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Salting, Brining, Curing, And Injecting
If you like your meat juicy, tender, and flavorful, there is one simple ingredient that can improve all three: Salt.
Salt, which is another name for the mineral sodium chloride (NaCl), is probably the oldest way to flavor food and essential to all living things. Our bodies require salt, and the only way to get it is to ingest it. All our bodily fluids, blood and tears, contain salt. Our nervous system requires salt to conduct electricity.
Salting and brining can significantly improve your cooking. Salt is unlike any spice and herb in the house physically and chemically, and it behaves in strange and wonderful ways when applied properly to food. Don’t overdo it and you have nothing to fear from salt. And when used judiciously it can seriously amplify flavor without changing it, and it can help protein hold onto moisture.
Salting And Wet Brining: Flavorize, Moisturize, Tenderize
Achieve juicy, tender, and flavorful meat every time you hit the grill thanks to one simple ingredient: salt. Sprinkling salt on finished meats helps amplify the flavor on the surface but brining helps bring the benefits of salt to every bite. Here's how salting and brining can significantly improve your cooking.
Wet Brining vs. Dry Brining
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.
Dry Brining, Easier And Less Wasteful Than Wet Brining
Dry brining is a quick and easy way to flavor and moisturize meat before cooking.
Seasoned Salt Recipe
Seasoned salt is easy to make and the large grains really add a spark to potatoes, pastas, pizza, veggies, and just about everything else that needs salt. By adding a variety of herbs, spices, and dried citrus you can create your own signature seasoned salt blend for adding a new depth of flavor to countless dishes.
Cooking On Salt Blocks
Cooking on a salt block amps up flavor and makes a great presentation. You can put the salt block right on your grill, heat it up, and then cook on the salt block like a griddle. You can also bring a hot salt block to the table and sear meats tableside! Here's everything you need to know about cooking on salt blocks.
The Science Of Curing Meats Safely
Curing meat is not like any other recipe. You must be pretty precise about some ingredients.
The New Data About Nitrites, Nitrates And Cured Meats
Nitrites and nitrites appear naturally in foods, and are added to many foods. Are they dangerous? Recent research is enlightening.
Inject Maximum Flavor Into Your Meat With A Trio Of Brines
Injecting is a great way to get flavor down into the meat. It is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than brining. Here's how to do it.
How To Cure Meats: Bacon, Ham, Corned Beef, Pastrami, More
Here are some wonderful meats you can cure at home, from bacon to pastrami.Related articles
- Marinade Myths And How To Add Flavor More Effectively
- The Science Of Pickles
- The Science Of Rubs
- Salt Potatoes Are A Unique Specialty Of Syracuse, New York
Published On: 5/6/2019 Last Modified: 4/21/2021
Our Favorite Backyard Smoker
The amazing Karubecue is the most innovative smoker in the world. At its crux is a patented firebox that burns logs above the cooking chamber and sucks heat and extremely clean blue smoke into the thermostat-controlled oven. Click here for our review of this superb smoker.
The Good-One Is A Superb Grill And A Superb Smoker All In One
The Good-One Open Range is dramatically different from a traditional offset smoker, placing the heat source behind and under the smokebox instead of off to the side. Click here to read our complete review.
The Cool Kettle With The Hinged Hood We Always Wanted
It’s hard to beat a Weber kettle, but Napoleon holds its own and adds some unique features to make their 22″ Pro Cart a great alternative! Click here for more about what makes this grill special.
BBQ And Grilling Gifts For Every Occasion
Looking for the perfect gift for the BBQ and grilling enthusiasts in your life? Here’s our suggestion for platinum and gold medal-winning products at a variety of price points. Click here to see our list of Gold Medal Gifts.
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