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NEW Article: Wet Brining vs. Dry Brining

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    NEW Article: Wet Brining vs. Dry Brining


    Compiling facts and experiments from Dr Blonder, here's a side by side look at the two methods:
    Wet Brining vs. Dry Brining, by Dave Joachim
    Salt helps protein hang onto water during cooking so brining is a great technique to make food moist. But which is better, wet brining or dry brining? It all depends on which meat you're cooking and the results you want. Get the details.

    #2
    Good article, I think it really just re-asserts the whole notion of dry brining beef and pork, and wet brining poultry which is what I routinely do anyway. I've dry brined a lot of chicken and always preferred and ill continue to wet brine in the future based on this article.

    As for brisket, butts and big clods of meat, this also verifies the use of a water pan or some sort of spritzing to let the surface take on more smokey flavor and develop that deep bark.

    Comment


    • texastweeter
      texastweeter commented
      Editing a comment
      I still wet brine chops and wings, sometimes thighs, but not whole birds. I should probably do a side by side. Have you?

    #3
    I prefer to wet brine chicken pieces and pork pieces & loins. I happen to disagree though that wet brining skin-on chicken leads to rubbery skin, in my side by sides it completely does not affect it if you cook it like you should. I've even used the SnS with water in the reservoir and some wet brined skin-on chicken and got nice crisp skin.

    Comment


    • Troutman
      Troutman commented
      Editing a comment
      Yea I think high heat negates the skin issue. I just did my chicken Inosol over the weekend using the vortex to 500* and the wet skin got plenty crispy.

    • Macktechie
      Macktechie commented
      Editing a comment
      I did a blind test with the wife and friends. They pick the dry brine every time.

    #4
    A well-written and interesting article. Thanks for the link, Huskee

    Kathryn

    Comment


      #5
      After reading all that I had to go eat a teaspoon of salt. Makes sense, but I never get time or room in the fridge to wet brine a chicken.

      Comment


      • fzxdoc
        fzxdoc commented
        Editing a comment
        Once you've spilled a large 2 gallon bag full of salmonella-laden wet brine all down your cabinets onto the kitchen floor, it sort of puts you off of wet brining. Ask me how I know. I almost called in a Hazmat Team.

        Kathryn

      • Skip
        Skip commented
        Editing a comment
        Kathryn, just the vision of that mess in my mind creeps me out!

      • smokin fool
        smokin fool commented
        Editing a comment
        I've wet brined less than a hand full of times, but only in the winter, that way I can store everything in the garage. It stays in the mid 30's low 40's during the winter.
        Have a 5 gallon Home Depot plastic paint barrel with lid for the brining.
        All the prep work also happens in the garage so I don't run into Katherine's predicament....

      #6
      Thanks for the refresher & consolidation.

      Comment


        #7
        If you use white and brown sugar in your rub for brisket, after you've dry brined, you tend to get a little moist on the surface, I think.

        Comment


        • texastweeter
          texastweeter commented
          Editing a comment
          I use large grain turbinado sugar in my brisket rob, so there's that...

        #8
        Nice article. Will change my chicken habits.

        Comment


          #9
          Excellent info

          Comment


            #10
            I read the article a few days back. While interesting, I'd like to see the same test run with normal salt levels for the dry brining. Just saying when you set up a test with impractical conditions you can draw false conclusions.

            Comment


              #11
              I keep a qt jar of brine in the reefer at all times and have for years. Remember only salt and water will penetrate the meat, other herbs and spices will only add to the surface flavor. I use it for both chicken and pork chops. I can't stand the other white meat as I grew up in the 50's and 60's and pork did not taste like chicken. LOL Anyway thaw them over night and brine while at work, if your not retired like me and either one will be delicious for dinner. If your retired like me and get up at noon a 6hr brine is fine. For crisp chicken skin dry the skin both over and under it leaving it attached in only 3 or 4 places, just get it as dry as possible.

              Comment


              • texastweeter
                texastweeter commented
                Editing a comment
                sugars penetrate as well, not as much as salts.

              #12
              Well I have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was put on a low sodium diet ( 2000mg daily) and low calorie diet ( 2000 daily). Which some foods I know I will be restrict from my diet like certain cheeses, salt, heavy cream, etc.. Well I really do not want to give up smoked ribs or pulled pork. I know very fattening foods but I can still have them in moderation. as long as my other meals of the day are less fat and low sodium. Normally I used kosher salt to dry brine ribs and pork shoulder. My favorite rub is only 120 mg of sodium per 1/4 tsp. Which is really low compared to other store bought rubs. My main concern is brining with salt. I thought well since my rub has some salt in already that maybe I could just dry brine with that instead of using salt. And with the pork butt at 250 mg sodium per 4 oz and the ribs at 220 mg per 4 oz. I can control my sodium intake and stay under my 2000 mg limit of the day without brining. I am wondering if I do not dry brine at all would greatly affect the tenderness of either pork meats? Maybe texas crutch to help with tenderness? I was wondering if anyone has any ideas or advice??

              Comment


              • texastweeter
                texastweeter commented
                Editing a comment
                Have you ever tried dry bribing with potassium chloride?

              • smokin fool
                smokin fool commented
                Editing a comment
                I typically don't dry or wet brine with Kosher salt or any salt for that matter.
                Even when I make my own dry rub for every cup of rub I only put in a level tbsp of sea salt.
                No one here seems to complain about tenderness of my butts or ribs unless I absolutely ruin a cook. .
                But to be clear I do crutch the majority of my cooks.

              #13
              The most interesting thing here, for me, is that dry brining impairs smoke adherence.

              That's not good. Maybe no brining, and just some surface salt is the answer? AKA, the thing I do 90% of the time anyway?

              Comment


              • texastweeter
                texastweeter commented
                Editing a comment
                hmm...

              • fzxdoc
                fzxdoc commented
                Editing a comment
                But isn't that only after the bark has formed? That takes a while on the briskets I smoke. They have several moist-surface hours to absorb smoke before that surface starts to change.

                Kathryn

              • Potkettleblack
                Potkettleblack commented
                Editing a comment
                "The smoker test showed that the salted meat square took on less smoke because it became dry and polymerized (see the photo below). Which makes total sense because we know that smoke sticks best to water. This means that dry brining a brisket can ultimately make it less smoky tasting."

                The best solution they offer is to use a water pan and use coarse salt for brining.

                I'm not reassured.

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