No matter what grilled protein is on the menu—beefsteak, chicken, pork, fish, or shrimp—you can enhance its flavor and texture by generously seasoning it before cooking with coarse salt followed by a rest in the refrigerator.
The technique is called “dry brining.” It has become popular with professional and amateur chefs alike to add depth of flavor, enhance tenderness and succulence, and create crispier, beautifully browned exteriors. Yet more benefits of salt, which has been used for thousands of years (since Neolithic times) to improve and preserve food.
Brining is always a trending topic around the holidays, so you might be surprised to see us raise the subject now. And while our turkey will definitely have a pre-Thanksgiving date with salt, we’ve found sodium chloride greatly improves our warm weather grilling, too.
Here’s how dry brining works:
Coarse salt is evenly applied to the outer surface of the meat. The salt draws moisture out of the meat through osmosis, forming a concentrated brine that is gradually reabsorbed into the meat fibers. Not only does the salt carry its flavor deep into the meat, but it detangles the protein strands, ultimately making the meat more tender and juicy once grilled. Proteins with skin, such as whole fish, or turkey or chicken (whole birds or pieces) turn out crispier as the salt removes moisture from the skin and carries it back into the meat.
How to dry brine:
*It couldn’t be simpler: Place your choice of meat on a wire rack positioned over a rimmed baking sheet. Season all sides evenly with kosher salt or sea salt. (This works best if you drop the salt from a height of 6 inches or more.) Do not oversalt—1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt per pound of meat is sufficient to trigger the beneficial chemical change. If desired, you can use your favorite salty rub, but spice and herb molecules are too large to penetrate the meat, meaning only the outside will carry their flavors.
*Refrigerate the meat (uncovered). Steaks or thick pork chops will require 45 minutes to 1 hour; whole chickens take up to a day; turkeys can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days; fish fillets or shrimp will be ready in as little as 30 minutes. (There is some latitude in these recommended times. But refrigerating the meats for too long can result in dishes that are partially cured or oversalted.)
*When ready to cook, blot any excess moisture from the outside of the meat. Do not rinse off the salt, especially when crispiness is a goal.
*Grill the protein(s) to your desired degree of doneness. Dry brining works with both direct and indirect methods of grilling, including smoking.
Try This Recipe!
Dry-Brined Ribeyes with Anchovy Cream
Get The Recipe »
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