Brine is a mixture of table salt and water and is a frequently used tool in cooking as it is very practical and effective, transforming dry, tasteless meat into delicious and juicy meat. Its effect is very fast, efficient and for this reason it is very easy to soak your food for a long time or in excessive amounts of salt. Therefore, be very careful and use with precision, otherwise the product may be very salty. The final result will depend on three factors, the first is how much salt there is in the brine, the second is the size of the piece of meat (meat is our reference), the third is the time the meat is immersed in the brine.
It is possible to save the meat if it becomes too salty, simply immerse it in pure water for the reverse process to occur, that is, the concentrations will tend to balance and migration will occur to water with a lower salt concentration. But this will take time, and if you have included spices in the brine, it will balance them as well.
To understand how brine works, read the text about how brine works.
In small pieces it is easy to test the doneness, just remove the meat, wash, dry well, cut a small piece, cook and try, if it is a little saltier than the desired doneness, great, it is ready, as the salt will continue to migrate to the inside of the meat while it rests in the refrigerator. However, in larger pieces it is difficult to test, as it is very difficult to test the amount of salt inside the piece.
Basic brine recipe
The basic general rule is to use 50 grams of salt for 1 liter of water. Additionally, it is recommended to add 30 grams of sugar, as it will help balance the flavor and color resulting from the caramelization of the meat, especially when grilled or roasted. Additionally, it is possible to add spices to incorporate flavors and aromas.
Brine preparation
Add all the ingredients, cook for a while so that all the salt and sugar are completely dissolved and the seasonings release their flavor. Remember that evaporation will reduce the amount of water, so don't cook for too long. Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
Brine curing times
| Type | Weight/Size | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless chicken breast | 200 grams | 2 hours |
| A whole chicken | 1kg | 4 to 6 hours |
| Whole turkey | 4 to 7 kilos | 24 hours |
| Pork chops | 3 cm thick | 2 hours |
| Pork loin | 2 kilos | 12 hours |
| Fish fillet | Thin thickness | 1 hour |
| Fish steak | 2.5 cm thick | 1 hour |
Brine Tips
- Always discard brine after first use. It will be loaded with liquids and impurities that came out of the meat;
- Let the meat rest in the refrigerator after removing the product from the brine. The salt will finish migrating and will be balanced between the surface and interior of the meat;
- Always refrigerate the brine before soaking the meat. This affects healing times, always maintain a standard;
- Keep in the refrigerator during the curing time;
These are just suggestions for brine and times, but it is important to test and adapt recipes to individual and regional preferences and particularities.
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Português do Brasil
Hello friend, thanks for the excellent material. I've always been a bit unsure about the proportions of salt/water/meat in immersion. That is, if I have two cases where in one I put 1 liter of water and 500g of meat and in the other also 1 liter but with 250 grams of meat, should the amount of salt remain the same? If not, how should I weigh these three elements?
A hug
Hi Thiago. For brines with a high salt concentration, the immersion time will vary depending on the thickness of the pieces. Thinner meats will be left in for less time, while thicker meats will be left in for longer. The amount of salt remains the same because it is already quite high. The osmotic pressure and diffusion acted in the same way with 500g or 250g of meat. When in doubt, I always recommend using a balanced brine, in which the amount of salt is regulated according to the sum of the weight of the meat and water. It is easier to control and will always give an accurate result. See here: Brine for balance
Hello. Interesting article.
In the case of the loin, after 12pm, how long and where should it rest?
It is not necessary to rest after the soaking time.
Regarding the soaking time, I've seen several recipes say it should be soaked for 7 days!!!
It depends on the thickness of the meat. A fish fillet will require much less time than, for example, a pork loin. A fixed number of days does not cover the different requirements of each type and thickness of meat.
tube well, but if it is a loin, with 1.5 to 2 kg, with 4/5 fingers of height is what I have seen:
recipesemenus net/pork-loin-in-brine/
Another thing you need to pay attention to is the salt concentration of the brine. In the case of this post, the brine has 5% of salt, that is, it has a higher salt concentration, which reduces the time needed to soak the meat. If it is a brine with a low salt content, the time will be much longer. There is no single rule, you need to evaluate the brine and the thickness of the meat. If you are following a specific recipe, do as it suggests. In the case of the brine in this post, the soaking time for the meat you mentioned would be shorter due to the higher salt concentration. If you are in doubt, I suggest you make the brine based on balance, which is much more precise, there is no way to go wrong: https://charcutaria.org/sal/salmoura-por-equilibrio/
Good morning. Congratulations on the website, incredible.
I'm going to make a 13 kilo piglet, the question is do I do it in brine or injected?
They said that in brine the skin will not be crispy but rubbery.
If injected, how long does it take to set the seasoning or can it go straight into the drum once it has been injected?
Thanks.
Even injecting, it is recommended to leave it refrigerated for at least 12 hours.
Goodnight,
To inject the seasoning with a syringe, what is the proportion of water, salt and other seasonings? What is the resting time in the refrigerator for injected chicken?
Jefferson, you have to apply it according to the volume of liquid you are going to inject. If you are going to inject 200ml into a chicken, those 200ml must contain, for example, 1.8% of salt and the rest of the seasonings and additives, always in proportion.
Good morning. Congratulations on the website. I would like to know if when using wine in the brine this amount is added to the water to calculate the salt? For example: 1 liter of wine + 2 liters of water = 150 g of salt. Is the proportion correct?
Yes, you need to add the volume of the wine when calculating the salt. Your calculation is correct. 1L wine + 2L water = 3(L) x 50(G) = 150G of salt.
In the case of bacon, how long should you leave the brine on the meat?
It depends on the thickness of the piece, but, generally speaking, 24 hours will be enough. If the belly piece is thick, leave it for 48 hours.
I'm going to roast a 15 kg fish, what is the recommended brine?
Is it okay to leave the chicken fillet in brine for one, two or even three days?
If it is a balance brine, there is no problem. If it is a brine with a lot of salt, then yes, as the fillets will be very salty.
Good afternoon, I would like to brine pork knuckle. Does the bone require any special type of care? Thanks.
Hi Cintia, you don't need any special treatment for the bone, you can leave it in the brine.
Good morning, how many days do I need to leave the beef brisket (brisket) in the brine?
In the basic brine I believe 12 hours is enough.
I want a recipe to make chicken wings
Hello, could you please recommend a recipe for brine+condiments for ox termites?
Good afternoon! Is it safe to consume a cold chicken that I left marinating in kefir whey for 5 days?
Hi Carmen, I can't say because I've never read about the effect of kefir on meat.
I left a chicken cooled in kefir whey for 5 days. Can I consume it or is it risky?
Good afternoon! How to make a brine for beef ribs? Thanks!
I will make a 5 to 6 kg pork rib roasted over the fire. what is the indication. Brine or marinade? Any recipes?
Congratulations on the website.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Carlos, make a dry seasoning yourself. The base can be 14g of salt per kg of ribs. The other seasonings can be to taste, the most important thing is to get the salt right.
I'm going to cook ribs in an 11 KG drum, what is the procedure for seasoning them in brine? And how long should she enjoy it?
A piece of this size will be difficult to leave immersed in the brine. The easiest thing is to apply a dry seasoning, use 2% of salt on the weight of the meat and the seasonings you want, rub well all over the meat. Then refrigerate for 2 days before baking in the drum.
Dear, you can make brine for several products at the same time. Make brine for 30 chickens at once? Or is marinade better?
Yes, you can do it, but for this quantity it is more common to inject the brine. For immersion you would need a very large space.
Thank you for the answer, this will help me a lot in my business.
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED CONCENTRATION OF CURING SALT (HUNGARIAN POWDER III) OR OTHERS IN PICKLES FOR SOAKING LOGS, FOR THE PREPARATION OF TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS HAM?
COULD YOU SUGGEST US A COMPLETE COMPOSITION OF BRINE FOR EACH KILO OF IN NATURA LAM?
Hello, José Olympio. The maximum concentration will depend on the amount of nitrite and/or nitrate additive that your Hungarian powder (curing salt) contains. In Brazil there is no standardization so each manufacturer uses different percentages of the additive. The limit in Brazil is determined by the Ministry of Agriculture and is 150ppm of residual nitrite in the final product. For curing salt (Hungarian powder) with 6.25% of nitrite (instacure#1 standard), the minimum amount to be added is 2.4g per kg of meat. To know the most you need to know the conversion rate. Over time, nitrite is converted and only what was not converted remains as residual nitrite in the final product, and this residual is what is regulated. I believe that, for this standard of curing salt (instacure#1), the ideal would be to add up to, at most, 4g per kg of meat. The posts below can help you with this decision.
Furthermore, I suggest 2% of common salt and 1% of sugar based on the weight of the meat + brine liquids. The other condiments are to taste.
Curing salt what it is and how much to use
Nitrite conversion time in cured meats
Can you remove the chicken from the brine and leave it refrigerated for roasting later?
Yes you can, no problem.
This website is sensational! Congratulations and thanks for the tips. I would like to know if I can add wine and herbs to the brine or if I need to first put the meat in the brine and only then put it in a marinade with wine, garlic and herbs. Thanks!
Hi Rosa. Yes, you can add the wine and herbs to the brine. You can even boil the herbs for a few minutes in a little water, extracting the essential oils and aromas to later add to the brine. Hugs!
I made the Pork Loin and everyone liked it. Thanks for the tip. I want to make roast chicken thighs and thighs, would the time in the brine be the same? Any more tips?
Is there a need to add sugar when making the brine?
I see some recipes for salami and sausages also with added sugar.
Is there much difference in not adding sugar?
My intention is to have a quality product for private use.
Thank you for your attention
Hi João, in brine the function is just to add flavor and mask the acidity of an ingredient, such as lemon, vinegar or wine. In salami and canopy it can serve as a food source for the starter culture. In sausages, it is used to add flavor and help with the final color due to caramelization. From what I know, these are the functions of sugar, but there may be more that I don't know about. Hugs.
Hello, this recipe above 1 liter of water, 50 grams of salt, 30 grams of sugar is for how much meat?
Thanks
Hi Cássio, depending on the weight and thickness of the meat, the soaking time must be changed, according to the reference table below copied from the text.
– Boneless chicken breast – 200 grams – 2 hours
– Whole chicken – 1 kilo – 4 to 6 hours
– Whole turkey – 4 to 7 kilos – 24 hours
– Pork chops – 3 cm thick – 2 hours
– Pork loin – 2 kilos – 12 hours
– Fish fillet – Thin thickness – 1 hour
– Fish fillet – 2.5 cm thick – 1 hour
Therefore, the weight and thickness of the product may vary and, accordingly, the time that the product will be immersed must change. If you want a more precise brine, I recommend you read the post about Brine for balance
Man, what information, I learned things that were previously imaginable, I thought I knew something, but wow, I never imagined, what a class, congratulations, thanks!
Hello ,
If I use curing salt, do I add it to the brine, directly to the meat before brining or do I add it directly to the meat after the brining process moments before it goes into the smoker? Thanks.
Felipe, add it to the brine.
Hi Eduardo, how long should the meat rest in the fridge after brining?
I don't know how long it takes to rest after brining, I believe the meat can be used immediately after soaking. Perhaps for fast brines, with high salt concentrations, a period of equilibrium after immersion is necessary, but I can't tell you precisely. If anyone has any additional information, please share!
I didn't see any tips for lamb. For a 1.5 kg ham, how much salt and soaking time are needed?
Good evening, I have a question, could you help me?
I intend to make a stuffed pork loin for Christmas, it is not large, it is approximately 1.5 kg and is open in a blanket, would it be recommended to leave it in the brine before stuffing and roasting?
Priscila, yes, brine is a great option. If you don't have time to brine, you can simply marinate it with 1.5% of salt from the total weight of the meat, add any other seasonings you want and leave it overnight in the fridge. This way the salt will be at the right point.
Hello, my question is if you have any tips for seasoning barbecue, that is, if this brine applies to this type of red meat and if I can add vinegar and white onion to perhaps make it similar to a church barbecue. Thank you.
Alessandro, you can make the brine or add the salt and seasonings directly to the meat, without water, leaving it to absorb for 24 hours in the fridge. This way, add 15g of salt for each kilo of meat. Vinegar and onion I recommend making a vinaigrette and adding it to the meat while it cooks.