Salting meats, advice please.

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by taxlady

I'm going to have to try that. Do you put anything in the brine other than salt? How long do you brine them?

Agreed, and they are expensive.

Taxi, we only buy thick chops. It's a lot easier to keep them from over cooking. I don't add anything but Kosher salt to the water. The ratio is 1/4 cup Kosher salt to 4 cups of water, and I brine them for 3 or 4 hrs before patting them dry and freezing them. When you cook them, you can add what ever herbs you may like such as garlic, pepper, etc. This works perfectly for us.

Unlike breasts, thighs just naturally don't need to be brined as they are always juicy and full of flavor.
If I preferred breasts, I certainly would brine them to improve them. The frozen breast bags often are injected with salt water in processing so you're buying frozen salt water at the price of chicken meat.

[cinisajoy]

Here by the time you add in bone weight, boneless, skinless breasts wind up being the same price on the actual meat.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by Kayelle

I always brine my pork chops before freezing.

I'll never eat another chop that hasn't been brined.

I don't buy chicken breasts because I think they are nearly flavorless.

Bone-in, skin-on breasts are actually pretty good, roasted or grilled. I think of them as a neutral medium to which I add flavor, like beans, pasta and rice.

Putting herbs and spices under the skin, then roasting or grilling makes them really succulent. I even made boneless, skinless chicken breasts recently - seasoned them with salt and Penzey's Mural of Flavor and let them sit for about half an hour, then browned them in a saute pan and put them in the oven to finish cooking.

I've also poached them in water, salt and herbs, especially bay leaf, for use in other foods like chicken enchiladas or chicken salad. They taste quite good that way.

[Addie]

I bought a day old BBQ chicken at Market Basket for the sole purpose of making chicken salad for sandwiches. Used some breast, some leg, froze the rest. It is the only time I use the breast meat.

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

Bone-in, skin-on breasts are actually pretty good, roasted or grilled. I think of them as a neutral medium to which I add flavor, like beans, pasta and rice.

Putting herbs and spices under the skin, then roasting or grilling makes them really succulent. I even made boneless, skinless chicken breasts recently - seasoned them with salt and Penzey's Mural of Flavor and let them sit for about half an hour, then browned them in a saute pan and put them in the oven to finish cooking.

I've also poached them in water, salt and herbs, especially bay leaf, for use in other foods like chicken enchiladas or chicken salad. They taste quite good that way.

Do you brine your breasts GG?

I'd agree that sometimes breast meat has it's place in my kitchen, chicken salad or enchiladas for example. It just looks nicer for one thing, and all the sauce and such solves the dryness issues.

My dearest friend won't let dark meat touch her lips. I love her anyway.

[GotGarlic]

No, I don't have the patience I do usually dry-brine - I just season heavily with salt and whatever else and let it sit for a while, or marinate, which is similar to brining.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by Kayelle

If I preferred breasts, I certainly would brine them to improve them. The frozen breast bags often are injected with salt water in processing so you're buying frozen salt water at the price of chicken meat.

So, in effect, these chicken breasts are already brined. Brining adds salt and helps the meat retain moisture. The injection process does the same thing.

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

So, in effect, these chicken breasts are already brined. Brining adds salt and helps the meat retain moisture. The injection process does the same thing.

Yup, that would be correct GG.

[jennyema]

A good brine will have both salt and sugar as the basic ingredients.

The other stuff: herbs, spices, broth, juice etch to yaste

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by jennyema

A good brine will have both salt and sugar as the basic ingredients.

The other stuff: herbs, spices, broth, juice etch to yaste

Opinions differ about a "good brine", although sugar is not necessary in a brine, but I agree some use it. Personally, I just don't see the need.