Making a brine is quick and easy and allows meat to retain moisture during cooking making it juicer. Through the process of osmosis, the water in the meat gets replaced with the salt water brine. The salt then holds onto water while the meat is cooking which leads to a juicer end result.
- 4 Cups of Water
- 3.5 Tbsp of Salt
- 2 Tbsp of Brown Sugar
- 2 Cloves of Garlic smashed
- 1 tsp of Black Peppercorns
- 4 Sprigs of Thyme
- Put all ingredients into a pot over high heat.
- Bring the brine to a boil stirring often.
- Transfer the brine to a large container and put the brine in the fridge. Let it fully cool.
- Once your brine is cold, add your protein to the brine.
- After the allotted time, rinse your protein. It is now ready to be cooked.
*To make the brine faster, use only half the water to boil the ingredients and pour the brine over an equal part ice water to cool the brine instantly.
Brine Time Guide
Here you can find an easy guide for how long you should brine your protein for.
- For small boneless items (chicken breast, pork chop) only 1-2 hours are needed.
- For small bone-in items (chicken legs) 3-4 hours
- For medium sized boneless items (round roast) 6-8 hours
- For medium sized bone-in items (pork shoulder roast) 10-14 hours
- For large size items (whole chicken) 16-24 hours
- For extra large items (whole turkey) minimum 24 hours up to 48 hours
