By Published Oct. 1, 2023.
This is Technique #31 from our 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
Each technique is broken into three sections: why it works, key steps, and recipes that use it. Learn these recipe building blocks and you'll be set up for a lifetime of cooking success.
All meats lose moisture when cooked, so brining can be a great way to keep them from drying out.
You’re infusing extra moisture into the meat prior to cooking, so even though it will lose the same amount of moisture when it cooks as meat that hasn’t been brined, you end up with more moisture in the meat when it’s done.
Brining works by promoting a change in the structure of the muscle proteins. As the salt is drawn into the meat, the protein structure of the meat changes, creating gaps that increase its ability to hold on to water and stay juicy and tender during cooking.
But not all proteins need to be brined all the time.
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Lean proteins like poultry, pork, and seafood benefit when you are subjecting them to the high heat of frying or grilling, or you are cooking them for a prolonged period of time in a dry environment—like a whole Thanksgiving turkey, for example.
One of the very best things to brine is chicken parts for frying. Soaking chicken pieces in a salty buttermilk brine ensures the chicken is highly seasoned and stays juicy even after being blasted by the hot oil.
Likewise, brining pork tenderloin, which is extremely lean, in a salty-sweet brine is the ideal insurance for keeping it moist and juicy on the hot grill.
Unlike salt, using sugar in a brine doesn’t change the meat’s texture, but it can be used to add flavor and promote better browning.
It’s not desirable if you’re cooking protein in a moist environment, as with a braise, or just quickly cooking skin-on poultry pieces, since the extra moisture will inhibit the skin from becoming crispy.
And meats that are well-marbled even after cooking, like beef and lamb, are best salted rather than brined.
To put this brining technique to the test, follow these steps to achieve perfectly seasoned, extra-crunchy fried chicken that stays moist.
To brine chicken parts before frying, dissolve salt in buttermilk in container large enough to submerge all chicken pieces.
Add chicken to brine and soak for 1 hour in refrigerator.
Remove chicken from brine and dredge in seasoned flour. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Add chicken to hot oil, skin side down, and cover pot. Fry until deep golden brown on first side.
Flip chicken and cook uncovered until deep golden brown on second side and breasts register 160 degrees and thighs and drumsticks register 175 degrees.
Want to put your newfound knowledge of brining poultry and meat to use? Try it with these recipes.
Ready to learn another technique? Choose from our list of 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
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