Brining kosher meats.

[dfsny613]

I found a recipe I want to try out that calls for brining a meat for 2 hours. Is it possible to brine kosher meats without them becoming unbearably salty?

[ferret]

What are you brining? I smoke meat frequently and brining is a necessary part of the process. It adds more moisture than salt to the meat.

[ganeden]

I smoke meat, and have never found kosher meat to need brining if there is any salt in the rub, regardless of the packer. Especially unneccesary is the brining of chickens and the injection of meat with brine. On the other hand, of course corning beef requires either brine or salty/curing salt laden dry cure, but this must be removed through long soaking in potable water, to avoid inbearable salt content.

[dfsny613]

I'm brining a rib eye steak to make country fried steak. I know, heart attack on a plate, but I'm southern and haven't had this dish since I went kosher.

[ferret]

Depending on the thickness, 2 hours won't impart much salt (if it's sliced skirt-steak thin, then it might, but then it's likely already salty).

[dfsny613]

Thanks for all of your helpful advice :)

[bagelman01]

Absolutely, otherwise there would be no kosher corned beef, or pickled tongue, etc.

Koshering meat should not leave the meat overly salty if properly rinsed after the process. But, you might want to brine for a slightly shorter period of time, or cut the amount of salt in the mixture if you are afraid of the end product being over salty.

Brining takes experimentation, as meat varies, the recipe is merely a guide.