THE IMPORTANCE OF SALT BRINING by Chef Kelley Heldt The purpose, function and method of salt brining meat, poultry & seafood.

What is the purpose of brining?

           Salt is nature’s disinfectant. When the surface of fish, meat or poultry is coated directly with salt or put into a solution saturated with salt; water is drawn out of the bacteria cell walls through the action of osmosis caused by the concentration of salt. When you receive a whole bird, a filet of fish or pork chop from your store it has been handled several times on many surfaces. Bacteria can survive the packaging process and the bacteria can multiply if the product was held above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for any length of time however brief. This is more likely than not when you consider how many surfaces and tools that may have not been properly sanitized met your product before landing in your hands.

           On the extreme end of the spectrum those bacteria have the potential to spoil the product entirely and threaten your health if you ingest any bacteria that spreads through your kitchen. On the minor end of the spectrum those bacteria can begin to deteriorate the texture and flavor of the tissue. It is advantageous then to treat your fish, meat or poultry with a short term brine, (salt and water solution) however fresh it may be.

What types of meats and seafood benefit from brining?

You can first treat all raw meat, poultry and seafood with a quick brine of salt and cold water to remove and halt the bacteria populations on the skin or surface of meat. Spoilage usually begins on the surface rather than within the tissue. Bacterial growth occurs in the danger zone: between 40 and 140 F. If you add to that equation time then you are creating the perfect environment for multiplication. Therefore any meat, poultry or seafood should remain chilled until shortly before you intend to cook it.

Red meat is generally not suitable for brining: when preparing cuts of red meat (beef, lamb and veal) to roast whole or portion into steaks for pan-roasting, it is important to NOT rinse the meat in water as this will remove the surface fluids and blood you need for flavor when browning. However if you are to braise or stew a cut of red meat, without browning the outside surface, it is advisable to first rinse well under cold water (and/or brine in a salt solution) as in the absence of browning the surface, fluids and blood can turn a gamey odor after long simmering. If a cut of red meat smells at all rank or sour you should be not be cooking it at all but discarding it. Only lamb, venison and elk should have a minor gamey smell from its natural juice and blood. With poultry, pork and fish filets, the surface fluids are usually of no benefit in terms of flavor: no matter if the piece of flesh is to have its surface caramelized as would a good piece or red meat with its surface fluids remaining. Therefore salt brines are most useful for poultry, pork and seafood: whole, filets or pieces.

The importance of salt quality for brines:

Always use kosher salt as sea salt may contain trace elements and and table salt may contain anti-caking agents: both may interfere with the osmotic effect of pure sodium chloride. Always completely dissolve the salt in the water by vigorous stirring or whisking. Be sure to use COLD water as your refrigerator would have difficulty chilling 1 to 2 gallons of warm water quickly.

DRY BRINE:

A dry brine is the application of straight salt onto the surface of the meat or fish. A flavored brine is a combination of salt with sugar to buffer the harsh flavor of salt; herbs and spices can also be added to the mixture. Though poultry, pork and seafood can be dry brined, red meats benefit most from a dry brine 30 minutes prior to cooking: I usually remove the whole cut or portion of red meat from its packaging and use a paper towel to remove excess blood or fluid instead of rinsing, then I proceed to cut and trim unwanted sinew or fat. Next I liberally salt it and let sit 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature: this will draw moisture from the surface as well as kill any surface bacteria that would otherwise contribute to bad odor and/or flavors during cooking. The moisture that you draw out which gives it a sweaty appearance also helps it brown when high heat is applied through pan searing, grilling or broiling.

WET BRINE:

Now back to wet brine methods for poultry, pork and seafood. Use the ratios below for either short or long-term brine. For long-term brining always use a sterilized bucket or tub which you can easily fit into your refrigerator. Many recipes for wet brining poultry, pork and seafood may refer to degrees salinity when listing the brine strength to use. Degrees of salinity are a measure of the density of salt in a solution and is measured by a refractometer. Many factors besides the quantity of salt and water determine density such as water temperature and the element composition of the salt, but you can use the following brine recipes to come close to accuracy without using a refractometer.

SHORT WET BRINE: All fish (whole or filet) and white meats from poultry to pork benefit from rinsing and salt brining before roasting, braising or poaching. Before I put a whole piece or filet of fish, poultry or pork straight out of its packaging onto my cutting board, I usually dissolve ½ cup kosher salt in 1 quart of cold water and rinse it in this brine for 3 to 5 minutes, then rinse it in fresh running cold water and pat dry with paper towels. If you then refrigerate the item in an airtight container, you will extend its shelf life by a day or two if you do not intend to cook it that day. You also have stopped the bacteria on the surface from spreading to the interior of the tissue once you start cutting and trimming. You also are keeping your cutting board and tools a whole lot cleaner.

LONG WET BRINE: The long term salt brine acts as a disinfectant, marinade and tenderizer all at once; this is best for poultry and pork. It is done with a solution less saturated than the quick brine: usually a ratio of ½ to 1 cup kosher salt per 1 gallon of cold water. Sugar, herbs and seasonings are also added to infuse flavor into the tissue. When meat tissue is soaked from 6 up to 36 hours in a brine strength of ½ cup salt per 1 gallon of water (a 3 % solution: salt by weight), the protein structure that supports the contracting filaments partially dissolve: this acts as a tenderizer. When the brine strength is 1 cup of salt per 1 gallon of water (a 6 % solution), the filaments partially dissolve. Another effect of the salt on the protein is that it increases the capacity of water that the cells can absorb from the brine; they also absorb aromatic molecules from any herbs and flavorings in the brine. So during cooking the tissue retains both some of the brine water and flavoring. Therefore use ½ cup of salt per 1 gallon of water if you want to retain a firm texture and use 1 cup of salt per 1 gallon of water if you want the additional flavorings in the brine to absorb more and you do not mind a softer texture after cooking. You can brine in either solution from 6 to 36 hours, longer than 24 hours will increase the infusion of added seasonings.

                                                                            -Chef Kelley Heldt-