Brining boosts flavor and makes meat tender. Brining, which consists of soaking meat in a solution of water, salt and often sugar, has a dramatic effect on meats of all kinds.Table salt is made of two chemicals, sodium and chloride, whose ions are oppositely charged. Proteins, such as those in meat, are large molecules that contain a mosaic of charges, negative and positive. When proteins are placed in a solution containing salt, they readjust their shape to accommodate the opposing charges. This rearrangement of the protein molecules compromises the structural integrity of the meat, reducing its overall toughness. It also creates gaps that fill up with water. The added salt makes the water less likely to evaporate during cooking, and the result is meat that is both juicy and tender.
Basic brining formula calls for 1/3 cup table salt, and 1/3 cup sugar dissolved in 1-quart cold water (per pound of food), with food left to soak one hour per pound. This formula is developed with two goals in mind: to season the food through and through, such that even a 12-pound turkey would be seasoned right to the bone, and to provide a cushion of moisture that would keep the food from drying out as it cooked.
If you are very sensitive to salt, we recommend that you skip brining. Do take extra care not to overcook your food; in my experience, home cooks are more likely to overcook food than undercook it, and there’s no better way to dry out a pork chop or a chicken breast than to overcook it.
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