Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Brining vs not...

So I’ve never brined before and after reading about the benefits I thought I’d do a side by side comparison with two 2 1/2 lb pork tip roasts. 

One was brined with what I had on hand - 4 kid’s boxes of apple juice (the ones with the straws because we have young grandchildren), a tablespoon of salt, a couple of bay leaves, a bit of cinnamon and some black peppercorns. Finally enough water to cover the roast. 

Egged both to 145*, pulled, wrapped in foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Sampled each one and hands down the brined one was outstanding and juicy. 

Suffice it to say I’ll be brining in the future. Thanks for all the good information on this forum. 
Michael
Large BGE
Reno, NV

Comments

  • Someone suggested brining chicken breast in leftover pickle juice and it was awesome 
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,877
    The secret is the straws.
    NOLA
  • Dawgtired
    Dawgtired Posts: 667
    I usually dry brine all my proteins. However, I used this one from Tyler Florence, for two hours on a chicken and it was the best bird I’d had in quite some time

    If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

    Ronald Reagan

  • GaryLange
    GaryLange Posts: 418
    I got my wife into brining and before I get to Grill any Pork chops or Chicken it gets brined! Makes a big difference in tenderness and juiciness.
  • JNDATHP
    JNDATHP Posts: 461
    Do you brine poultry that already has a solution percentage of salt, etc?
    Michael
    Large BGE
    Reno, NV
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,923
    Brine (dry or wet) any meat that has not been brine yet.  My nephews are now refusing to eat their mom’s chicken 😂 She wants to know my secret and I’m not telling her 🤷‍♂️

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    Brining is key for sure. I have been using this brine for a couple years now on turkey, chicken, and pork. Costco sells it around thanksgiving for $8 but its like $14 on amazon. This batch was 3/4 of a cup so you can brine a good 6-8 times per container. When doing these brines where you have to boil first then let cool i always boil with half the water then add the other half of water afterwards but use ice so you dont have to wait for it to cool to start your brine. 
  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    Lit said:
    I have been using this brine for a couple years now on turkey
    I have been using these ready made brines for years on deep fried turkey. After the holidays you can find them marked down for quick sale for just a few bucks. For deep fried turkey I haven’t found anything better. 
    Just a side note. What they do for anus should be illegal. Simply phenomenal. 

    Both are phenomenal brines for deep fried turkey. 

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out.