How to Make a Basic Brine

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: May 5, 2024 Approved

Cooking dries meat by about 30 percent.^{[1]
X
Research source} You can make moist, flavorful meats that lose as little 15 percent of their water if you refrigerate meats in basic saltwater brine before cooking. The salt in the water changes the meat so it draws in brine and retains moisture while cooking. Brining works best on low-fat meats like chicken, turkey and lean pork, as most cuts of red meat are fatty and don't need brining.^{[2]
X
Research source}

Basic Brine Ratio: 1 cup (227 grams) of salt, 1 cup of white sugar, 4 tablespoons (60 grams) of garlic powder, 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of ground black pepper: 1/2 gallon (1.89 liters) of hot water

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Basic Brine

Download Article

1
Make 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of brine for 6 lbs. (2.72 kg) of meat.
- Mix 1 cup (227 grams) of salt for each gallon (3.78 liters) of water you use in your brine.
- If you make sweet brine, mix 1 cup (227 grams) of brown sugar plus 1 cup of salt per gallon.
- Cut the salt and sugar by half if you need just a half gallon (1.89 liters), or by 3/4 if you need just 1 quart (.946 liter).

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Flavored Brine

Download Article

1
Make a flavored brine with garlic powder and ground black pepper or other seasonings.
- Add 1 cup (227 grams) of salt, 1 cup of white sugar, 4 tablespoons (60 grams) of garlic powder and 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of ground black pepper to 1/2 gallon (1.89 liters) of hot water. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve.
- Add crushed ice until you have about 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of brine.
- Experiment with flavorings in your brine. Add to the brine water apple juice, wine, lemon, thyme, maple syrup, soy sauce, chili powder or onions. You may also add cumin or coriander seeds, jalapeno peppers, fresh herbs, honey or rosemary. Amounts of seasonings vary depending on how much water you use. Do not over-season brine because you could ruin the meat. Add seasonings to your taste.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Brining the Meat

Download Article

1
Submerge the meat in the brine and refrigerate.
- If you can't fit the container in the refrigerator, place ice cubes in the brine as needed to keep the water cold. Put the ice in a sealable plastic bag and place the bag in the brine if you are brining a thick piece of meat or a turkey in a large amount of brine liquid.
- Keep the piece of meat submerged, if possible. If not, turn the meat occasionally and lengthen the time you brine.
2
Brining time depends on the thickness of the meat and the intensity of the brine. It takes more time to thoroughly brine a thicker piece of meat.
- Brine a 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) thick piece of meat in the refrigerator for a half hour; 1 inch (25.4 mm) for 1 hour; 2 inch (50.8 mm) for 3 hours; and 3 inch (76.2 mm) for 8 hours.^{[4]
  X
  Research source}

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

What advice do you have for properly brining pork chops before cooking them?

Ollie George Cigliano
Private Chef & Food Educator
Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.

Ollie George Cigliano

Private Chef & Food Educator

Expert Answer

Brine is all about ratios. 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of salt to 1 quart (4 cups) of cool water. If you have time, heating the brine solution and then letting it cool before pouring it over the meat helps to get more flavor, especially if you are using spices. Lay the pork chops in a single layer in a shallow dish (like a lasagna pan) and then pour the brine over the top. Let this sit from 1/2 hour to 2 hours before cooking.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 5
Question

Can brine water be used to increase the shelf life of mushrooms?

Community Answer

Salted water, or even vinegar, doesn't really help with mushroom. Try adding lemon juice to the water, or ascorbic acid (easy to find), and they will preserve much better.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 6 Helpful 10
Question

How do I figure out how much kosher salt and brown sugar I need for the brine based on the amount of pork?

Community Answer

Figure out how much water is needed to cover the meat to start. Then its 1 cup of salt ands sugar per gallon.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 5 Helpful 15

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

If not rinsing:

Thanks
Helpful 33 Not Helpful 15
When you are done brining, rinse the meat off under cold water and pat it dry. Refrigerate for an hour to give the brine time to equalize through the meat.

Thanks
Helpful 38 Not Helpful 19
Use a pot made of non-reactive metal such as steel. Do not use copper or aluminum because these will react with the salt and may damage the pot and release metals into the brine.

Thanks
Helpful 38 Not Helpful 21

Show More Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

Don't brine meats that say "self-basting," "flavor-enhanced" or "enhanced" on the package. Salty fluids are already injected into these meats.

Thanks
Helpful 31 Not Helpful 16