On Sat 11 Mar 2006 10:51:44p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Joseph
Littleshoes?

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Sat 11 Mar 2006 09:23:34p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it sf?
>>
>> > On Sat, 11 Mar 2006 19:27:59 -0500, Dee Randall wrote:
>> >
>> >> Any help appreciated regarding 30-minute brining.
>> >>
>> > No help here. I'm constantly confoosled about why brining is good,
>> > but buying an injected bird is bad.
>>
>> That confuses me, too!
>
> Well since i have pretty well demonstrated i haven't a clue what i am
> talking about, and purely as a hobbyist, i would suggest that brining is
> a long process of hours and an injection of something in meat is a more
> immediate process with out the time for particular processes to take
> place, as in brining.

It seems to me that commercial injection is mainly to bulk up the meat and
extend shelf life, not really an "enhancement". Even the simplest of
brines can work wonders with a meat.

> One can encourage injections though purely for flavor, injecting an
> herbal butter, or fruit purees into various cuts of meat can be very
> effective. "Larding" is similar when long strings of fat can be rolled
> in various herbs and spices and "larded" with a "larding needle" into
> various cuts of meat. Injecting various liquors and wines can be very
> rewarding.

That's the only type of injection I would really want to use.

>> I tried brining once and that was
>> > enough to convince me there wasn't a big enough difference for me to
>>
>> > figure it out.
>>
>> I've never brined a chicken.
>
> I keep meaning to, i considered brining last winters turkey but did
> not. We get a local deli brined chicken that is so good i am tempted to
> learn to do it myself, from what i have read here on RFC it seems a
> simple enough process, but im still working on the difference between
> pickling and brining, i keep thinking that if im going to brine why stop
> at just salt and water. I have eaten ham soaked in coca cola and
> thought it very good.

This is the brine I used for the turkey breast. I brined it overnight.

1 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup Kosher salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 oranges, cut in half
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 tablespoons whole allspice berries
1 cup brandy

I have since used it to brine whole Cornish game hens with excellent
results. I stuffed the cavities with chunks of oranges.

> I keep thinking i want to brine with wine. But then that probly becomes
> a marinade.

Probably, depending on whether you're also using the salt.


--
Wayne Boatwright o¿o
____________________

BIOYA