Best 11 Basic Brine For Chicken Turkey Pork Recipes
Cooking a juicy and flavorful chicken, turkey or pork is a delightful experience that adds joy to any meal. A crucial step in achieving this culinary triumph is the preparation of a basic brine. Brining, a process of submerging the meat in a seasoned solution, not only enhances the taste but also contributes to keeping the meat moist and succulent throughout the cooking process. Explore various brine recipes that cater to different taste preferences and cooking methods, whether you prefer a classic wet brine, a dry brine with aromatic herbs, or a brine infused with spices and citrus flavors. Discover the art of brining and unlock the secrets to creating succulent and delectable chicken, turkey, or pork dishes that will please even the most discerning palate.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
BASIC BRINE FOR JUICY, TENDER CHICKEN OR TURKEY
I never make any sort of chicken/turkey without brining it first. Once you try this recipe, you won't either. This is my standard brine that I use most often. This allows me to add any flavoring, dry rub, or sauce to my chicken without competing with the brine flavors. The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water. The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more moist and tender. Any spices herbs or other flavorings you add to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the water.
Provided by Brandess
Categories Chicken Breast
Time 5m
Yield 1 gallon
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Mix brine together well with a whisk.
- Place 1 whole chicken (thawed or frozen- you may also use chicken parts.) in brine for 2 hours up to over night. Cover and store in the refrigerator.
- Remove chicken from brine and rinse chicken well. You are now ready to make a tender juicy chicken dish of your choosing.
- NOTES: You can do this with turkey, as well. Also, you will notice that your leftovers, even after refrigerated overnight, are so tender and juicy whether eaten cold or reheated. The moisture retention really helps to make a chicken meal morph into a second meal when it holds its moisture. If doing a whole turkey, use the recipe servings changer to up the servings to 6-10. Put your turkey in an insulated cooler with enough water to cover and add in a 5 pound bag of ice. Brine overnight.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 557.6, Sodium 56741.4, Carbohydrate 143.9, Sugar 142.4, Protein 0.2
BASIC ALL PURPOSE BRINE FOR MEATS, CHICKEN, AND TURKEY
Make and share this Basic All Purpose Brine for Meats, Chicken, and Turkey recipe from Food.com.
Provided by PalatablePastime
Categories Christmas
Time 3h15m
Yield 1 quart
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Makes 1 quart- make up additional amounts of brine if needed until meat is submerged.
- Stir ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Continue stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Allow to cool.
- Place meat or poultry in a food safe plastic bag inside another container for support and leakage control (oven roasting bags are a fine choice- NOT garbage bags).
- Pour cooled brine into bag, and squeeze out as much air as possible and seal with a twistie tie.
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours for 3 pounds meat (such as pork ribs), 5-6 hours for a nice roasting hen, or 12-24 hours for a turkey, 12 hours being for a small one and the longer time for those turkeys around 20+ pounds.
- Discard brine before using and pat meat dry.
- If using poultry, you may want to add citrus fruit such as oranges or lemons, additional fresh herbs, or cloves of garlic into the cavity.
- Prepare meat as desired- roast, bbq, etc.
BASIC PORK BRINE
I use this brine for all pork cuts that I grill. It adds a subtle flavor to the meat without being too salty. The pork cooks up tender, moist and delicious every time.
Provided by JulieG
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 10m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Mix water, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in garlic and ginger.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 85.4 calories, Carbohydrate 22 g, Protein 0.1 g, Sodium 1159.8 mg, Sugar 21.4 g
BASIC BRINE FOR SMOKING MEAT
This is a very basic brine recipe for preparing meats and fish for smoking. Add any personal taste preferences to the brine for additional flavor enhancement. I like to add white wine, soy sauce, and various herbs and spices. Anything that you like will work, so experiment at will.
Provided by Smokin' Ron
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 10m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, combine the salt, sugar and water. Whisk vigorously until all the salt and sugar is dissolved. Then pour this mixture over the meat, poultry, or fish that you are preparing. Soak for several hours, or overnight. (Note: Make certain the meat is fully submerged in the brine, and make more brine as needed to fully cover the meat.)
Nutrition Facts : Calories 26.1 calories, Carbohydrate 6.7 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 2852.1 mg, Sugar 6.7 g
PERFECT CHICKEN BRINE
Brining chicken adds tons of flavor and keeps the meat moist. Several years of experimenting with ingredients and method and I finally found the right combination for my perfect chicken brine.
Provided by Kate Leifker
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 2h30m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Mix water, kosher salt, white sugar, garlic, sage, basil, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the salt and sugar are dissolved completely, about 20 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and cover with a lid. Cool brine at room temperature for 2 hours before refrigerating to cool completely.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 37.8 calories, Carbohydrate 9.2 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 0.6 g, Sodium 3422.9 mg, Sugar 6.7 g
SIMPLE CHICKEN BRINE
This simple chicken brine will help make the meat more tender and juicy.
Provided by Jay
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 1h10m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Pour the warm water into a container that is twice the volume of the water. Pour in the salt, sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved, then allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
- To use, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to overnight for whole chickens. Drain and pat the chicken dry before cooking. One gallon of brine is enough for 6 pounds of whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces, and up to 10 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 182.5 calories, Carbohydrate 24.7 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fat 9 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 1.2 g, Sodium 13209.3 mg, Sugar 22.7 g
CHEZ PANISSE BRINE FOR PORK, CHICKEN AND TURKEY
This is a recipe I got from my brother. I haven't tried it yet, but he absolutely raved about it. Preparation time does not include brining time. Author's notes: Leave it to Alice Waters and her crew at Chez Panisse to come up with a recipe that's so simple and so brilliant it brings out the best in chicken, pork, or turkey. They've created a brine with sugar, salt, and just a few seasonings that infuse loads of flavor into the meats. To test how well the brine worked, I cooked two chickens side by side. One had been soaked in the brine for 24 hours, the other was simply roasted. Both cavities were filled with Italian parsley, preserved lemons, and onions, and cooked in a 400-degree oven. The difference was remarkable. While the regular roasted chicken had a deeper, richer skin color, the brined chicken was plump and juicy, albeit a little anemic in color. But the flavor was amazing and it was the moistest chicken I can ever remember eating. The next day I warmed the leftovers and the regular chicken was even drier and had that typical day-old taste, but the brined chicken still tasted moist and fresh. To achieve the browned skin you'll have to leave the chicken in the oven a little longer, but the meat will still be moist. We also tried a pork roast, brined for three days, and it came out fabulous, too. The leftovers were particularly good for sandwiches the next day. The recipe makes enough brine for a large turkey. If brining only one chicken or a pork roast, cut the recipe in half. Source: The Secrets of Success Cookbook by Michael Bauer
Provided by UnknownChef86
Categories Whole Chicken
Time 5m
Yield 1 batch of brine
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the water in a large pot that can easily hold the liquid and the meat you intend to brine. Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or so until the sugar and salt dissolve. Refrigerate poultry in the brine for 24 hours; pork for 3 days. If the meat floats to the top, use a plate or other weight to keep it completely submerged in the brine.
- To cook chicken: Stuff the cavity with onions, lemon wedges, and herbs such as thyme, parsley, and rosemary. Rub the skin with oil to help browning. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. (Salt isn't needed because of the brine.) Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven until done, about 1 hour and 15 minutes for a 3 1/2- to 4 pound chicken.
- To cook turkey: Stuff the cavity with lemons, herbs, and onions, if desired. Rub the skin with oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes per pound until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 165 degrees.
- To cook a boneless pork roast: Sprinkle the roast with pepper and herbs such as sage, thyme, or tarragon, if desired. Roast uncovered in a 400-degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 819.1, Fat 0.2, Sodium 226638, Carbohydrate 210, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 199.9, Protein 1.9
BRINE FOR CHICKEN AND TURKEY
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Combine the water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, and allspice in a large stockpot. Stir to dissolve the salt and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Allow the brine to cool completely.
- Add the ice and then immerse the turkey breast or whatever item being brined. Weigh it down if necessary.
- Transfer to a refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
- Remove the turkey breast and rinse it thoroughly, when ready to roast. Pour out the brine solution at this point. Cook turkey, per recipe instructions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 378 kcal, Carbohydrate 98 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fiber 3 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 0 g, Sodium 60718 mg, Sugar 89 g, Fat 1 g, ServingSize 1 1/2 gallons (1 serving), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
BRINE FOR PORK, CHICKEN, AND TURKEY
From Chef Alice Waters. This makes for some crazy good, moist meat. If brining only one chicken or a pork roast, cut the recipe in half, if doing turkey...use the whole batch!
Provided by loveleesmile
Time P1DT1h30m
Yield 6-9 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place the water in a large pot that can easily hold the liquid and the meat you intend to brine.
- Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or so until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- Refrigerate poultry in the brine for 24 hours; pork for 3 days. If the meat floats to the top, use a plate or other weight to keep it completely submerged in the brine.
- To cook chicken: Stuff the cavity with onions, lemon wedges, and herbs such as thyme, parsley, and rosemary. Rub the skin with oil to help browning. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. (Salt isn't needed because of the brine.) Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven until done, about 1 hour and 15 minutes for a 3-1/2 to 4-pound chicken.
- To cook turkey: Stuff the cavity with lemons, herbs, and onions, if desired. Rub the skin with oil and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper. Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes per pound until the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh registers at least 165 degrees.
- To cook a boneless pork roast: Sprinkle the roast with pepper and herbs such as sage, thyme, or tarragon, if desired. Roast uncovered in a 400-degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees.
PORK OR POULTRY BRINE
A perfect brine recipe for large amounts of meat such as pork butt or shoulder, several racks of pork ribs, chicken, or turkey.
Provided by Anthony Henderson
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes
Time 1h40m
Yield 20
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Fill a large pot with water to about 3/4-full; add carrots, celery, onions, kosher salt, brown sugar, lemon slices, bell pepper, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer mixture for 10 minutes.
- Let the brine cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before refrigerating to chill completely, at least 1 hour more.
- Strain brine into a separate food-safe container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 55.2 calories, Carbohydrate 14.5 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 0.5 g, Sodium 6853.8 mg, Sugar 11.8 g
ALL-PURPOSE MILD BRINE FOR POULTRY AND PORK
This is a simple all-purpose mild brine for chicken, turkey and pork. It is fabulous used when grilling chicken pieces. The meat will never be dry.
Provided by Kirstin in the Couv
Categories Very Low Carbs
Time 5m
Yield 1 quart
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- Mix cold water, salt and sugar and stir to dissolve.
- In a non-reactive container, immerse food in brine, seal and refrigerate.
- Use 1 quart of brine per pound of meat, not to exceed 2 gallons.
- Brine for 1 hour per pound (when brining multiple items, time is based on weight of a single item), but not less than 30 minutes or more than 8 hours.
- WILL NOT WORK IF MEAT IS FROZEN.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 97.5, Sodium 28322, Carbohydrate 25.2, Sugar 25.1
Tips:
- Use a large container: Brining requires a large container, such as a plastic bucket or stockpot, to hold the brine and the meat. Make sure the container is large enough to accommodate the meat and enough brine to cover it completely.
- Keep the brine cold: The brine should be kept cold, between 35°F and 40°F, to prevent the growth of bacteria. You can place the container in a refrigerator or use ice packs to keep it cold.
- Use the right amount of salt: The amount of salt in the brine is important. Too much salt can make the meat tough, while too little salt will not flavor the meat properly. Follow the recipe's instructions for the correct amount of salt.
- Add flavorings to the brine: You can add flavorings to the brine to enhance the taste of the meat. Common flavorings include herbs, spices, and citrus fruits. Experiment with different flavor combinations to find your favorites.
- Brine the meat for the right amount of time: The amount of time you brine the meat will depend on the size and thickness of the meat. A good rule of thumb is to brine the meat for 1 hour per pound.
Conclusion:
Brining is a simple and effective way to add flavor and moisture to your poultry, turkey, or pork. By following a few simple tips, you can brine your meat perfectly every time. So next time you're cooking a special meal, don't forget to brine the meat!
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