Brining Pork

Brining is an easy and inexpensive method used to make meat more tender and juicier. Meat, especially, poultry and pork, has a tendency to get dry while cooking and the end product may feel like overcooked. Brining is one of the simple solutions for this problem.

More About Brining

It is nothing other than the procedure of treating meat with a salt solution for a certain period of time. Meat, which is subjected to this procedure, is found to be much more than juicier and tender than the regular ones. During brining, the meat is kept immersed in a specially prepared salt solution for a specific period. The salt and water in the brine solution enters the cells of the meat, thereby adding to the flavor of the meat. Even the proteins in the meat get denatured, due to the action of salt and these denatured proteins stick to the water molecules. This also increases the water content of the meat and thus preventing drying up of the meat, while cooking. So, brining involves proper preparation of the brine solution and treating the meat with this solution.

Preparing Brine Solution

As mentioned above, brine is prepared by mixing salt and water as per the requirements. However, there are various other additives that can be used along with salt, so as to increase the flavor of the meat. The most important ingredient of the brine solution is salt, which has to be mixed with water in the right proportion. Even sugar is commonly added to this solution, so as to balance the effect of salt. So, a basic recipe for brine solution involves salt, sugar and water. One of the important factors about brining pork is that the use of salt must be in the right proportion. In order to prepare a basic brine solution, you have to add one cup of table salt (without iodine) per gallon of cold water. If you have three gallon of water, mix three cups of salt. If you want to use kosher salt (large granules), use around 1 cups for a gallon of water. Apart from salt, add to cup of brown sugar or granulated sugar, per gallon of cold water. Dissolve the sugar and salt in a cup of boiling water and mix this solution with the cold water. You may add a tablespoon of pepper and a small amount of herbs or spices, to this solution. Other additives may include wine, beer, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, honey, tea and orange juice.

How to Brine Pork

So, brining involves treating the meat with the brine solution. This is done by immersing the meat in the solution for a specific time period. While brining for a short period may not produce any results, brining for too long may spoil your dish. So, you must stick to the proper time limit. How long to brine a pork? Brining time is decided on the basis of various factors like the type of meat, thickness, type of cut and grain size. If you are interested in brining chicken, turkey or other meats, then, you must have a basic idea about the correct duration for the same.

Once the brine solution is made, pour it into a container that can accommodate the solution as well as the amount of meat, you want to brine. Make sure that the container fits in your refrigerator. Chill the brine in the refrigerator, before adding the meat. The brining solution, along with the meat, must be kept at a temperature below 40 F. So, refrigeration is a must. You may also use a cooler for this purpose, but make sure to keep lots of ice bags around the brining bag with the solution and meat. In case of pork chops, you must brine the meat for at least 12 hours. Some people brine pork chops for a day too, but, if you are a beginner, then start from the lower range. For brining pork ribs, the time limit ranges from an hour to eight hours. If you are using whole pork tenderloin, then the minimum time limit is six hours and the maximum is 12 hours. In case of whole pork loin, it is around two to four days.

Once brining is done, remove and rinse the meat, before use. The solution can be discarded. However, make sure not to add salt, while preparing the pork recipes, in which brined meat is being used. You must also check the doneness of the pork, in between, as brined pork cooks faster than regular ones. Use a meat thermometer for this purpose. The above said is a basic overview about brining pork. If you have further doubts, you may seek advice from a chef or any culinary expert.