The Effects Of Brining On The Tenderness Of Meat

Lean meats are a healthier choice for your diet, but a dry, flavorless dinner does little for your taste buds. Waiting for meat to marinate or drenching it in sauce might boost the flavor factor, but neither can make meat tender and juicy. Brining can. The effects of brining -- soaking meat in salty water -- are deliciously dramatic, and the process couldn’t be simpler.

How It Works

Brining meats involves dissolving approximately one cup of salt in a gallon of water and soaking poultry, pork or seafood in the solution for anywhere between 10 minutes and 12 hours. Shrimp, fish fillets and thin cuts of meat benefit from a saltier solution and a shorter soaking time, whereas a whole turkey might need to soak longer in a less concentrated brine solution. If you want to counteract the salty flavor the brine imparts, simply add sugar to the solution.

Why It Works

This simple cooking secret is effective because the muscle fibers in meat are capable of absorbing water by way of osmosis. Plumping the meat up with extra moisture prior to cooking makes up for what’s lost to the heat of the grill, pan or oven. Food scientist Shirley Corriher notes that what truly makes the magic happen is salt’s ability to break down proteins in meat. Dissolved salt loosens meat’s protein bonds, allowing the water to make its way between the fibers where it creates new bonds and traps moisture.

Spice It Up

Meat will only absorb a traditional oil-based marinade up to a certain point; the flavor only penetrates a thin outer layer. Basting also has its limitations when it comes to flavoring and tenderizing meat. Since the water in a brine solution can make its way deep into the meat, it only makes sense to season your brine. Adding your favorite herbs, spices, berries, citrus fruits or peppers infuses meat with flavor and moisture in one easy step. Try replacing some of the water with cider, beer, wine or brandy for a subtle, sophisticated flavor.

What to Avoid

Some cuts of meat -- chops, tenderloins – absorb more of the brine than others, and might end up tasting too salty if you don’t limit their soaking time. Cookbook author Bruce Aidells recommends brining chops for four to six hours. Whole tenderloin might need six to eight hours, but tenderloin steaks will soak up too much salt if you leave them in the brine for more than two hours. Never brine meats that claim to be “flavor enhanced” or “self-basting,” and always reduce the amount of salty seasonings you use after brining or the results could be inedible.