Brining, Curing, Koshering?????

Let�s begin with brining and curing. Brining involves salt and liquid. Acid is usually added to a brine as it promotes tenderness via breaking down cell membranes. Flavoring agents may also be added�spices, sugars, etc. The brining liquid, strictly speaking, involves water though other liquids may be added�wine, fruit juices, cider, etc.

Curing as a rule, employs course salt � otherwise known as Kosher salt�hence �Koshering�. Again, cures may be embellished with sugar, herbs & spices and Tenderquick which uses Sodium Nitrate to increase tenderness and promote desired color finish. Both methods are means by which meat, fish or fowl are preserved.

Cold smoking is done at temps under 100 F. while hot smoking involves temps of 150 + F. Cold smoking simply adds smoked flavor to preserved foods. Hot smoking also adds smoke flavor but cooks the food as well.

The timing necessary for proper curing or brining generally depends on the size/weight of the product being cured/brined. You�ll find a wealth of information under �Smokin�Okie Barbecue Guide� in Brining 101. You may also refer to �The Smoked Foods Cookbook� by Lue & Ed Park, which offers great information tables as to brining/curing times and smoking times.

Holler if you need more info.

Thanks for the info, I'll checkout the books and Okie's info. Have a great day . I'll get back with ya and let ya know how things went.

Forgot to add, if curing, rinse product thoroughly and let it air dry in cool spot...forms "pellicle"

Good luck

JR,

I too was confused when I first started into this. The books that I bought were not that good at getting to a decent explanation either. So I'll try to make it as plain and simple as I can.

First there are two major methods for curing meats; liquid brining and dry cure. Both essentially achieve the same end..., that is preserving the meat with an adequate salt content with the added provision that the meat also has a greatly reduced moisture content.

Liquid brining achieves this by having a brine salt content that is high enough to insure a salt ratio high enough to insure preservation once the product is dehydrated (note that the product goes from a liquid to a dry product indicating that the salt in solution can be a lower percentage as the product when dry will have a higher salt content). Note that both salt and sugar can be used as curing agents thus greatly modifying the taste of the end product (part of the Zen mystery). Herbs & spices impart specific taste and smell on top of the salt/sugar basic taste. Some add vinegar to tenderize tough meat products in the process. Note that this is all done under refrigeration. The time of brining is dependent on the weight of the meat product and is gauged on the time of the solution to penetrate to the core. Once cured it is rinsed in clear water and allowed to dry until a pellicle forms (glisteny clear surface)before smoking.

Dry curing is achieved through rubbing on a salt/sugar/spice mixture and leaving the product on top of a rack so that liquid derived from the salting can drain. The product is "overhauled" at periodic intervals until liquid is no longer observed. This interval is dependent upon the weight of the meat product as the rate of penetration is the constraining factor. Once liquid no longer is observed draining out of the product is indicative of the end or this process. The product is then rinsed in clear water for a period depending on, ,again on the weight of the product. It is then allowed to dry before smoking.

Now comes the smoking part.

Hot smoking generally indicates that the product is to be cooked and served hot immediately. Products are generally brined or cure rubbed overnight for these products..., they are thouroughly rinsed before smoking.

Cold smoking is indicative of fully cured meat products. The smoke in this case is an additional preservative step that is taken to not only preserve but to subtly flavor according to the type of wood used to produce smoke. Note that the product is already preseved and that this an additional step in that process.

Now that it's smoked how long will it keep? This depends mostly upon the fat content of the final product and cleanliness in the production process. More fat means less shelf time and vice versa. I always freeze fish but use muslin double bagging for dry cured hams.

I suggest the following website which has very useful information regarding food preservation..., I use it often as a reference;
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/pubs/consumerpubs.htm

Hope this sheds some light on what at first appears to be an arcane subject but will become very clear as you obtain more experience in the art of preservation.

Gilly

Gilly,
Thanks for the come back and the info you have provided. I've learned more about brining on this forum than I ever thought possable, and in such a short time. My ribs and salmon have turned out great and the people that I have sold it to said is't the best they have ever had (But what do Texans know about salmon) , but I have to admit it's pretty darn good, and I'm not a fish person. Thanks for the site address again.
See Ya Around The Ranch
JR

Topchef: what is a pellicle?

Carl,

Pellicle is the result of exposing a brined, or cured product...usually fish, once rinsed of the cure, to air. Basically you place the fish on a wire rack and leave it in a cool environment for 8 - 12 hrs. I use my walk-in cooler. The cool air dries the surface and leaves behind a glossy sheen --- that's the pellicle.

I've always assumed, but am not absolutley sure pn this, that the absence of moisture on the surface allows greater smoke penetration.

Go Patriots! 14 pt underdogs my butt!

Catergreat,I don't have a walk-in so a fan works fine.

The pellicle will keep the fat from seeping out of the fish all over it.

JR,

As far as "koshering" goes, I have a Jewish buddy who might take exception to this term, not because he would find it offensive or any of that P.C. stuff, but because it is inaccurate. The only way to make your product kosher is to start with kosher ingredients, (kosher beef has to be butchered a certain way) not mix the wrong ingredients with it (no dairy with meat, like in any sauce), and have a Rabbi present at every step of the way.

I know, I know. The term refers to kosher salt. I just thought it was kind of a funny image, having a Rabbi around everytime I'm cooking

thinking of getting the SM070 or the SM160 for cold smoking bacon, iv been using the bradley smoker up untill now, and have been cold smoking for 16hours, iv read on this forum that you turn it on for 20mins then turn off for 60-90minutes,

But how long can i do that for? or how many times do i do that to get same result as the bradley?

Any help apricated

English Butcher, I am not a professional, but I happened to catch your post. I think you would benefit from copying and pasting your question in the top portion of this forum under which model to buy, OR, under the pork heading. At the very least I would start your own thread so it can get the answers/replies you need. I think it will get lost at the end of an old thread.

By the way, I hot smoke my bacon in the 025, but I am just a home cook for a family of five.

Our forum moderator may get to moving the post to a better place if he gets the chance, he's really good at taking care of us like that

English Butcher,
Welcome to the Forum!
Joe M