Brining

Brined Pork Chops - Astrid Bear
How I Brined My Chicken - Howard Douglass
The Chicken Brine - Doug Essinger-Hileman
Notes from Isabelle Hayes
Brining a Turkey - Louis Cohen
Anti-Brining - Jim Klein

Brined Pork Chops - Astrid Bear
Take four nice thick pork chops, at least an inch thick, preferably 1 1/2".
Mix 4 cups of apple cider, 3T salt, 6 allspice berries, drop in chops, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight. Pat dry, and pan sear on each side to get a nice golden brown color. Transfer to a baking dish and put into a hot oven (400) to cook until done, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt some butter in the pan and saute some apple slices, taking care to scrape up any of the nice brown bits left by the chops.

How I Brined My Chicken - Howard Douglass
I was introduced to the concept of brining by the recent postings of Doug Essinger-Hileman and others. My initial reaction was, I fear, scorn. The operative mechanism, as explained by its enthusiasts, was that osmotic pressure would force liquid (some even said brine) from a brine bath into the carcass of, say, a chicken which was immersed therein. This ran directly counter to my memories of high-school chemistry (c. 1939) in which osmotic pressure was concerned with equalizing the solution densities on either side of a semi-permeable membrane (such as a poultry cell), and which, since only water can pass through such a membrane, must result in the flow of fluid FROM the cell TO the brine; the exact opposite of the reaction hypothecated.
I Googled "brining" (which I recommend to you all) and found a vast wealth of brining information, much of it contradictory. I settled on a piece entitled "Brining 101" as the authority least in conflict with my prejudices in the matter and the one by which I would be informed. It seems that immersing a chicken in a brine bath DOES tend to dry out the chicken, slightly, but other cellular activities, consequent upon this fluid loss, reverse the process when the chicken is roasted, or barbecued. As doubtful as the whole concept seemed, there was such a deal of enthusiasm for the result that I determined to settle my questions empirically.
I bought a 1.7 kg (3.74 lb) chicken. I wanted a smaller one, but Aussies don't know from broilers. I dissolved 1/2 cup of cooking salt in a pint of boiling water, then made the quantity up to a gallon with cold water, and further added 1/4 cup sugar, several onion slices, two chopped garlic cloves, a tbsp or so of oregano, and of ground black pepper. (Check the articles listed by Google for explanations, discussions and further suggestions.) I chilled the brine bath in the refrigerator until it was well below 40F, then poured it into a plastic shopping bag which contained the chilled chicken, and put the lot into a rectangular washing-up bowl I'd bought for the purpose, I left the bowl in the refrigerator for 6 hours or so, I found that a quantity of the brine solution had leaked out of the apparently intact bag into the bowl, which proved the bowl's usefulness. I then rinsed the chicken in cold, fresh water, dried it with paper towels, inside and out, and returned it to the refrigerator for a 24-hour curing period.
We had the chicken, roasted, for lunch today. I've got to tell you that it was the best chicken I've ever cooked, and I'll never again cook an un-brined fowl of any sort. I didn't notice any resultant saltiness, but my wife said she did, but that it was not unpleasant. It was very tender (might want to reduce cooking times slightly), juicy and flavorful. I'm going to try the system on a pork roast next.

The Chicken Brine - Doug Essinger-Hileman
Recently, we have become fond of a recipe of our own design, which features apples. Since apples are the quintessential fruit of fall in my mind, apples. For a gallon of the brine, add 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup (brown sugar substitutes in equal volume with excellent results). To this add 2 very tart apples, like Granny Smith, 2 whole sticks of cinnamon, 5 cloves, 5 allspice berries, 5 blades of mace or 1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg and 2 tbsp of roughly chopped candied ginger to the water. The bird is soaked in this mixture overnight.
The key to keeping the chicken moist is to brine it and cook it using indirect heat. The key to rich flavor is to layer the flavors. The brine provides a subtle first layer. We then use either a spritz (apple cider, whiskey and a bit of Worcestershire makes an excellent one; when we use this, we reduce the water, eliminate the citrus, and replace them both with apple cider) or a baste -- without sugar, in order to eliminate anything which might scorch -- during grilling. Then we finish off the bird with a barbecue sauce during the last five minutes of cooking.
The final layer of flavor is given by the real hardwood charcoal we use, combined with some sort of green wood, usually applewood, but sometimes grapevines, and occasionally hickory, to create the smoke.


Notes from Isabelle Hayes
The Cook's Magazine (no ads, all good recipes and advice) advocates brining for pork as well as chicken. I've tried it on chicken so far, and it keeps the white meat moister and you don't have to add any salt. You just have to be sure to rinse the meat thoroughly after the brining.

Brining a Turkey - Louis Cohen
To cook a tasty, moist turkey, brine it first. The brine will keep it moist, deliver seasonings to the meat inside, speed cooking, and even the cooking time between the breasts and thighs. The basic brine is:
Per gallon of water:
1 cup kosher salt (of 1/2 cup table salt)
1 cup sugar or brown sugar or molasses or corn syrup or maple syrup (i.e., your favorite sweetener)
Seasonings you like, e.g., garlic powder, onion powder, sage, chile, etc.
Mix well so that the salt and sugar dissolve.
Remove the turkey innards, and immerse the bird in the brine. Use a non-reactive pot that will fit in your 'fridge, or one of those oven cooking bags (useless for cooking) that will fit in a pot that will fit in the 'fridge. If the bird/pot won't fit, you can use a cooler - add plenty of ice to the brine. I have even brined a large turkey in the stainless-steel kitchen sink, with lots of ice, but I don't recommend it.
Brine a large turkey 24 hours at least; 2 - 3 days is even better.
Here are some other more elaborate brines:
Hound's Citrus Brine
2 gallons water
2 cups kosher salt
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
juice of 3 oranges
juice of 3 limes
juice of 3 lemons
rinds from oranges, limes and lemon;
1 sliced white onion
1 head of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
4 serranos to taste
2 tbs rough ground cumin
2 tbs rough ground coriander
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
The Fat Man's Chicken Kickin' Brine
1 gallon water
5/8 cups pickling salt.
1 1/2 tbs light brown sugar
1 1/2 tbs garlic powder
1/2 tbs chili powder
1/2 tbs ground sage
1 tbs crushed red pepper
1/2 tbs fresh black pepper
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 tbs old bay seasoning
1 tbs Italian seasoning
Combine all the ingredients in a stock pot. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer. Simmer and stir frequently until all the ingredients are dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature before immersing the meat.
When you're ready to cook, drain and rinse the bird thoroughly; pat dry. If you have time and like crispy skin, put the dry bird back in the 'fridge for a while, uncovered. Season again (no more salt please!) - you won't need butter or oil under the skin to keep it moist, but if you like the flavor, by all means. Slices of citrus under the skin, especially with the citrus brine above, are good.
The best way to roast the bird is in your BBQ with indirect heat: here are instructions from Sunset Magazine:
On a charcoal barbecue (20 to 22 in. wide) with a lid, mound and ignite 40 charcoal briquets on firegrate. When coals are spotted with gray ash, in about 20 minutes, push equal portions to opposite sides of firegrate. Place a foil drip pan between mounds of coals. To each mound, add 5 briquets and 1/2 cup drained soaked wood chips now and every 30 minutes (until all chips are used). Set grill in place. Set turkey, breast up, on grill over drip pan. Cover barbecue and open vents.
On a gas barbecue (with at least 11 in. between indirect-heat burners), place 1 cup drained soaked wood chips in the metal smoking box or in a foil pan directly on heat in a corner. Turn heat to high, close lid, and heat for about 10 minutes. Adjust gas for indirect cooking (heat parallel to sides of bird and not beneath) and set a metal or foil drip pan in center (not over direct heat). Set grill in place. Set turkey, breast up, on grill over drip pan. Close barbecue lid. Add another cup of wood chips (sprinkle through or lift grill) every 30 minutes until all are used. If edges of turkey close to heat begin to get too dark, slide folded strips of foil between bird and grill. Fat in drippings may flare when barbecue lid is opened; quench by pouring a little water into the pan.
If your BBQ or oven will accommodate it, cook your turkey on a vertical stand, preferably neck down. The vertical stand seems to promote even cooking, and you get more usable dark meat - the fat drips off instead of inundating the dark meat.
You can cook the brined bird at a hotter temperature, say, 375 - 400 degrees, for crisper skin and more internal juice. Even at the same oven temperature, the brined bird will cook faster.
After the bird comes out of the BBQ/oven, let it rest 30-45 minutes before carving - you'll have a juicier result.

Anti-Brining - Jim Klein
I would not recommend brining as they come out tasting like salt water. No surprise there.
Just marinate it with lemon juice, thyme or rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Any and all substitutes work just as well.
If the outside starts to blacken before the internal temp hits 160 or so, take the roast off the fire and finish it in the oven.
I always add cowboy beans to the meal. Take a can of pintos, wash 'em good to get the canning goop off 'em, then put 'em on the fire for about three hours covered with barbecue sauce and salsa in equal proportions. Add water to cover if they start to dry out.
Of course, we always add cream corn to the buffet, cause corn and beans go great together. Oh, and yams. Don't forget to bake some big fat garnets till they're soft and starting to brown on the inside. Maybe a green salad, and some crispy french bread, don't forget the pilaf, and there you are.