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5. MEAT PREPARATION
There are a number of methods that can be employed to tenderise, moisten and flavour your
meat. These include brining, curing, marinating and rubs.
5.1 Brine Curing
Brining foods in a mixture of salt and water is a form of curing and is one of the simplest
techniques to prepare foods for smoking.
The brining of meats is an age-old process used for preserving foods. Heavy concentrations of
salt helped preserve meats for long ocean voyages and military campaigns before the arrival of
refrigeration.
Brining today uses smaller quantities of salt, mixed with other spices and herbs, and is used
to flavour and tenderise meat. The most basic brining mixture incorporates a minimum of 1
tablespoon of salt to every 1 litre of water. We recommend salt flakes as they are easier to
dissolve, and the use of non iodised salt where possible. A good rule of thumb for achieving an
effective brine cure is that it should contain enough salt in the mixture to allow a raw egg to float.
This equates to 20% of the salt in the liquid. Always store brine meat in a refrigerator.
In terms of the quantity of brine required, you will need enough brine to completely submerge
the meat. Some foods may need to be weighed down to stay submerged. Meat is best brined for
approximately 4 hours per kilogram. Depending on the size of meat you wish to brine, it can take
up to 24 hours or more. If you are brining whole poultry you will need to add 6 to 12 hours between
brining and cooking. It is best to sit the poultry in the refrigerator for several hours after you
remove it from the brined so that the skin can dry before cooking.
Also, when brining poultry or pork in a low salt brine it is recommended that you change the brining
liquid every 24 hours. Beef and lamb however can be submerged in the same brine for up to 3
days. Once you have finished brining lightly rinse the cut of meat to remove any excess salt before
cooking. Do not reuse the brine.
Chris' Basic Brine Recipe
1 litre of water
1 tblsp of salt
Directions:
Flavour the mixture with anything you like ie. crushed garlic, lemon, peppercorns, herbs, a
teaspoon of good curry paste, brown sugar, soy sauce or ginger.
Soak the meat in the brine and place in the refrigerator overnight. Ensure that the meat is fully
submerged in the brine.
Note that there is an increasing push to include Iodised salt in our cooking. Whilst this is a good
initiative, Iodised salt is not recommend for use in brining.
5.2 Salt and Sugar Curing
Salt and sugar curing is an age-old technique that involves removing all the available moisture
from the food in order to prevent it from spoiling. Once foods are cured this way, they are generally
hung up in the open air or left packed in salt or sugar.
When the food is required for consumption, it is usually reconstituted with a liquid such as water.
