Dry Brine.
Let us talk about the magic of this amazing and simple process of dry brine for a second 🙌.
Here’s a quick rundown as to what it is and why you should at least try it once 🥩. If you’re foodies like us, we think this will be a regular thing for you too!
What exactly is Dry Brining and what does it do?
1) Well, in the simplest form, the excess moisture in the meat is drawn out by the salt and then that moisture is then reabsorbed into the tissues of the meat. This then allows all the delicious flavor of the meat to infuse throughout the meat instead of it sitting on top.
2) If you’re not cooking the creme de la creme cuts of meats such as Wagyu or Kobe beef for example, dry brining will help tenderize your meat – so it’s perfect for those more affordable cuts of any type of meat – beef, chicken, pork, etc. The process works the proteins and helps them relax and break down. The end result is a much more tender and moist piece of meat instead of a tough, chewy, and dried-out piece.
3) Cut your cooking time down. Seriously, don’t walk away. Set a timer and make sure you watch your meat. The cooking time is cut down quite drastically depending on the cut and thickness.
4) The crust 😍. The Maillard reaction helps create the most amazing crust on the meat once cooked. It’s incredible.
How do you dry brine?
1) Pat the cut of meat dry and make sure it’s fully thawed.
2) Apply salt everywhere – literally. Don’t be shy, especially if you’ve got a particularly thick cut of meat. The thicker the meat, the more salt it can take. The thinner, the less you’ll use.
3) Place the salted meat on a cooling wire rack and then place that rack on a baking tray with rimmed sides.
4) Place the tray and rack in the fridge, uncovered for up to 24 hours, but no less than 1 hour. The longer it dry brines, the better the end results.
5) When you’re ready to BBQ, pull the meat out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior. Allow it to come up to room temperature. There is no need to add any more salt. You can add a rub or other seasonings, but ideally, have them be salt-free.
6) If you’re cooking a cut of meat with a beautiful fat cap on it, say a nice rib-eye, because the cooking time is reduced, sear the fat end first then proceed with the rest of the cook.
What kind of salt do you use?
Do NOT use your everyday, run-of-the-mill table salt such as Sifto. First, there is sugar in regular table salt and secondly, the crystal shapes of regular table salt are not ideal due to their small size.
Kosher salt is the best. The crystals of Kosher salt are much larger and shaped differently, therefore they are able to draw out more moisture.
We sell the number 1 chef’s choice when it comes to Kosher Salt in-store – Diamond Crystal Pure and Natural Kosher Salt.
1 of our favorite YouTube channels that explains dry brining perfectly is https://www.youtube.com/@GugaFoods Go check him out.
