Brining is the process of submerging a cut of meat into a solution of salt and water. It adds flavor, seasoning from the inside out, but it also changes the meat’s physical nature. The salt in brine denatures the meat’s proteins to allow the cells to retain more moisture.

Due to feta cheese’s crumbly texture, it can become dry very quickly, even when stored in the refrigerator. For storing feta longer than a week, it’s best to keep it in brine (a solution of water and salt) or salted milk, in order to keep it from drying out.

Brine

Marinate or brine meat for flavor, not as an attempt to kill bacteria. Marinating or brining meat does not reduce the number of pathogens contaminating the meat. Adding acid to such a marinade does not kill bacteria. Test the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

What is another word for brine?

The basic ratio of salt to water for a brine is 4 tablespoons of salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water. In a container large enough to hold your meat (and preferably with a lid to avoid sloshing), dissolve the salt in the water. Add your meat.

Salt Kosher salt

Sea salts tend to be more expensive than either kosher or table salt and deliver no discernible benefits to brining. You can certainly use sea salt to wet-brine, but many cooks choose not to because it can be so expensive.

You will need to use a course salt such as Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, kosher salt or diamond salt (available in Woolworths Australia), but definitely don’t use common fine table salt as it has added iodine and an anti-caking agent.

A brine is essentially just salted water, but for such a simple solution it can do many things. Brines are used to salt cheeses such as feta and halloumi, not only for flavour, but to inhibit the growth of a variety of moulds, to preserve it and in some cases to draw out moisture, helping it to develop a rind.

Properly brined meat shouldn’t taste salty, just very juicy with good flavor. But do reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe; that is, don’t add salt until the dish is at a point where you can taste it and judge.

Nope. Brine’s saline content has nothing to do with how salty the finished product will be, it’s way more scientific than that. While 20% or more of meat’s moisture can be lost in cooking, the extra liquid retained by the meat thanks to brining will help “baste” it internally, help your beast stay juicy and flavorful.

How to Control Saltiness After Brining

1. Use a fresh (i.e. non-frozen) turkey.
2. After brining, rinse the turkey thoroughly under cold water for a few minutes.
3. After rinsing, fill the sink with cold water and soak the turkey for fifteen minutes.
4. While making gravy, use the lowest sodium chicken broth you can find.

How Long Does It Take to Brine Meat? A general rule of thumb is to leave your meat in its brine for roughly one hour per pound—never brine your meat more than the prescribed amount, lest the proteins break down too far, turning it into unappetizing mush.