Patrick Redmond
TVWBB Member
Im looking for a good porkchop brine if anyone has any i would love to see them..
thnx
thnx
brined porkchops??
- Thread starter Patrick Redmond
- Start date
Dave/G
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Patrick Redmond:
Im looking for a good porkchop brine if anyone has any i would love to see them..
thnx </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Patrick, This recipe is pretty popular here on the forum. Molasses Brined Pork Chops
Im looking for a good porkchop brine if anyone has any i would love to see them..
thnx </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Patrick, This recipe is pretty popular here on the forum. Molasses Brined Pork Chops
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
basic salt/sugar works for me. I usually worry about flavor when it comes to rubs and sauces/glazes.
I find you end up dumping a lot of flavor down the drain when I add it to the brine.
I find you end up dumping a lot of flavor down the drain when I add it to the brine.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Ditto. But I don't bother with the sugar at all. Just salt and water. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Would you care to expand on this idea?
The popular convention is that the sugar masks some of the saltiness.
I never questioned its addition because white sugar is inexpensive and I figured it would increase the osmotic exchange of water. But now that you question its use, you got me thinking in new directions...perceived moistness has more to do with the uptake of salt than actual moisture.
Would you care to expand on this idea?
The popular convention is that the sugar masks some of the saltiness.
I never questioned its addition because white sugar is inexpensive and I figured it would increase the osmotic exchange of water. But now that you question its use, you got me thinking in new directions...perceived moistness has more to do with the uptake of salt than actual moisture.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Sugar can to some extent replace some of the salt in a brine. It adds sweetness of course, but does not penetrate meat very quickly nor very easily. It also does not affect meat fibers like salt does.
Cooks Illustrated popularized brining in general and, more specifically, the use of sugar in brines to, as they claim, reduce the "harshness" of the salt. This notion (like countless others of theirs) is just silly. One is not curing the meat (i.e., using a high salt concentration as a preserving mechanism) where the use of sugar is justified because it does soften the salt. One can certainly use it if a sweeter finish is desired, but I only rarely add it. I find that the sauce or rub or sides I am cooking are adequate for that, if I want sweetness. For flavored brines where one is incorporating fruit juices or the like, I find the sweetness of those sufficient as is, and do not bump up the sweetness with additional sugar.
Cooks Illustrated popularized brining in general and, more specifically, the use of sugar in brines to, as they claim, reduce the "harshness" of the salt. This notion (like countless others of theirs) is just silly. One is not curing the meat (i.e., using a high salt concentration as a preserving mechanism) where the use of sugar is justified because it does soften the salt. One can certainly use it if a sweeter finish is desired, but I only rarely add it. I find that the sauce or rub or sides I am cooking are adequate for that, if I want sweetness. For flavored brines where one is incorporating fruit juices or the like, I find the sweetness of those sufficient as is, and do not bump up the sweetness with additional sugar.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Sugar can to some extent replace some of the salt in a brine. It adds sweetness of course, but does not penetrate meat very quickly nor very easily. It also does not affect meat fibers like salt does. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
thanks for the additional info. makes sense. I guess my brine just got even easier to make.
on a side note, I made a basic brine and added phosphate, which was injected into half a chuck roll. The control was the other half without the injection. I noticed a big difference in the texture of the meat and the perceived moistness yet very little in the way of flavor difference (exactly what I was going for). I'm wondering how much the phosphates helped out.
thanks for the additional info. makes sense. I guess my brine just got even easier to make.
on a side note, I made a basic brine and added phosphate, which was injected into half a chuck roll. The control was the other half without the injection. I noticed a big difference in the texture of the meat and the perceived moistness yet very little in the way of flavor difference (exactly what I was going for). I'm wondering how much the phosphates helped out.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Phosphates enable the meat to retain water. That's why they appear so frequently in commercial pumped meats and cold cuts. They have no flavor to speak of on their own. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
right, the flavor comment was more associated with the brine in general, I thought I might get a bit of a corned beef effect (despite not using any pickling spices or nitrites).
I was a bit surprised by the texture difference. I don't have much experience brining beef. So I suppose I was wondering if it was the brine or the phosphates in the brine that were key.
right, the flavor comment was more associated with the brine in general, I thought I might get a bit of a corned beef effect (despite not using any pickling spices or nitrites).
I was a bit surprised by the texture difference. I don't have much experience brining beef. So I suppose I was wondering if it was the brine or the phosphates in the brine that were key.
My $0.02 here. I have never found the need to brine pork chops. I find that if you cut the chops off a bone in loin, about 1 - 1.5" thick, and cook to an internal temp of 142º ish, and let the carry over heat cook them up to 144º they are plenty moist, and then some, and OH! so good. As always, this is JMO!
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">My $0.02 here. I have never found the need to brine pork chops. I find that if you cut the chops off a bone in loin, about 1 - 1.5" thick, and cook to an internal temp of 142º ish, and let the carry over heat cook them up to 144º they are plenty moist, and then some, and OH! so good. As always, this is JMO! Wink </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's about what I do (temp-wise) with the added step of the brine. I like the added saltiness which boosts the flavor of a somewhat bland supermarket product.
I like to brine and smoke the loin whole, take it to a slightly lower temp and let it rest. I then slice the chops between the rib bones and finish them direct with a sweet glaze. You can really walk the whole roast into a nice temp, and then you have the added bonus of nice browning.
That's about what I do (temp-wise) with the added step of the brine. I like the added saltiness which boosts the flavor of a somewhat bland supermarket product.
I like to brine and smoke the loin whole, take it to a slightly lower temp and let it rest. I then slice the chops between the rib bones and finish them direct with a sweet glaze. You can really walk the whole roast into a nice temp, and then you have the added bonus of nice browning.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by j biesinger:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">My $0.02 here. I have never found the need to brine pork chops. I find that if you cut the chops off a bone in loin, about 1 - 1.5" thick, and cook to an internal temp of 142º ish, and let the carry over heat cook them up to 144º they are plenty moist, and then some, and OH! so good. As always, this is JMO! Wink </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's about what I do (temp-wise) with the added step of the brine. I like the added saltiness which boosts the flavor of a somewhat bland supermarket product.
I like to brine and smoke the loin whole, take it to a slightly lower temp and let it rest. I then slice the chops between the rib bones and finish them direct with a sweet glaze. You can really walk the whole roast into a nice temp, and then you have the added bonus of nice browning. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I left out a line last night, the suds were washing out my brain.
For chops or loins, I can see doing a flavor brine on them, like the apple honey one I use for turkey would be a nice change of pace. But for a grilled chop, I just salt them heavy, and let them come up to romm temp for an hr or two.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">My $0.02 here. I have never found the need to brine pork chops. I find that if you cut the chops off a bone in loin, about 1 - 1.5" thick, and cook to an internal temp of 142º ish, and let the carry over heat cook them up to 144º they are plenty moist, and then some, and OH! so good. As always, this is JMO! Wink </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That's about what I do (temp-wise) with the added step of the brine. I like the added saltiness which boosts the flavor of a somewhat bland supermarket product.
I like to brine and smoke the loin whole, take it to a slightly lower temp and let it rest. I then slice the chops between the rib bones and finish them direct with a sweet glaze. You can really walk the whole roast into a nice temp, and then you have the added bonus of nice browning. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I left out a line last night, the suds were washing out my brain.
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I left out a line last night, the suds were washing out my brain. Roll Eyes For chops or loins, I can see doing a flavor brine on them, like the apple honey one I use for turkey would be a nice change of pace. But for a grilled chop, I just salt them heavy, and let them come up to romm temp for an hr or two. Smiler </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
hmmm, "best dang porkchop technique"????
hmmm, "best dang porkchop technique"????
j biesinger
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Shhhhhhh!!! Big Grin </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
c'mon. Don't you want to start a 7 page thread explaining how salt and proper cooking make meat taste better?
c'mon. Don't you want to start a 7 page thread explaining how salt and proper cooking make meat taste better?