Brining Masterclass: Percentage & Equilibrium Methods

☆

Steps

1. 1
   Prepare a 10% percentage brine by dissolving 200g of salt in 2L of water. Ensure the salt is completely dissolved — undissolved salt will prevent the brine from working properly.

   Tip: The 10% ratio means 10% of the water weight in salt (200g salt per 2kg water).

   ~5 min
2. 2
   Submerge the protein in the brine. Reference times for a 10% brine: chicken breast (180g, boneless) = 20 minutes; bone-in tomahawk pork chops (650g each) = 90 minutes; bone-in pork belly with skin (1.5kg) = 3 hours. If the piece has no bones, reduce time by about 30 minutes for large cuts.

   Tip: Bone-in cuts take significantly longer because bone slows salt penetration. To determine exact times for your specific cut, brine 5 identical pieces and pull them at different intervals (e.g., 10, 13, 15, 20, 25 minutes), then taste to find the sweet spot.
3. 3
   Ensure the protein stays fully submerged. If it floats, cover the surface with wet paper towels (wipes/cloth) soaked in the brine — this keeps all surfaces in contact with the brine solution. Alternatively, place a plate on top as a weight.

   Tip: This wet cloth technique is used in professional kitchens for large-scale operations. The cloth absorbs brine and keeps it in contact with exposed surfaces.
4. 4
   Cover the container and refrigerate for the designated brining time. Use gastronorm containers if possible — they are stackable and space-efficient for refrigeration.

   Tip: Always brine in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
5. 5
   For the infused aromatic brine variant: heat 1.5L of water and steep orange peel, rosemary, garlic, lemongrass, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns, salt, sugar, and bay leaf for 5-8 minutes to create a potent infusion.

   Tip: The infusion should be heavily loaded with aromatics since it will be diluted with ice.

   ~8 min
6. 6
   Pour the hot infusion over 1.5kg of ice in a large bowl to rapidly chill it. This gives you a cold, aromatic brine ready to use immediately without waiting for it to cool down.

   Tip: The ice-shock method is the professional way to get a cold brine fast. You can leave the aromatic solids in the brine.

   ~2 min
7. 7
   For equilibrium brining: place the meat in a container, add just enough water to barely cover it. Weigh the total (meat + water). Calculate 3% of that total weight in salt (e.g., 4kg total = 120g salt). Dissolve the salt thoroughly in the water, return the meat, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

   Tip: The beauty of equilibrium brining is that it is nearly foolproof — even if you leave it 26, 28, or 32 hours, it will not over-salt because the salt reaches equilibrium between the water and the meat. The range is 3-5% salt; 5% may be too salty for most tastes.

   ~1440 min
8. 8
   When brining time is complete, remove the meat from the brine. Do NOT rinse it — rinsing removes the work you have done. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels, as wet surfaces will not brown properly. The meat is now ready for grilling, frying, roasting, or any cooking method.

   Tip: Best proteins for brining: pork, chicken, turkey, and fish. Avoid brining beef/red meat — the brine dilutes the characteristic flavor of the meat by replacing blood/juices with salt water. For beef, use a dry brine (salt + aromatics applied well before cooking).

Giacomo Bocchio

LES VOY A ENSEÑAR TODO ACERCA LAS SALMUERAS | GIACOMO BOCCHIO

Watch on YouTube →