Brining

[Neil]

Do you fellas brine chicken for smoking or grilling or both? Planning on throwing a couple of birds on this weekend and I've never brined before. In the past I've always injected before smoking. Turned out pretty darn good but the skin was always rubbers and inedible. Maybe that's a good thing, helps keep the cholesterol intake down!

[willkat98]

I moved this from Woodpile Neil

You'll get better answers here.

There is also a thread on brining in the past day or two, either here or I think in the Competition thread under "Thighs" topic.

[parrothead]

If you are smoking always brine. Did I say always brine? Cause I meant to say always brine. Helps make that chicken moist and juicy.mmmm.

KOSHER salt in that brine.

[racer_81]

Brine, definitely brine.

There's brine recipes running around here somewheres.

Brining also allows you to add in Special Flavorings to the chicken.

Check out the syrup thread for some ideas.

But don't forget to brine.

[midnight]

Sorry to disagree guys, but the only thing I ever brine is salmon. If you want a crisper skin just increase your temp a little.

No bird of mine will ever touch a brine, but I do inject my turkeys.

[parrothead]

Last time I cooked for a bunch of people was the first time I did not brine. I just didn't have the time. ( that or I was too drunk and forgot). Everybody liked it, but I could tell an absolute difference. It was way dryer than any other bird parts I had done.

[willkat98]

I have never brined either.

Inject all the time, never brined though.

[jminion]

I brine for a particular flavor but as far a moisture is concerned that is a function of pulling the meat off the cooker at the correct internal temp (brinning does give you a safety margin).

[Bigmista]

Sorry to disagree guys, but the only thing I ever brine is salmon. If you want a crisper skin just increase your temp a little.

No bird of mine will ever touch a brine, but I do inject my turkeys.

I brine chicken and especially my butts. Tried both. brined butts are better.

[badger]

I brine chicken and especially my butts. Tried both. brined butts are better.

Never hear anyone brine a Butt. I thought brining was more for Birds and fish? I guess you can brine anything if you want though.

Here kitty...kitty...kitty, you need a bath. :twisted:

[mook]

Brine, brine, brine!!!!!! At least for smoking.

I smoked 16 thighs on the same grate on a WSM at our last comp. 8 brined for an 2 hours in a simple kosher salt and brown sugar brine. 8 not brined at all. The brined pieces were definitely more moist and tasty. We did have some folks taste both without knowing the cooking condtions, and everyone agreed that the brined bird was hands down better.

Also skin was nice and crisp. Kicked the fire up 50 degrees for the last 10 minutes.

[Bigmofo300lbs]

I am a fan of brining all poutry if you are going to cook or smoke for a long period of time. Because of the leeway and the juiceness.


The brined pieces were definitely more moist and tasty. We did have some folks taste both without knowing the cooking condtions, and everyone agreed that the brined bird was hands down better.


I was there for this. Both were very good but the brined ones were better. This convo couldn't happen at a better time for me. I am doing a chicken this weekend and hearing everyones thoughts is great!

[markbet]

I am doing pulled pork this weekend that the receipe calls for brining, using cranberry & apple juice, with a select few seasonings added, then it marinates for several hours. Right before it goes on the cooker it gets injected with cranberry juice. It is from the receipe section off this site. I bet it will taste as good as it sounds. Anyone tried this receipe out yet?

[jminion]

Brinning a piece meat as big as butts takes a couple to three days to do the job, I would suggest on the marinade recipes to get everything as fine as possible and inject from the beginning, will be more effective. Several hours will not penetrate much.

[midnight]

I brine for a particular flavor but as far a moisture is concerned that is a function of pulling the meat off the cooker at the correct internal temp (brinning does give you a safety margin).

Thats the way I feel about brining. It can add flavor but IMHO won't add an more moisture to a piece of meat if the meat is cooked right to begin with.

Thats why I don't do beer can chickens anymore, my smoked chickens laying breast down in the dera come out just as juicy or juicyer (sp).
When I put a temp probe in the chickens and pull it out, juice will squirt 6 inches out of the hole like a mini garden hose. However if your brining to get a certain flavor....well then I could see doing that.

The real reason I stoped doing beer can chickens was that I couldn't get the darn chicken inside the beer can!!

[Bigmista]

I am doing pulled pork this weekend that the receipe calls for brining, using cranberry & apple juice, with a select few seasonings added, then it marinates for several hours. Right before it goes on the cooker it gets injected with cranberry juice. It is from the receipe section off this site. I bet it will taste as good as it sounds. Anyone tried this receipe out yet?

That sounds more like a marinade than a brine. Trying to picture the apple juice and cranberry juice with all of that salt. Don't know what kind of reaction that causes. Remember, rule of thumb for a brine is it should have enough salt to float an egg in it.

Mista

[BBQchef33]

I brine for a particular flavor but as far a moisture is concerned that is a function of pulling the meat off the cooker at the correct internal temp (brinning does give you a safety margin).

The real reason I stoped doing beer can chickens was that I couldn't get the darn chicken inside the beer can!!

midnight,

are you trying to push it thru the little hole in the top of the can or are you removing the entire top first?

:mrgreen:

[markbet]

I am doing pulled pork this weekend that the receipe calls for brining, using cranberry & apple juice, with a select few seasonings added, then it marinates for several hours. Right before it goes on the cooker it gets injected with cranberry juice. It is from the receipe section off this site. I bet it will taste as good as it sounds. Anyone tried this receipe out yet?

That sounds more like a marinade than a brine. Trying to picture the apple juice and cranberry juice with all of that salt. Don't know what kind of reaction that causes. Remember, rule of thumb for a brine is it should have enough salt to float an egg in it.

Mista

I don't know BigMista, that is what the receipe calls for. Who ever posted it said that they received marriage proposals because it was so good. I will find out Saturday when I try it. The meat is already in the brine. I don't need any marriage proposals though. :wink:

[Bigmista]

Good Luckmark. I'm putting my butts in a brine tonight.

[BigAl]

No need to brine if you spin 'em, whole or cut up parts in a wire basket. IMNSHO.

[midnight]

midnight,

are you trying to push it thru the little hole in the top of the can or are you removing the entire top first?

:mrgreen:[/quote]

Just the little hole..don't want to spill any beer ya know. :)

[Solidkick]

I'm putting my butts in a brine tonight.


I'll be setting in a tub of Epson Salts later, so I guess I'm putting my butt in brine tonight too! :mrgreen:

[Bigmista]

I'm putting my butts in a brine tonight.


I'll be setting in a tub of Epson Salts later, so I guess I'm putting my butt in brine tonight too! :mrgreen:

Ummm...Sounds more like you're curing a couple of hams...

[Bigmofo300lbs]

It seems that people are speaking as if brining, injecting and marinading are the same thing. That isn't the case. Right?

[mook]

I'm putting my butts in a brine tonight.


I'll be setting in a tub of Epson Salts later, so I guess I'm putting my butt in brine tonight too! :mrgreen:


Are you gonna inject first?


supository mod

[Solidkick]

That isn't not accurate. Right?


Huh?

[mook]

I am no scientest, I don't even play one on TV, but my understanding is that the brine adds moisture through osmosis. It can add flavor also if the brine has herbs and spices added.

In my experience, injecting can add a more intense flavor because it is not as diluted as a brine might be.

Congrats on post # 100 bigmofo!!!!!!!!

[Neil]

Now you've all really got me confused. I thinks me will brine me self for a while and see if I can't make heads or tails out of all this.

[badger]

Neil,

If you are going to brine yourself, I would recommend Hamms beer.

[shock]

I am doing pulled pork this weekend that the receipe calls for brining, using cranberry & apple juice, with a select few seasonings added, then it marinates for several hours. Right before it goes on the cooker it gets injected with cranberry juice. It is from the receipe section off this site. I bet it will taste as good as it sounds. Anyone tried this receipe out yet?

That sounds more like a marinade than a brine. Trying to picture the apple juice and cranberry juice with all of that salt. Don't know what kind of reaction that causes. Remember, rule of thumb for a brine is it should have enough salt to float an egg in it.

Mista

I don't know BigMista, that is what the receipe calls for. Who ever posted it said that they received marriage proposals because it was so good. I will find out Saturday when I try it. The meat is already in the brine. I don't need any marriage proposals though. :wink:

Markbet - I've tried that brine recipie before. I didn't think it was really that great. At least not worth all of the effort I put into it for what I got out. I mean it was good, yeah, but so is a dry rub and a good smoke... I'd be interested to hear your thoughts after you give it a try. I used sea salt.

Also, I was thinking that all that cranberry juice would have been MUCH better off in a glass with some vodka than hosting a swimming pool for a butt... :D

[Neil]

John,
The hamms will have to wait, I already started on Uncle Jack!

[Mark]

Hey Neil;

I'm trying to figure out your hat. Is it a raw rack of lamb?

[markbet]

Shock......I will be glad to let you know how it turns out. I was hoping that I would get a reply that it was a really great receipe. Oh well. I wonder if I should skip the injecting of the cranberry juice and just use a dry rub instead? Decisions decisions. The vodka cocktail sounds good too.

[jminion]

It seems that people are speaking as if brining, injecting and marinading are the same thing. That isn't the case. Right?

They are three quite different processes,
injecting just like it sounds,
marnade, a mixture that meat would set in to season the outside
brinning, a mixture of water, salt and spices that uses osmosis to put flavor and moisture deep into the meat structure.

[parrothead]

They are three quite different processes,
injecting just like it sounds,
marnade, a mixture that meat would set in to season the outside
brinning, a mixture of water, salt and spices that uses osmosis to put flavor and moisture deep into the meat structure.


Ya see Jim? I told you we kept you around here for something.

[jminion]

Greg
Happy to do my part

[Neil]

Hey Neil;

I'm trying to figure out your hat. Is it a raw rack of lamb?

It's not a hat, it is the Hess Lake Farms Rib Fest "Crown"! Those are babyback bones. At the initial rib fest we only had a trophy so one of the guys got creative and made the covetted crown after a night of babyback gluttony.