Brining 52865 213301090 2008-05-18T19:07:18Z 69.0.45.33 something was wrong, they were talking about pickkling In [[cooking]], '''brining''' is a process similar to [[marination]] in which [[meat]] is soaked in a salt solution (the [[brine]]) before cooking. Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of [[osmosis]], and by allowing the cells to hold on to the water while they are cooked, via the process of [[denaturation (biochemistry)|denaturation]]. The brine surrounding the cells has a higher concentration of salt than the fluid within the cells, but the cell fluid has a higher concentration of other [[solutes]]. This leads salt [[ion]]s to enter the cell via [[diffusion]]. The increased salinity of the cell fluid causes the cell to absorb water from the brine via osmosis. The salt introduced into the cell also denatures its [[protein]]s. The proteins coagulate, forming a matrix which traps water molecules and holds them during cooking. This prevents the meat from drying out, or [[dehydration|dehydrating]]. In many foods the additional salt is also desirable as a [[preservative]]. Note that [[kosher]] meats are salted during the process of koshering so they should not be brined. Some [[cheese]]s are periodically washed in brine during their ripening. Not only does the brine carry flavors into the cheese (it might be seasoned with [[spices]] or [[wine]]), but the salty environment may nurture the growth of the ''[[Brevibacterium linens]]'' [[bacteria]], which can impart a very pronounced odor ([[Limburger]]) and interesting flavor. The same bacteria can also have some impact on cheeses that are simply ripened in humid conditions, like [[Camembert (cheese)|Camembert]]. Large populations of these "smear bacteria" show up as a sticky orange-red layer on some brine-washed cheeses. ==External links== *[http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article.php?id=70&title=Brining Brining] on Cooking For Engineers - a discussion on what happens to meat as it brines (with reader comments) [[Category:Cooking techniques]] [[Category:Food preservation]] [[de:Salzlake]] [[fr:Saumure]] [[nl:Pekel]] [[ja:食塩水]] {{food-stub}}