Jun 10 2008
My Best Smoke with perfect Pre-salting part 2
Strong and weak brines
My own preference is for a fairly strong brine (80 - 90%) in which the fish, fowl or flesh is left for a matter of hours rather than days, but there is an alternative method, involving the use of weaker brines, plus sugar and in some cases other ingredients. The material is left in these weaker brines often for a period of several days, and though it is not usual to brine fish in this manner, the method has a definite place in the curing of certain meats and fowl which, owing to their age or species, are likely to be very tough.
Salt has a hardening effect upon the muscular tissue of mammalian and avian flesh, but sugar tenderizes, so a tough bird such an aged goose, pheasant or turkey could benefit from treatment in sugar-added brine. Continue Reading »
