"Steve Pope" > wrote in message
...
> Susan > wrote:
>
>>Steve Pope wrote:
>
>>> I would say this is not a brine, it is a marinade. There is not
>>> enough salt in it to be a brine, plus there is vinegar -- brines
>>> are not acidic.
>
>>> Spices are optional in a brine and sugar is not normally included.
>>> These ingredients are more typical in marinades.
>
>>> A basic brine is water and salt in a 12:1 ratio by volume.
>>> I've seen recipes calling for 8:1 but I have not found that
>>> level of salt necessary. I've seen 16:1 used in a recipe from Acme
>>> chop house, San Francisco. The above recipe is about 21:1.
>>> I would say the salt concentation is too low for brining action.
>
>>A lot of basic brining recipes also call for sugar, though I've never
>>seen one with vinegar in it before, and I would never add it.
>
> I see sugar routinely in brines for fish, not so much for
> meat or fowl in my experience. YMMV.
>
> Steve

Sugar, brown sugar, and some sort of fruit juice is very common in brines.

IMHO the sugar helps balance out the saltiness.


Dimitri