To brine or not to brine? That is the question.

The answer for the most part is that there are certain types of meat that will benefit greatly from brining. Cook’s Illustrated has provided a very helpful explanation of why brining is so important.

Why should I take the time to brine my food?

We find that soaking many types of delicate white meat—from turkey to chicken, pork, and shrimp—in a saltwater solution before cooking protects it from the ravages of heat and guarantees tender, flavorful meat from the surface all the way to the bone. Brining also gives sometimes mushy poultry a meatier, firmer consistency.

How does brining work?

Brining promotes a change in the structure of the proteins in the muscle. Many have attributed the added juiciness of brined chicken to osmosis—the flow of water across a barrier from a place with a higher water concentration (the brine) to a place with a lower one (the chicken). We decided to test this explanation. If osmosis is in fact the source of the added juiciness of brined meat, we reasoned, then a bucket of pure unsalted water should add moisture at least as well as a brine, because water alone has the highest water concentration possible: 100 percent. After soaking one chicken in brine and another in water for the same amount of time, we found that both had gained moisture, about 6 percent by weight. Satisfied that osmosis was indeed the force driving the addition of moisture to meat during brining, we roasted the two birds, along with a third straight out of the package. We would soon discover that osmosis was not the only reason why brined meat cooked up juicy.

Cook’s Illustrated has also provided a very helpful chart that has general guidelines for brining. Can you believe once upon a time my family did not brine? Gasp. The shame. The shame. It’s like my girl Zelda said “All are welcome. All welcome. Go into the Light. There is peace and serenity in the Light.”

Brining is key to so many recipes. It’s worth putting in the time. Trust me. Make the time.