Secrets of Dry Brining (2024)

FAQs

Secrets of Dry Brining? ›

As the salt draws moisture out of the meat, it dissolves into a highly concentrated brine which is then reabsorbed deeper into the meat. This allows the salt to thoroughly season the meat, dissolving some of the proteins to make it more tender and juicy.

Don't Rinse It Off

Once the dry-brining waiting period is up, there is no need to rinse off the surface of your food. The meat will not be overly salty, and rinsing the surface with water will undo all of the surface-drying achieved by the dry-brine process. That, in turn, will prevent browning.

When you sprinkle salt on meat, it dissolves in the moisture on the surface. This creates a brine that is drawn into the meat by capillary action. As the salt moves deeper into the meat, it starts to denature the proteins. This causes them to tighten up and expel liquid.

Pull it from the fridge about an hour ahead of when you cook in order to allow the meat to come to temperature. Now you're ready to cook. Important note: if you dry brine, you do not need to salt your steak again before cooking.

NO, you should not use more salt than you usually would. Season it as though it were right about to hit the grill. IF YOU PUT A TON OF SALT ON YOUR STEAK, IT WILL BE SALTY! Just use as much salt as you normally would add to a steak, and do not rinse the steak before cooking.

As much time as you can allow for this process is what's important, but in order to really take advantage and for it to be considered a “dry brine”, you should aim for at least 3 hours, up to 2 days.

It will taste beefier and earthier in flavor. However, do not leave your steak to brine for too long! Remember, we are not aging but dry brining. Since there is salt, the steak will dry and become closer to jerky if left for too long.

Once seasoned, you'll want to place your steak in the refrigerator uncovered on a baking rack for at least one hour and up to two days to allow the salt to work its magic.

Dry Brining Works Better

Time provides some check on the process, but it's imprecise. Therefore, wet brining can lead to over-seasoning and diluted flavors. It also makes skin and surfaces soggy and difficult to brown properly. Dry brining avoids these problems.

Can you use pink himalayan salt for dry brining? ›

Tips and Tricks to Dry Brining

Most prefer Diamond Crystal; however, Windsor and Morton are both acceptable as well. If you do not have kosher salt, you can make do with coarse sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, just be careful because the finer/smaller the salt crystal, the more salty the food will be.

The best salt for dry brining is kosher salt because it sticks the best and distributes evenly. Coarse sea salt will also work, though, if you have it handy. Steer clear of fine sea salt or regular table salt — if it's all you have, it'll work, but you'll need to cut the recommended amount in half.

Differences Between Cure and Brine

Cure is a method of preparing meats or fish for preservation by salting. When most people refer to curing food they are referring to a “dry-cure”, in opposition to a “wet-cure”, that is in fact a brine.

Place the roasts in the fridge for two hours. Remove the roasts from the fridge, flip them over and apply salt in the same manner to the other side. Place the chuck roasts back into the fridge for 4 hours to finish the dry brining process. No rinsing required.

Yes, the salt will penetrate the skin—but you can also apply some of the salt underneath for crispier skin.

But filet mignon has its partisans—people who prize its tenderness (you can virtually cut it with the side of a fork) and mild flavor—the mildest of all cuts of beef. Dry-brining gives you the best of both worlds: tenderness and flavor.

For all-purpose brine, a good rule of thumb is: ¼ cup of kosher salt and ¼ cup of sugar for every quart of water. You can also add aromatics or other flavorings to intensify the seasoning, like whole peppercorns, garlic cloves, dried herbs, whole spices, citrus or other fruit, mirepoix or fruit juices.

Plan for at least 24 hours of dry brining time.

If you only have 12 hours, do a wet brine instead. As far as moisture goes, dry brine and wet brine both make EXCELLENT juicy, moist turkeys.

Since there is salt, the steak will dry and become closer to jerky if left for too long. I learned this the hard way.

Don't rinse it. After a few days, the salt will have done its job. There's no need to rinse the bird because there shouldn't be any salt residue on the outside of the skin (though there may be residual spices or herbs if you used them—feel free to leave them or brush them off).