Brining-what is it?

[sweetnsour]

Can you please tell me what exactly does the process of brining mean?
What do I need? and what is the purpose or use of doing it especially with reference to meat?

[Mama Mangia]

brining is water saturated or nearly saturated with salt used for pickling, preserving, etc.

This amount of brine is enough for 4 pounds of pork.

1 1/2 cups salt
2 quarts water
1/4 cup white or brown sugar
2 tblsp juniper berries
8 to 10 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
2 blades mace
4 or 5 sprigs thyme

In a heavy pot, bring the water to a boil with the salt and sugar. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and put in the pot a cheesecloth bag containing the remaining ingredients. Allow the brine to cool completely before removing the cheesecloth bag of aromatics.

Bathing Meat in Brine

Preparing the brine

Fill a large pan with cold water. Use a muslin or cheesecloth to wrap spice and herbs; in this case juniper berries, cloves, thyme, bay leaves and mace. Drop the bag into the water. Pour in salt and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Skim off any scum. Take the pan off the heat when the salt and sugar dissloves.

Submerging the Pork

Cool the brine. With a butcher's needle, pierce the meat (a Boston Shoulder is used here) 1/4 inch deep in several places to help the brine penetrate it. Put the meat in a deep crock or pan. Remove the wrapped seasonings from the brine and discard them. Pour the cold brine over the pork.

Weighting the Pork

Tp prevent the pork from floating to the surface, place a plate on top of it. Weight the plate with a stone or a ceramic or a glass filled preserving jar; a metal weight would react with the brine. Check that the meat is completly submerged, then cover the pot. Foil can be used to cover the pot if you cannot use a lid.

Brining the Pork

Put the pot in the refrigerator and let the pork steep in the brine for at least 3 days. For stronger flavor, brine the pork for up to 9 days per inch of thickness, stirring with a wooden spoon every 3 days. When the is salted to your taste, lift it from the pot and rinse it in a bowl of cold water.

[sweetnsour]

Thanks a ton Mama Mangia! Is cooking just your hobby? or are you a professional? You know so much!

[Mama Mangia]

Too many years in the kitchen, running restaurants, etc. - that's all. I love to cook and bake - I'm just an old-fashioned gal. Can't get enough of it I guess.