QUESTION !!

[Jim O]

I've used marinades,and rubs but never brines. What's the reason for brining ?

Thanks

Jim O

[FLBentRider]

Add moisture and flavors.

Water soluble flavors work best.

[hal4uk]

That's an interesting question.
I reckon both involve some level of immersion in liquid goodness for the purpose of "soaking it up".
But, "brining" most definitely brings SALT to mind.

[begolf25]

Try brining your next batch of chicken or turkey before you cook it. You will wish you have always done it.

[ghost9mm]

Try brining your next batch of chicken or turkey before you cook it. You will wish you have always done it.

X 2

[muebe]

As others stated brining is to add moisture to the meat. Any flavorings that are added to the brine will also flavor the meat.

The brine is naturally forced into the meat because the brine has a higher salt content than the meat. The solution tries to equalize itself.

[viper125]

Lets not for get the Hammy taste cure gives to the meat. As I only brine when I cure. I marinade just to add flavor and moisture. 2 totally different things to me.

[FLBentRider]

Try brining your next batch of chicken or turkey before you cook it. You will wish you have always done it.

X3

I brine poultry without cure. No hammy taste here.

[viper125]

Brine is a solution of salt (usually sodium chloride) in water. In different contexts, Brine may refer to salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, or the lower end of solutions used for brining foods) up to about 26% (a typical saturated solution, depending on temperature).
Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining (now less popular than historically). Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them (or increasing taste).

Marination is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origins of the word allude to the use of brine (aqua marina) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. The liquid in question, the 'marinade', can be acidic with ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or wine or enzymatic (made with ingredients such as pineapple or papaya.)[1] Along with these liquids, a marinade often contains oils, herbs, and spices to further flavor the food items.
It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat.[2] The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines. For example, in Indian cuisine the marinade is usually prepared with a mixture of spices.