Chef Tom shares the process of preparing and utilizing a brine from scratch in order to maximize the flavor and juiciness of your grilled and smoked meats.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Using room-temperature water for the basic brine lets it go straight into use once the salt and sugar dissolve, without needing to wait for anything to cool down
- Simmering the poultry and barbecue brines for a full minute before chilling extracts more flavor from the whole spices, herbs, and aromatics than simply stirring them into cold water would
- Pouring the hot brine over ice instead of letting it cool on the counter chills the liquid immediately, so it's safe to use with raw meat right away rather than waiting for it to cool gradually
- Offering three distinct brine formulas from one base ratio of water, salt, and sugar makes it easy to adapt the same starting point to different proteins and flavor profiles
Basic Brine
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 4 users
Category
Condiment
Cuisine
American
Servings
10
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Calories
57
Unlock the secrets of juicy and flavorful meats with Chef Tom's Brining video! Learn from Tom the process of brining from scratch, to take your grilled and smoked meats to the next level.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water, room temperature
-
6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 3 oz (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 2 quarts water
-
6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 3 oz (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
-
1 head of garlic, cloves smashed
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 lb ice
- 2 quarts water
-
6 oz (1 cup) Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 6 oz (1 cup) brown sugar
- 2 ancho chiles
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 tsp red pepper Chile flakes
- 1/4 tsp whole cloves
Poultry Brine
Barbecue Brine
Directions
For the Basic Brine:
Combine all ingredients in a Briner Bucket, and whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. The brine is ready to use immediately.
For the Poultry Brine and Barbecue Brine:
- Combine all ingredients in a pot, except for the ice. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let the brine simmer for about one minute.
- Place the ice in a Briner Bucket. Transfer the hot brine to the Briner Bucket. Stir to melt ice and chill water. The brine is ready to use as soon as the liquid is cold.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why use room-temperature water for the basic brine instead of heating it?
Room-temperature water dissolves the salt and sugar with a simple whisk, so the brine is ready to use immediately without needing to wait for anything to heat up or cool down.
Why simmer the poultry and barbecue brines for a minute before chilling them?
A brief simmer extracts more flavor from the whole spices, herbs, and garlic than simply stirring them into cold water would, building a more aromatic brine before it's cooled and used.
Why pour the hot brine over ice instead of letting it cool on the counter?
Chilling it immediately with ice means the brine reaches a safe temperature for raw meat right away, rather than sitting at room temperature for an extended period while it cools gradually on its own.
Why does this page offer three different brine formulas instead of just one?
Starting from the same basic ratio of water, salt, and sugar, each version adds different aromatics suited to a specific use — plain for general purposes, herbs and garlic for poultry, and chiles and warm spices for barbecue — so the base method adapts easily to whatever's being brined.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
5 out of 5 — this comes together entirely on the stovetop and in a container in the refrigerator; no grill or smoker is involved in making the brine itself.
Recipe Highlights
Room-temperature basic brine: Ready to use immediately with no heating or cooling wait.
Simmered aromatic brines: Extracts more flavor than cold-mixing alone.
Ice-chilled cooling: Brings the brine to a safe temperature immediately.
Three adaptable formulas: One base ratio suited to different proteins and flavors.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 7.6 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 57
- Carbs
- 15 grams
- Protein
- grams
- Fat
- grams
- Sodium
- 10186 milligrams
