Food & Cooking
Brine
A salt-water solution (wet brine) or salt rub (dry brine) that seasons and tenderizes meat by denaturing proteins and pulling moisture in.
View on brothh.comWhat it means
A brine is a salt solution used to season and improve the texture of meat. Wet brines submerge the meat in salt water (2-6% salt by water weight); dry brines rub salt directly on the surface (1-2% salt by meat weight) and let osmosis do the rest.
Both methods work via the same mechanism: salt denatures muscle proteins so they trap more water, and salt ions migrate inward, carrying flavor with them. Dry brining is faster, uses less fridge space, and does not dilute pan drippings.
Examples
Wet brine turkey
1 gal water + 1 cup kosher salt + sugar/aromatics, 12-24 hr
Dry brine chicken
1% salt of bird weight, rubbed on skin, 12-24 hr uncovered in fridge
Do
- Use kosher or pickling salt (no iodine) — iodized salt can off-flavor meat.
- Weigh both the meat and the salt for dry brines.
Don't
- Brine kosher or pre-salted supermarket meat — it is already pumped with salt solution.
- Add salt to brine in boiling water and forget to cool — hot brine partially cooks the meat.
Calculators that use this
Brining Calculator
Salt and water amounts for wet or dry brining, plus recommended brine times by protein.
Roast Time by Weight
Oven roast times by cut, weight, and doneness — with USDA safe internal temps and rest times.
Turkey Size per Guest
Pounds of turkey per guest with leftovers — plus thaw time and fresh-vs-frozen decision guide.