple of quartered apple sections.

Prepare smoker according to manufacturer's instructions. Add
apple pieces to water tray.

Once briquettes are hot, place 4-6 wet wood chunks on top.

Place turkey on cooking grate and close lid. Baste with maple
syrup during the last three hours (every 45 minutes or so).

Smoke cook, about 4 1/2 - 6 1/2 hours, until turkey temperature
reads 160-165 F. Technically, turkey is thoroughly done when a
meat thermometer inserted into the thigh reads l80 F. However,
I found if you actually keep it on the grill until that point
it will dry out. At 160-165 F., the temperature continues to
climb rather quickly - even as you remove the turkey. Taking
it off at l60 F. ensures it will not be overdone and dry.

The first three turkeys I smoked were taken off between 170
and 180 F. They were flavorful but rather dry. The last one,
removed at 160 F., was perfect. For safety's sake, please
note that many home economists are emphatic about the l80
degree minimum.

Remove turkey from smoker, drain inside cavity. Cool to warm
before placing in fridge to "mature". (24 hours is best.
Overnight is okay).

Eat and Enjoy !
================================================
APPLE CIDER BRINED TURKEY
Courtesy Of Marlene Rausch
4 gal. Apple cider
4 oz. Kosher Salt
1 ea. Onion (diced)
2 ea. Heads Garlic split
4 oz. fresh ginger, chopped
3 pcs. Star Anise
4 bay leaves
4 ea. Oranges quartered

Method (In a large stock pot):
Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, and anise together in a
little Canola oil, until lightly browned. Add the bay
leaves and the oranges.
Sauté another 2-3 min.
Add the cider and the Kosher salt.
Bring to a simmer for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, transfer to another container and
chill completely (use an Ice bath if possible).

Rinse and dry bird.
Place bird in a large vessel to marinate in.
Pour the well chilled brine over the bird and turn to coat well.
Place a weighted plate or something of the sort over the
bird to keep it immersed.
Cover and refrigerate while marinating.
Turn the bird daily.
Marinate a minimum of 48 hours.
Reserve some of the brine to baste with if you like.

Proceed with roasting as usual ( I like to start with the
breast side down).
I made this much brine to marinate (2) 14# birds.

I highly recommend this brine and received rave reviews
with it last year. I will do it again this year.
Please let me know how it turned out for you !
================================================
 Zippy Smoked Chicken***

Here's a little hopped-up brine that I did for 6
chickens yesterday. Smoked at 230 for 3 1/2 hr ....
was scrumptious. Did with hickory. Fishing time is here
now and the boy and his friend caught a few brookys
threw them in the brine after the chickens came out.
Grilled them ...and they were outstanding. Brined the
chickens 14 hrs.
================================================
Chicken Brine

5 gal water
4 cups salt
4 heaping tsp. garlic powder
4 heaping tsp. onion powder
3/4 bottle liquid smoke (just do it)
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbl. oregano
4 heaping tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne
1/2 cup olive oil
5 bay leaves
4 heaping tbl pickling spice
1/2 26 oz. can whole jalepeno plus juice (snapped Jalepeno in half)
3 tsp. celery salt

Put all the dry spices in warm water for half hour
or so. Then place chicken in brine for appropriate time.

Wash chicken thoroughly afterwards
================================================
ONE LAST RECIPE

Karen Green wrote:
I think that (other than the smoking, if course) the big
flavor enhancer is injecting the chicken with spiced beer the night before.
Whaddaya think?
kg
================================================
Now you're talking. But consider this; A marinade only
penetrates 1/4" into meat. So that means a lot of poking.
If marinade too long, the acid makes the texture mushy.
A marinade, BTW, has oil, acid, and spices. The way to
get the flavor into the meat is brining because the as
the salt is absorbed, it brings in the flavors from the brine.

A brine is salt, water, and spices.

Funny. As a beer judge and home brewer, I am not big on beer
marinades. They end up reminding me of a garbage can.
(I think that may be acetaldehyde, but that's another story.)
Dan Gill's turkey brine is superb. My favorite brine follows.
I have used it on chicken, turkey, duck, and venison.
Just brine for a few hours if smoking.
The pastrami is excellent, BTW.

Plain old water (1 gal) and salt (3/4 cup) is also excellent.
================================================
 Duck Pastrami
Recipe By Emeril Lagasse
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 teaspoons dried thyme
3 bay leaves - crushed
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 tablespoons garlic - minced
1 teaspoon whole juniper berries
1/3 cup crushed juniper berries
4 cups water
1/2 cup light brown sugar - packed
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 duck breast, boneless, split ~2.25 lbs
1/4 cup coarsely ground pepper

In a small mixing bowl, combine the peppercorns, thyme,
bay leaves, cloves, garlic, and whole juniper berries.
In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the water, brown
sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the
sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and add dry spice
mixture and steep for 1 hour. Place the duck breast in a
glass or plastic container. Pour the seasoned brine to
cover the breasts completely.
================================================
Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the breasts
a couple of times. Remove the duck breasts from the
brine and rinse thoroughly with cool water.
Pat dry with a towel. Preheat the oven (smoker) to 250
degrees. Combine the crushed juniper berries and ground
black pepper in a small bowl. Using the palm and heel
of your hands, press 2/3 of the berry and pepper mixture
into the underside of the breasts. Press the remaining
mixture onto the skin side. Place the breasts, skin side
down, on a rack in a roasting pan in smoker) and roast
for 1 hour. Remove and let cool for 30 minutes. Wrap
the breasts tightly in plastic wrap and place in an
airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for at
least 1 week before using. To serve, remove the meat
and slice thin.

He serves this on French bread with provolone, mustard
and onion marmalade.
================================================
Dan's Chicken Marinade
Recipe By Our Own Dan Gill !
================================================
Amount • Measure • Ingredient - Preparation Method
================================================
ginger ale
vinegar
ginger
garlic powder
salt
turmeric
hot sauce
cayenne powder
Old Bay seasoning
================================================
For chicken, I use a marinade and mop based on
ginger ale and vinegar with ginger, garlic powder,
salt, turmeric, hot sauce, cayenne powder, and Old
Bay for flavor. These are my standard and favorite
spices but I also look through the cabinet to see
if anything else sounds good at the time. No
measurements - I just pour in what I think is right
for the amount of chicken. When the mixture passes
the smell and taste test, I dump in the chicken.
After the chicken has marinated, I boil the liquid
(for safety) and use it as a mop.
================================================
PART 7 - BRINING VENISON
By Dan Gill

I think for the first try, I would take the meat out of
the brine after 24 hrs, rinse, wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

This gives the seasonings a chance to equalize and cuts down on the saltiness.

Remove from wraps a couple of hours before cooking,
apply any surface seasoning you want (garlic, pepper etc.),
and allow to surface dry at room temp.

You need to be careful with fruit juice and enzymatic
tenderizers which can make the meat a little mushy;

but it sounds like you'll be fine.
Let us know how it turn out.

Dan Gill
================================================
 PART 8 - THREE IMPORTANT BRINING ARTICLES
(A) ARTICLE 1 of 3
This includes RECIPES From FAMOUS Restaurants !
Terry Light: Long IMPORTANT Ed Powlowski Post About Brining:
================================================
"I've copied below a post from Ed Pawlowski about brining.
I tried the 42 Degree Cider Cured Pork Chops recipe but
used a tenderloin instead of chops. It was excellent!

I'm kinda sold on the whole brining idea. For sure, I won't
ever cook a turkey again without brining it first. I once
"over" brined some wings (got called out of town and they
were in the brine 72 hours!!) which tasted a lot like ham
but otherwise have had good success doing it.

Hope the article is of some value!
Terry Light
Oak Hill, Virginia
================================================
This article is from the March 25, 1998 San Francisco
Chronicle. I have not tried any of the recipes in
this article.
================================================
READY FOR BRINE TIME

Salt and spices put old-fashioned flavor back into modern meats.
Janet Fletcher, Chronicle Staff Writer

Have you had it with tasteless, juiceless pork chops and
sawdust chicken breasts? Many professional cooks have, too,
which is why they're turning to an age-old technique to
restore the flavor and moistness that many meats used to have naturally.

In a growing number of restaurant and home kitchens, brining
is putting the juice back into pork chops and at least some
taste back into factory-raised chickens. By soaking the meat
for hours or days in a seasoned salt-water solution, cooks
find that they can transform lean pork and poultry with
minimal cost and effort.

"This brining, it's become an urban legend," says Pam
Anderson, Cook's Illustrated executive editor who has
written about brining for the magazine and jokingly calls
herself "the brine queen." Anderson once roasted more
than 30 turkeys to find the best cooking method, settling
on an overnight brine as an essential first step. "Every
time we do a poultry story now," says Anderson, "we find
that salt is the answer."

With brines, cooks like Anderson are trying to compensate
for the shortcomings of modern animal husbandry. Chickens
raised to market weight quickly on carefully formulated
feed don't have the flavor of those old-time barnyard
hunt-and-peckers. Nor does pork have the taste appeal it
used to. Bred for leanness to accommodate contemporary
concerns about fat, American pigs are 50 to 70 percent
leaner than they were 20 years ago, says East Bay sausage
maker Bruce Aidells. Fat, whatever its other failings,
contributes moisture and flavor.

"When they decided to market pork as the new lean white
meat, they completely ruined the product," complains
Nancy Oakes, chef at Boulevard in San Francisco
(and Aidells' wife). "If you cook pork loin at home,
you end up with this hard, dry, very lean white meat."

In response, Oakes began brining pork several years ago
at L'Avenue, her former San Francisco restaurant. At
Boulevard, a spit-roasted pork loin, brined for four days,
is a menu fixture, and brined turkey breast with
applesauce is a favorite staff meal.

Aidells, too, is a brining convert. His forthcoming book
on meat, due this fall from Chapters Publishing, will
include a small treatise on the practice. "To be honest
with you," says the meat maven, "unless you're really
careful, it's damn near impossible to produce a decent
pork chop without brine."

The succulent cider-cured pork chop at San Francisco's
42 Degrees testifies to brining's merits. Chef Jim
Moffatt swears by the technique, not only because it
infuses the meat with flavor but because it gives the
kitchen a larger margin of error. A brined chop will
stay moist even if it's cooked a little too long.

By what mechanism does a little salt water work such
magic? "It's our old friend osmosis," says Harold
McGee, the Palo Alto specialist in the science of
cooking. "If there's more of a diffusable chemical
in one place than another, it tries to even itself
out."

Because there's more salt in the brine than in the meat,
the muscle absorbs the salt water. There, the salt
denatures the meat proteins, causing them to unwind and
form a matrix that traps the water. And if the brine
includes herbs, garlic, juniper berries or peppercorns,
those flavors are trapped in the meat, too. Instead of
seasoning on the surface only, as most cooks do,
brining carries the seasonings throughout.

Aidells calls this technique "flavor brining"
-- done not for preservation (which would require a saltier
solution and longer immersion) but for enhancing texture
and taste. Even a couple of hours in a brine will
improve bland Cornish game hens, says Anderson, or
give chicken parts a flavor boost before deep-frying
or grilling.

Brines vary considerably from chef to chef, as do
recommended brining times. But generally speaking, the
saltier the brine, the shorter the required stay.
And, logically, the brine will penetrate a Cornish
game hen or duck breast much faster than it will
penetrate a thick muscle like a whole pork loin or
turkey breast. Meat left too long in a brine tastes
over seasoned and the texture is compromised, producing
a soggy or mushy quality.

Most cooks start their brine with hot water, which
dissolves the salt and draws out the flavor in the
herbs and spices. But they caution that the brine
should be completely cold before adding the meat or
it will absorb too much salt.

By playing around with the liquid base and the
seasonings, chefs give their brine personality. Some
use apple juice or beer for some or all of the water.
The smoked turkey that Jeff Starr of Stags' Leap
Winery produced for a food editors' conference in
Napa Valley last year was brined in orange juice,
rice wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar; some who
tasted it swore they would never cook a turkey any
other way again.

Seasonings can run the gamut from thyme, rosemary,
bay leaf and garlic to cinnamon stick, star anise
or vanilla. Many cooks put some sugar in their brine
to sweeten the meat and make it brown better when
cooked. Others avoid sugar, arguing that it makes
everything taste like ham.

Whatever their recipe, brining advocates keep looking
for other uses for their favorite technique. Anderson
says some people brine shrimp for half an hour; she
herself has begun soaking chicken parts in salted
buttermilk before frying to get the benefits of brine
with the tenderizing effect of the buttermilk.

If cooks like Anderson and Aidells continue to preach
the gospel of brining, diners can kiss sawdust chicken good-bye.
================================================
WHAT THE PROS KNOW

Here are some tips to start you in the brining business:

-- A heavy-duty plastic tub, earthenware crock,
stainless-steel bowl or even a re-sealable plastic bag
can work as a brining container as long as the meat is
fully submerged. Weight with a plate if necessary to
keep the meat fully covered by brine.

-- To determine how much brine you'll need, place the
meat to be brined in your chosen container. Add water
to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.

-- Start your brine with hot water to dissolve the salt
(and sugar if using) and to draw the flavor out of
any herbs and spices. Chill brine completely in the
refrigerator before adding meat.

-- Although some cooks prefer lighter or heavier brines,
1 cup of salt per gallon of water is a happy medium.
Use kosher salt that has no additives.

WATCH THIS !!!!!!! Try LESS Kosher salt. Maybe 3/4 to
2/3 cup per gallon. Do NOT try and use sea salt.

-- Experiment with seasonings. Salt is essential, but
everything else is optional. Consider garlic, ginger,
fresh herbs, juniper berries, clove, cinnamon stick,
vanilla bean, mustard seed, coriander seed, star anise,
hot pepper flakes or Sichuan peppercorns. To give pork
a sweet edge and encourage browning, add 1/2 cup sugar
to each 2 quarts of water.

-- Rinse meat twice after removing it from the brine solution.

-- Don't salt brined meat before cooking; it is already salted throughout.

--Don't reuse brine.
================================================
HOW LONG TO BRINE

The thickness of the muscle, the strength of the brine
and your own taste determine how long to brine an item.
For a moderately strong brine (1 cup salt to 1 gallon
water), the following brining times are rough guidelines.
If you aren't ready to cook at the end of the brining
time, remove the meat from the brine, but keep the meat refrigerated.
================================================
-- Shrimp: 30 minutes
-- Whole chicken (4 pounds): 8 to 12 hours
-- Chicken parts: 1 1/2 hours
-- Cornish game hens: 2 hours
-- Turkey (12 to 14 pounds): 24 hours
-- Pork chops (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch thick): 1 to 2 days
-- Whole pork tenderloin: 12 hours
-- Whole pork loin: 2 to 4 days
================================================
SUPER-JUICY ROAST CHICKEN WITH GARLIC & THYME

Even the breast meat is moist in this simple roast chicken,
which spends half a day in brine. If desired, brine it
overnight, then remove it from the brine in the morning
but keep refrigerated until dinner time.
================================================
 INGREDIENTS:
================================================
-- 1 chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
-- 1 lemon, halved Brine
-- 1 gallon boiling water
-- 1 cup kosher salt
-- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
-- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
-- 1 tablespoon coarsely cracked peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS: To make the brine: Combine all brine
ingredients in a bowl, small crock or heavy-duty
plastic container just large enough to hold the chicken.
Stir to dissolve the salt. Cool, then refrigerate until
completely cold. Place the chicken breast-side down in
the brine. Weight with a plate if necessary to keep the
chicken completely submerged. Refrigerate for 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove chicken from brine and allow to air-dry at room
temperature.

Squeeze 1 of the lemon halves in the cavity, squeeze the
other over the skin, then put both halves in the cavity.
Truss the bird with string.

Place breast-side down on a rack in a roasting pan; roast
for 30 minutes. Turn breast-side up and continue roasting
until the juices run clear, about 30 minutes longer.
Transfer the chicken breast-side down to a platter and
let cool for 30 minutes. Remove the string and discard the
lemons. Carve the chicken into serving pieces and spoon
any collected juices over them.

Serves 3 or 4.
================================================
42 DEGREES' CIDER-CURED PORK CHOPS

INGREDIENTS:

-- 4 center-cut pork loin chops, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick
-- Olive oil

Brine
-- 4 cups water
-- 2 cups hard cider
-- 1/2 cup salt
-- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
-- 10 whole peppercorns
-- 4 bay leaves
-- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
-- 1 onion, chopped
-- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
-- 1 celery rib, chopped
-- 1 apple, peeled and chopped

INSTRUCTIONS: To make the brine: Combine all brine
ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high
heat, then remove from heat and let cool. When cool,
refrigerate until cold.

Add the pork chops to the cold brine. Weight with a
plate if necessary to keep the chops completely
submerged. Refrigerate for at least 1 day or up to 2 days.

To cook: Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry.
Heat 2 skillets over moderately high heat. Add just enough
oil to coat the bottom of each skillet. When the skillets
are hot, add the chops and reduce heat to moderately low.
Cook for 10 minutes, then turn and cook until the chops
are no longer pink at the bone, about 10 minutes longer.

Serves 4. The calories and other nutrients absorbed from
brines vary and are difficult to estimate. Variables
include the type of food, brining time and amount of
surface area. Therefore, these recipes contain no
analysis.
================================================
NANCY OAKES' VANILLA BRINE

This recipe makes enough brine for a 4- to 6-pound
boneless pork loin, or six 1 3/8- to 1 1/2-inch-thick
center-cut pork loin chops, or 4 pork tenderloins,
1 to 1 1/4 pounds each. The recipe is from a forthcoming
cookbook on meat by Bruce Aidells.

INGREDIENTS:

-- 9 cups boiling water
-- 1/2 cup sugar
-- 1/2 cup kosher salt
-- 2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper
-- 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all brine ingredients in a bowl,
small crock or heavy-duty plastic container; stir to
dissolve the salt and sugar. Let cool, then chill
thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Add pork of choice (see headnote). Weight with a plate
if necessary to keep the meat completely submerged.

Refrigerate 3 days for pork loin, 1 to 2 days for chops
and 12 hours for tenderloin. Stir the brine each day
and turn the pork occasionally.

Roast or grill pork loin or tenderloins. Grill chops
or pan-fry according to directions in Cider-Cured
Pork Chops.
================================================
BOULEVARD'S STAFF TURKEY

If you're feeling flush, says Boulevard chef Nancy Oakes,
substitute apple juice or cider for the water, and
reduce the honey to 1/2 cup.

INGREDIENTS:

-- 1 bone-in turkey breast half, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds
-- 1 tablespoon olive oil Honey Brine
-- 2 quarts water
-- 3/4 cup honey
-- 1/2 cup kosher salt
-- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
-- 1 1/2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
-- 1 rosemary sprig, about 4 inches long

INSTRUCTIONS: To make the brine: Bring water to a boil,
then pour into a container just large enough to hold
the turkey breast; cool for 5 minutes. Add honey, salt,
mustard and pepper; whisk until honey dissolves. Add
rosemary. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Add turkey breast to the chilled brine. Weight with a
plate if necessary to keep it completely submerged.
Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

Remove the turkey breast from the brine, place in a
roasting pan and bring to room temperature. Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then brush with the
olive oil. Continue roasting until the internal
temperature reaches 150 degrees on an instant-read
thermometer, about 30 minutes longer, basting
occasionally with the drippings. Remove from
the oven and let rest for 30 minutes before
carving.

Serves 6.
================================================
(B) ARTICLE 2 of 3
================================================
BRINING ARTICLE FROM WEB PAGE
http://www.sirius.com/~evanc/brining.html
================================================
All of us know of the benefits of Brining, especially for today's
leaner meats. No longer are there old hens running around on
grandmas farm like one of my former instructors used to talk about.
The pigs are eating grain cooked to 136%. I for one am completely
sold on the benefits of brining, everything from whole chickens
and pork loin to fish and seafood. This is how brining works.

Because there is more salt in the brine than in the meat, the
muscle absorbs the salt water. There, the salt denatures the meat
proteins, causing them to unwind and form a matrix that traps the
water. And if the brine includes herbs, garlic and other seasonings,
those flavors and trapped in the meat too. Instead of seasoning on
the surface as most cooks do, brining carries the seasoning
throughout. Even a couple of hours in a brine will improve bland
Cornish game hens, and give chicken breast , pork chops, fish or
even seafood a flavor boost. Brines vary considerably from chef to
chef, as do recommended brining times. But generally speaking,
the saltier the brine, the shorter time is required.

And the brine will penetrate a chicken breast or pork chop much
faster than a large thick muscle like a whole pork loin or turkey.

Meat left too long in a brine tastes over seasoned and the texture
is compromised, producing a soggy or mushy quality, By playing
around with the liquid base, you can give your brine some
personality. Some chefs use apple juice or beer for some or all
of the water. A mixture of orange juice, cider vinegar and rice
wine vinegar is an excellent base for brining turkey. Seasonings
can run anywhere from thyme, rosemary and garlic to star anise,
cinnamon and vanilla beans. Many chefs put some sugar in their
brine to sweeten the meat and make it brown better when
cooking. This is good for pork, but it tends to make everything
else taste like ham. Brining chicken parts before frying using
salted buttermilk will give you the benefits of the brine plus the
tenderizing effect of the buttermilk. Whatever you choose to use,
brining is a very effective tool for dealing with today's leaner
meats.
================================================
How Long to Brine

The thickness of the muscle, the strength of the brine and your own
taste will determine how long to brine for an item. 1 gallon of
liquid to 1 cup Kosher salt is a happy medium. If you cant use kosher
salt, cut the salt by half. Obviously, brined meats do not need to be
salted before cooking, because they are already salted throughout the
meat.
================================================
Preparing the brine

Bring your liquid to a boil. Add your salt and sugar(if you are using
sugar) and dissolve completely. Add your herbs and seasonings. The
seasonings are added to the hot liquid to extract the flavors,

therefore better flavoring the meat. ====> COOL the brine completely.

When COOL -- put your meat into a non-corrosive container and pour
the brine over it. The meat must be completely covered, so use a
plate to weigh it down if you have to.

shrimp - 30 minutes

whole chicken (4 pounds) - 8 to 12 hours

chicken parts - 1 1/2 hours

chicken breasts - 1 hour

Cornish game hens - 2 hours

whole turkey - 24 hours

pork chops - 12-24 hours

whole pork loins - 2 to 4 days
================================================
(C) ARTICLE 3 of 3
================================================
"BRINING" From The Boston Glove - 1998
================================================
Contributed Thanks To Garry Howard
================================================
BRINING - A Curing Solution
Brining Keeps Meat and Fish Tender and Full of Flavor

Do you ever wonder why your home-cooked roast chicken or
pork chops never taste as irresistibly moist as what you get
in fancy restaurants?

Well, there's a sneaky little technique that chefs use to
turn out succulent cuts of meat, poultry, and fish.
Their secret? Brining. It's easy and economical. It requires
no special cookware. And it guarantees juicy, tender meals.

Brining is a form of wet curing, explains George Opalenck,
associate professor at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode
Island. "When we wet cure, we put the food in a brine, which
is a solution of salt, water, something sweet - such as sugar
or honey - spices, and herbs. The salt draws the liquid out
of the food, but then the brine goes rushing back in. The
sweetener cuts the harshness of the salt and rounds out the
flavors."

"It's amazing what brining does," says Andy Husbands,
chef-owner of Tremont 647, who discovered the technique when
he worked at the East Coast Grill with pal Chris Schlesinger.
"Pork, chicken, and tuna can easily become dry when cooked on
the grill or in the oven.

But brining is like a marinade - it keeps food moist and tender."

"Brining and curing originated as a preserving method and has
been around since the seventh century," says Rudy Smith, who
teaches charcuterie at the Culinary Institute of America in
New York. "What chefs are doing now is brining foods for the
benefits of flavor and moisture, not preserving."

A traditional brine contains 2 pounds of salt for every 3
gallons of water; the new-wave brines are considerably less
salty and have a milder taste.

"The brines we do are pretty light," says Joe Simone, executive
chef of Tosca in Hinghan, referring to the ration of salt to
water in his brines. "If the brine is too strong, it will break
down the meat too quickly and give it too strong a flavor. The
brine should taste mildly salty." Simone brines everything from
pigeon an capon to salmon and pork. "It all started with pork,"
he says. "When I worked with George [Germon] and Johanne
[Killeen] at Al Forno, they brined pork, which was an idea they
borrowed from Alice Waters," chef-owner of Chez Panisse in California.

"We've been brining for 17 years," says Germon. He and Killeen,
his wife, are chef-owners of Al Forno in Providence and the
newly renovated Cafe Louis in the Back Bay. "Alice Waters was
the inspiration for brining, though I don't remember why," he
muses. "The reason I like it is because it cooks the food a
little. Brining cuts down on the cooking time and makes the
foods juicier."

At both restaurants, Germon and Killeen server their signature
brine-cured pork chops, which are lightly charred on the
outside and pink and juicy inside.

"We've noticed that brining works best on meats that don't have
much fat on their own such as chicken and pork," notes Germon.
"I use it with turkey and I have also experimented with lamb
and beef."

Duck is another food that takes nicely to brining. At Bok Shoy
in Brookline, chef Benjamin Nathan steeps the birds in a spicy
Asian brine of soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), garlic chili
paste, ginger, and oranges. "I got the idea for the duck as a
takeoff from Peking duck," says Nathan, who also soaks chicken
in brines based on tea rather than water. "I first started
brining while working at Providence in Boookline, when Bob
Sargent [now chef-owner of Flora in Arlington] was sous-chef.
We'd brine veal breasts, veal shanks, chickens, and ducks.
Brining is a great, great way to get flavor into meat, poultry,
and game."

For entertaining, you can brine meat or poultry several days in
advance, then grill or broil it at the last moment. With fish,
shrimp, or scallops, set the seafood in the brine for a few
hours before cooking.

"I absolutely love brining," says Simone. "You can really
broaden the flavor of a product without taking away from the
original taste. Don't be afraid to try it. I even have my dad
hooked on brining."
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Some Practical Tips for the Home Cook

Brining is an excellent way to create juicy, flavorful meat,
poultry, and seafood. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

- When brining for flavor and moistness (not preserving),
it is fine to use less salt than the standard measure.
Consider using soy or fish sauce to add a salty taste.

- Instead of sugar or maple syrup, try sweetening the brine
with honey, molasses, or even caramelized sugar.

- Consider substituting some of the water in the brine with
stock, tea or wine. Adjust the salt and sugar to taste.

- Poultry and meat require longer soaking times
than fish and shell fish.
================================================
From the Boston Globe, May 13, 1998
By Victoria Abott Ricardi - Globe Correspondent
Compliments of Garry's Home Cooking
~ http://cooking.netrelief.com ~
Garry Howard - Cambridge, MA
email: me@garryhoward.com
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That's it, Gang. Now go enjoy BRINING !
Mikey Lulejian
~ http://www.bbq-porch.org/brining00.asp ~