The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 706

difference in flavor: the broth-brined chicken still had the same hallmarks of a regular brined bird (juicy/wet texture, bland flavor) What the heck’s going on? There are two principles at work here The first is that while to the naked eye broth is a pure liquid, in reality, a broth consists of water with a vast array of dissolved solids in it that contribute flavor Most of these flavorful molecules are organic compounds that are relatively large in size—on a molecular scale, that is—while salt molecules are quite small So, while salt can easily pass across the semipermeable membranes that make up the cells in animal tissue, larger molecules cannot.† Additionally, there’s an effect called “salting out,” which occurs in water-based solutions containing both proteins and salt Water molecules are attracted to salt ions and will selectively interact with them The poor proteins, meanwhile, are left with only each other and end up forming large aggregate groups that make it even harder for them to get into the meat When the salt breaks down muscle fibers sufficiently to allow the uptake of water, plenty of water and salt get into the meat, but very little protein does The result? Unless you are using an extraconcentrated homemade stock, the amount of flavorful compounds that make it inside your chicken or turkey will be very, very limited Given the amount of stock you’d need to make this concentrated broth, it doesn’t seem like a wise move What Does This All Mean? Well, let me end the way I started: I don’t brine my birds, because I like my birds to taste like birds, not like watered- down birds Salting the meat is nearly as effective at preventing moisture loss, and the flavor gains are noticeable Want to know the truth? Even advanced salting is not a necessary first step I see it more as a safeguard against overcooking It provides a little buffer in case you accidentally let that bird sit in the oven for an extra 15 minutes As long as you are very careful about monitoring your bird, there’s no reason to salt it in advance That said, it doesn’t hurt to take precautions and let deliciousness, merriment, and family bonding ensue You may not all be able to agree on whether the cranberries belong in the stuffing or on the side, but at least you can all agree that this is one darn tasty bird HOW TO DRY-BRINE A BIRD S alting poultry under its skin and letting it stand for a period of 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator has much the same effect as brining At first the salt draws liquid out of the meat (and this time it really is through osmosis), but then it dissolves in this extracted liquid, forming a concentrated bird-juice brine right on the surface of the bird that then goes to work at dissolving muscle fibers the same way as a regular brine Eventually, as the muscle fibers get more and more relaxed, the liquid is reabsorbed Over the course of a night or two, the salty solution ... for a period of 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator has much the same effect as brining At first the salt draws liquid out of the meat (and this time it really is through osmosis), but then it dissolves in... brine right on the surface of the bird that then goes to work at dissolving muscle fibers the same way as a regular brine Eventually, as the muscle fibers get more and more relaxed, the liquid is... merriment, and family bonding ensue You may not all be able to agree on whether the cranberries belong in the stuffing or on the side, but at least you can all agree that this is one darn tasty bird