Brine Time Guide (2024)

FAQs

How long are you supposed to brine? ›

The rule of thumb is to let a chicken brine for approximately one hour per pound of meat, though you may want to lengthen or shorten that time depending on the strength of your salt solution or the level of salt you want to achieve.

Think of brining as insurance. A bird that has been wet-brined for just 12 hours will stay juicy even if you overshoot the cooking time a little. It's one less thing to worry about.

Make sure you brine your turkey for a minimum of 24 hours, with a maximum of 48 hours. Basically, brining makes the turkey more tender, hydrates the meat (to prevent from drying out if you happen to overcook it this is a small insurance policy), and gives it flavor.

Smaller cuts like pork chops and chicken breasts can be brined for as little as 30 minutes to an hour, while a turkey really needs at least 12 hours. Remove the meat from the brine, pat it dry, and continue with your recipe.

How long to brine your chicken depends on what kind of chicken you're using. For skinless breasts, brine for two hours. For bone-in pieces, brine for four hours. For whole chickens, brine for at least four hours or up to overnight.

Brining for too long can result in meat that tastes overly-salty and has a spongy texture. If you're not ready to roast the bird after 18 hours, remove it from the brine, rinse it, pat it dry, and refrigerate for up to two days.

But while it's important to brine the meat for at least the minimum amount of time, don't brine longer than the suggested range. The far end of the range is built in for the cook's convenience, not because the meat will be significantly juicier or taste more seasoned.

The traditional brine is made from a ratio of 1 cup of salt to 1 gallon of water. This is based on table salt. One cup of table salt weighs in at 10 ounces. So we want 10 ounces of salt (by weight) per gallon of water.

Dry-brining is our preferred method for seasoning both large and small pieces of meat, poultry, and sometimes even seafood. Along with producing juicy, flavorful results, dry-brining also helps us get better Maillard browning and crispy skin.

What's the longest you can brine meat? ›

The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less).

Brining Times: Pork chops, chicken breasts, or meats about one inch thick: 45 minutes to 4 hours. Fish: Its structure is delicate so brine no more than 1 1/2 hours. Whole chicken and Cornish hens: 4 to 8 hours, depending on size.

Brining meat should happen at least 12 hours in advance of when you want to cook the meat and can be done with water, salt, and sugar or a dry brine using a variety of herbs and spices.

Ideal brining time is about a half an hour, but I've found that even a 15-minute brine makes a difference. The meat cooks up juicier and with more flavor than it does otherwise. You can also brine for longer, but after about two hours, the meat can start to get a bit mushy.

Don't over-brine the chicken!

The salt solution is higher than your standard overnight brine, so you want to make sure to limit your brining time to 2-3 hours at room temperature or 4-6 hours in the fridge.

Place the container in the refrigerator for the period of time specified in the recipe. The amount of time will depend on the type of brine you use; however, do not brine any longer than two days and always keep the turkey and brine refrigerated (at 40°F or less).