Brining...Am I doing it wrong?

ETBee · November 2013

I've tried brining twice and both times it came out terribly. I used 1/2 cup of kosher salt and 1/4 cup of brown sugar dissolved in a gallon of water. I sliced a pork loin into 1 1/2 inch thick chops and brined for about 3 hours. The first time I tried, I forgot to rinse the chops after brining and they were so salty they were almost inedible. Assuming the rinse was the problem, I tried again and rinsed thoroughly. They were still too salty. Am I doing something wrong or do those who like brining like extremely salty food?

CharleyR · November 2013

Doesn't seem like too much salt. In fact, I've seen up to 1 1/2 cups per gallon in some recipes. I'm quite curious to hear what you find out. Good luck and don't give up....brining does work!

Richard Fl · November 2013

There are many different brining recipes. Here are some ideas. Best of luck, it is really moist when done correctly--not sure what correctly is?

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1999/07/brining_29.html

Brine, Pork Chops, Swiburin

Richard is right, do it like a pork chop if it is that small. It would be easy to end up dry if you go over temp so you might want to consider brining to make it more forgiving. *****Here's the brine I use for extra thick pork chops. To be honest, I don't remember where I got this, pretty sure it was on here.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups Water
1/4 cup Salt
3/4 cup Sugar turbinado or brown
2 cup Apple juice

Procedure:

1. We soak chops for 2-4 hours in this brine and they always come out juicy. It should work with your loin.

Recipe Type: Brine

Source
Source: BGE Forum, Swibirun, 2009/01/01

onedbguru · November 2013

Brine the whole loin, then slice it before putting on the grill. The two end pieces may be more salty just rinse a bit longer...

The Cen-Tex Smoker · November 2013

one hour is plenty for chops that thick. also, don't add a salty rub on top of it. I usually desalinate by soaking for 30 minutes or so in water before drying in the fridge before cooking. I do like salty food but brining is not all about salty flavor. It's about moisture, texture, and flavor.

Skiddymarker · November 2013

Pork chops under 2", only one hour in the brine, rinse and cook. Usual treatment is reverse sear and sauce as always thought brined chops had enough salt. I've never let the brined chops soak to desalinate, just never thought it would make a difference, but will try that with a usual BBQ rub.

MaskedMarvel · November 2013

Am I crazy? Maybe use less salt? Maybe I just don't understand brining...

Griffin · November 2013

My first question would be whether it was a fresh pork loin or one in those bags that has been enhanced (whole muscle meat that has been injected with a solution of water and other ingredients that may include salt, phosphates, antioxidants, and flavorings). If it's already been enhanced, brining it would just make it overly salty. If it's fresh, ignore everything I just said.

TexanOfTheNorth · November 2013

I usually boil a sugar/salt brine solution to ensure that the s/s are fully disolved. Not sure if that would make a difference for you or not.

If you do boil you have to let it chill before using it so you need to plan ahead to allow time.

Tspud1 · November 2013

Try equal parts sugar and salt plus some other spices.

SoCal_Griller · November 2013

What kind of salt are you using? 1/2 cup of kosher salt has less salt than 1/2 cup of table salt. Measuring by weight is the best way to go, but I have noticed that when measuring by volume, the type of salt makes a difference.

Skiddymarker · November 2013

Griffin said:

My first question would be whether it was a fresh pork loin or one in those bags that has been enhanced (whole muscle meat that has been injected with a solution of water and other ingredients that may include salt, phosphates, antioxidants, and flavorings). If it's already been enhanced, brining it would just make it overly salty. If it's fresh, ignore everything I just said.

Never thought of this till @Griffin mentioned it, he is right on the money. If you have a an IPB type cryovac loin, as sold at many stores, it is probably already "enhanced" or brined to increase the sale weight.

takosito · November 2013

I normally use 1 Tablespoon of Kosher or sea salt per cup of water. Also add 1 Tablespoon of brown sugar per cup of water. Add any other spice that you want the meat to be impregnated with the flavor, but be careful with the herbs, as they tend to overpower other flavors.

Taste the brine before you put the meat inside. It should be salty, but not extremely salty that tastes disgusting.

Its always better to have the meat in one piece and cut it after the brine, so you can push forward the brining time, without getting salty or mushy meat.

Rinse and pat dry the meat after the brine, and enjoy a flavorful cut.

Brining...Am I doing it wrong?

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