Why brine

Remember last week when I said I wasn't sure of the purpose of brining meats before cooking? Well, since then, I've learned all about brining and why it can be a good idea for meats.

I've mentioned that I get a lot of my recipes from the Cheap, Healthy, Good blog. The other source for much of my food-related information--recipes, restaurants, trends, and such--is Serious Eats. And last week, they ran a very in-depth article about brining, complete with controlled experiments, charts, and photographs. You can read the article here, but here's the summary:

Brining helps lean cuts of meat (chicken, pork, and turkey) retain their moisture during cooking. Without brining, the edges of the meat can dry out before the center gets cooked. The salt that is absorbed in the meat during the brining process helps hold the moisture in the edges of the meat.

Brining does at salt to the meat, which is something to consider as part of the meal and experience. Clint and I have had times when meat we've brined ends up saltier than we would like; for that reason, I recommend following recommended brine recipes and cooking times closely.

We're planning on at least a quick brine for our turkey this year. Now that I know what to look for, I plan to watch for the smooth, juicy meat brining can bring.