Simple Brine Recipe for Meat

SERVING:
Makes enough brine for 1 ½ pounds of meat.

INGREDIENTS:
½ Cup Kosher or Coarse Salt- with or without herbs, spices, or aromatics
½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
1 Quart (4 Cups) water

PROCEDURE:
1 - In a small saucepan combine all ingredients and whisk over medium heat until fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool completely. This can be done in advance and refrigerated until time of use.

2 - Choose a vessel large enough to hold the meat you wish to brine and the brining liquid. The vessel should be of a non-reactive material such as stainless steel, glass, or a plastic brining bag.

3 - Place the meat into the vessel and pour the brining liquid over the meat. Give it a quick toss to evenly coat.

4 - Cover and refrigerate from 20 minutes up to an hour.

5 - Before cooking your meat, rinse off the brine with water and pat dry.

6 - Remember the brining process adds flavor to your meat, so be careful not to over salt your meat in the next step of the cooking process (grilling, roasting, pan searing etc.)