Brine--- pointless for egg?

Chubbs

I am embarrassed to say in all my years of cooking meats I have never brined anything. When I cook items others mention brining (chicken, pork) I am always puzzled because mine are extremely juicy without brining. So, the question is, are you guys and gals brining for juiciness or to impart a particular flavor into meat. If just flavor, does it add more than rub or sauce? Or, is it a texture thing?? Just trying to understand why go through the extra step and cost when others (like myself) find it unnecessary. 

DoubleEgger

I brined a few chickens and frankly, I felt like it was a waste of time. Didn't seem to make a difference using the organic chicken I normally buy. 

gerhardk

I brine turkey, I believe it makes a difference.

Gerhard

Chubbs

gerhardk said:

I brine turkey, I believe it makes a difference.

Gerhard

What kind of difference-- that is what I am asking? My whole turkeys I cook for holidays are full of flavor and juice and the boneless turkey breast roasts are as well. 

Chubbs

DoubleEgger said:

I brined a few chickens and frankly, I felt like it was a waste of time. Didn't seem to make a difference using the organic chicken I normally buy. 

Agree and my point exactly. Not sure why people do it. Full disclosure, my FIL brines most meats and also cooks on eggs and my wife says mine are way better. So just trying to understand what the thought process is for those who do it. Thanks for the response 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Brine makes a big difference to me. Flavor and juiciness. I rarely do any poultry without it. Ask @cazzy. He just did a catering with brined turkey breasts. He was happy. 

DoubleEgger

I'll be keeping a keen eye on this thread. I'm open to gaining knowledge about this subject. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

If you have a food scale, weigh a chicken breast before and after brining. You will see the difference and that is all moisture/flavor.

evie1370

I always brine....but to be honest I have never tried it without.

gdenby

Like many cooking terms, "brining" is used for several different practices.

Sometimes, it is used for a water soak with both salt and spices/herbs, which is very close to marinading.

Traditionally, it means soaking the meat in a solution that adds 5% by weight of salt to the combined weight of meat and water.

There is an old method of "dry" brining, where the meat is rubbed w. salt each day for several days while being chilled, then rinsed and cooked. Sort of like a cure, but very brief.

Recently, an equilibrium brining method was developed that should prevent the meat from becoming too salty, but takes a couple of days to do.

Here's the mechanism. The salt dissolved in water, a wet brine, first pulls water out of the meat, then, to reach equilibrium, the salt and water is drawn back into the muscle. Possibly, flavors in the water bath will also be drawn in. A dry brine, just rubbing on salt, draws water out of the meat, and the surface solution is drawn back in.

The basic effect is that the water bonds strongly to the salt, and so it doesn't evaporate from meat as easily as if it hadn't been brined. And, if done properly, the salt enhances the flavor w/o being over powering.

While a ceramic cooker reduces moisture loss, some things like chicken breasts or pork loins, which have minimal amounts of fat and connective tissue, still turn out juicier when brined.

Ladeback69

@Chubbs, I do it more for the flavor then for juiciness.  I have brined both chicken and pork.  The last chicken I did I used a 1/4 cup of the rub I used on the outside and it made a big difference to me.  Now back at Easter the best pork butt I brined was also cured to be ham.  That I will be doing again.  You want to be careful brining pork or it can overpower it unless you want the ham flavor I chose to have.  If just wanting a little different flavor in my pork I will just inject or marinade.

Here is the ham butt I did.

Chubbs

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Brine makes a big difference to me........I  rarely do any poultry without it.

So.... Since you never cook them without brining, how do you know it makes a big difference??? #devilsadvocate

DMW

Chubbs said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Brine makes a big difference to me........I  rarely do any poultry without it.

So.... Since you never cook them without brining, how do you know it makes a big difference??? #devilsadvocate

He said rarely, not never. Devil's devil's advocate.

Chubbs

evie1370 said:

I always brine....but to be honest I have never tried it without.

So you are in same boat as me, albeit other sides of the coin. Interesting. 

Chubbs

DMW said:

Chubbs said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Brine makes a big difference to me........I  rarely do any poultry without it.

So.... Since you never cook them without brining, how do you know it makes a big difference??? #devilsadvocate

He said rarely, not never. Devil's devil's advocate.

When you drink as much as Cen-Tex, rarely becomes never cuz you can't remember anyway. Eh?

SoCalTim

@Chubbs  .. Maybe you could do a Brine cook, then get back to us. Curious as if you could see and taste the difference. 

Greeno55

I've been regularly brining pork for the last year or so.  I've noticed a difference in the flavour.  The meat stays really juicy (I'm a well done pork guy) and the brine does impart a nice even salty flavour throughout the meat.  I have found pork, like chicken to be so bland, I like what brining a few hours does.  I did turkey once making a salt and herb brine.  I didn't notice a tremendous difference in the taste, but there was a subtle flavour improvement.  I did however find that the meat was incredibly juicy and tender.  I've been converted.

Eggcelsior

Greeno55 said:

I've been regularly brining pork for the last year or so.  I've noticed a difference in the flavour.  The meat stays really juicy (I'm a well done pork guy) and the brine does impart a nice even salty flavour throughout the meat.  I have found pork, like chicken to be so bland, I like what brining a few hours does.  I did turkey once making a salt and herb brine.  I didn't notice a tremendous difference in the taste, but there was a subtle flavour improvement.  I did however find that the meat was incredibly juicy and tender.  I've been converted.

This. My wife doesn't really like pink pork so like to brine and still take the pork to 150-155. It does give a noticeable difference to me. The other thing I'll typically brine is parted-out chicken and turkey.

I dry-brine most all of the meat that I cook if I have the time. 

blind99

Chubbs said:

I am embarrassed to say in all my years of cooking meats I have never brined anything. When I cook items others mention brining (chicken, pork) I am always puzzled because mine are extremely juicy without brining. So, the question is, are you guys and gals brining for juiciness or to impart a particular flavor into meat. If just flavor, does it add more than rub or sauce? Or, is it a texture thing?? Just trying to understand why go through the extra step and cost when others (like myself) find it unnecessary. 

I think most Butterballs are essentially prebrined - I never saw a benefit to adding more salt.  But my fresh turkeys get brined.  And now I give pork chops a quick 4 hour brine if they look really lean.  I just find they come out "juicy" and delicious. 

beteez

Try any of APL's brines, they instill so much flavor in chicken & pork. Esp the ones that incorporate apple juice.

MrCookingNurse

I have brined a few whole chickens. It was DIFFERENT but however it was not "better". It was good but just not something I felt was worth it. That being said, I've brined some naked pork loins and noticed a difference. More in flavor than in moisture. But I also like my pork pink. Once it's edging near 150's I pull it. 

Ladeback69

MrCookingNurse said:

I have brined a few whole chickens. It was DIFFERENT but however it was not "better". It was good but just not something I felt was worth it. That being said, I've brined some naked pork loins and noticed a difference. More in flavor than in moisture. But I also like my pork pink. Once it's edging near 150's I pull it. 

I try and pull mine around 145.  It's going to continue to go up after pulling.  The pork we have now a days don't need to be taken to 165 to be done, unless it is a pork butt and that's because of the all the fat.  That's what a retired pork producer told me recently.

Searat

Chubbs,
    I've played with the brining and the dry brining. I believe it's all about the flavor and it depends on the meat. I feel brining a turkey gets more flavor through out the bird. Chickens have less mass and don't appear to need the brine.

I've also dry rubbed port butts and loins and refrigerated over night but recently started the process 15 minutes before going on the egg. I haven't found a real difference in taste. Now we pull the butts so they get kind of mixed with the bark that doesn't get eaten by the moochers. Pork loins appear ok but not as much mass and they take the smoke throughout. (Yes, I'm blessed to have a family that likes a little smoke taste in their meat.)

That's my 2 cents and I'm always looking to learn new tricks. Got to keep the moochers guessing.

Chubbs

Searat said:

Chubbs,
    I've played with the brining and the dry brining. I believe it's all about the flavor and it depends on the meat. I feel brining a turkey gets more flavor through out the bird. Chickens have less mass and don't appear to need the brine.

I've also dry rubbed port butts and loins and refrigerated over night but recently started the process 15 minutes before going on the egg. I haven't found a real difference in taste. Now we pull the butts so they get kind of mixed with the bark that doesn't get eaten by the moochers. Pork loins appear ok but not as much mass and they take the smoke throughout. (Yes, I'm blessed to have a family that likes a little smoke taste in their meat.)

That's my 2 cents and I'm always looking to learn new tricks. Got to keep the moochers guessing.

Sounds like you are in same boat as me for most part. 

Mattman3969

 I will use a water,salt and sugar(mostly white but sometimes brown) brine any time I cook pork chops.  The 4hrs in the brine made a very noticeable difference in taste and moisture.  I started doing this after CT made The Best Chops Ever. 
 When I cook whole chickens I usually partially debone and will put about 2tbls of kosher salt on the bird for about 3-4hrs, rub and cook.  Since doing this I notice a difference in taste and texture. Moisture is debatable because my chickens always seem juicy.   

Chubbs

Mattman3969 said:

Moisture is debatable because my chickens always seem juicy.   

This is why I started the debate exactly. All of my pork and chicken are extremely juicy without it. So for me, I don't think it would add much there either. 

4Runner

Huge difference for me with pork chops.  Also, meat seems to cook faster.  

4Runner

Chubbs said:

Mattman3969 said:

Moisture is debatable because my chickens always seem juicy.   

This is why I started the debate exactly. All of my pork and chicken are extremely juicy without it. So for me, I don't think it would add much there either. 

Clearly it is a personal preference so I would recommend you just try it to compare.  Just do one of your staple type dishes the same as always but add the brine.   Post results.  

nolaegghead

here is the answer you seek.  http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_brines.html

Grillin_beers

I don't brine everything but I always brine turkeys.  Why?  Because that's how I was taught to cook turkey.  Also I don't take any chances when it comes to cooking the thanksgiving bird.  

cazzy

I always try to brine turkey, especially when I want it to sing!  Three weeks ago, I made turkey for an event and it didn't travel well.  Was not happy with the finished product.  I thought about how I could improve it, so I decided to brine, then sous vide.  Incredible!  I have done boneless sous vide turkey breasts about 4 times and the brine put it over the top and totally outshined my previous SV turkey attempts.  It is a process but it is definitely work it!