# Braise with Brine Liquid after Brine is Done?



## todd o (Mar 15, 2017)

Has anyone ever used their equilibrium brining solution (just salt and herbs) as a braising liquid, after your meat is infused?


----------



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

No it would make the food even more salty.


----------



## chef brah (Oct 10, 2016)

just thinking of that made my mouth feel salty


----------



## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

I wouldn't do it.  Discard the brine or maybe boil it hard, strain it and use it once more before discarding.


----------



## eyelicks (Mar 17, 2017)

Nicko said:


> No it would make the food even more salty.


If it's an equilibrium brine and you then used it to braise without boiling it like in a water bath would it actually make it saltier? Dunno if you'd really want to use it to braise without adding any wine or other things though..


----------



## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Eyelicks said:


> Nicko said:
> 
> 
> > No it would make the food even more salty.
> ...


If whatever you are brining remains tightly covered and/or whatever fluid is lost thru evaporation is replaced (to maintain equilibrium) everything will remain hunky-dory.

It is the loss of the fluid that changes the formula and forces whatever you are cooking to absorb more salt.

mimi


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Two (non-snarky) questions, just trying to start some discussion:

1.) What would be the pros to using the brine (after brining) for a braising liquid?

2.) Would using a wet cooking method after brining be counter productive?


----------



## chef brah (Oct 10, 2016)

you might want to look into soy sauce braising

people love to eat braised peanuts in soy sauce in asia..i love them too

will be interesting to try with meats


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

I have, in the past, used marinades as a braising liquid. To make it perfectly clear, the purpose of a marinade is to impart flavour, nothing at all to do with "tenderizing" or brining.

What was usually braised was meats like Saurbraten or Pffeffer: beef or game, in a roast or cubed for stew, marinated in wine, vegetables, and herbs and spices.

After the meat was marinated, it was separated from the liquid and seared off. The vegetables( onions, celery, carrot) were sweated, perhaps with a bit of tomato paste, and the marinade was poured into a separate, small pot and brought to a quick boil. This is important to note, because once the marinade is heated, a head of scum will appear, and this MUST be removed. The scum is nothing more than dead protein ( which figures, since raw meat was soaking in it for a few days...) and offers nothing in nutrition, taste, or appearance. If left in, it will impart a gritty flavour and earn the cook a kick in the pants from the Chef's wood clogs. The strained, boiled marinade is now translucent, and is used as a braising liquid.

Now, get yourselves that mental image of Bugs Bunny serving the King diced carrots and calling it "Hasen Pfeffer".....


----------



## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

foodpump said:


> I have, in the past, used marinades as a braising liquid. To make it perfectly clear, the purpose of a marinade is to impart flavour, nothing at all to do with "tenderizing" or brining.
> 
> What was usually braised was meats like Saurbraten or Pffeffer: beef or game, in a roast or cubed for stew, marinated in wine, vegetables, and herbs and spices.


Sauerbraten :~) Oh yeah!!, Takes me back to the days when I worked in a Tyrolean restaurant. Everything the Chef made was spectacular, but I really remember the sauerbraten. That man *could cook!*

He was the first guy that really opened my eyes as to what *being*_* a chef *_really is. Ten years later, when I opened my own place, I actually got in touch with him to thank him for all that he taught me.


----------



## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

Yeah, sauerbraten would be the notable exception that proves the rule.


----------



## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

I have never had sauerbraten.

Don't think I have ever even been anyplace with it on the menu.

I live in an area that (used to be) heavily populated by Eastern Europeans who came to the US to homestead land and farm.

Mostly Czechs tho... noodles and kolach and sausage.

Back to equilibrium.... the process is called diffusion (can be the word of the day if you want ;-)

The process by which all matter inside and around an object becomes the same...(equal).

When brining the sodium rich fluid will move in and out of the cells in the brisket (turkey...chicken...pork roast) until everything is the same.

This may take several passes and like @foodpump noted not only will the brine stay in the meat but some pretty nasty blech (proteins mainly) will wash OUT and remain there (because the nastiness wants to reach equilibrium as well) and need to be removed as they are not good eats (thanks AB).

mimi


----------

