Brining

Brining is the wet-cure equivalent of dry-salting, but the process takes less time. The food is steeped in a salt solution until thoroughly permeated. As in dry-salting, the best results are obtained with fresh food, chilled before preparation. The brine must be strong enough to extract the juices from the food, and this is achieved with a 20 percent salt solution. The salinity can be tested with a salometer, but the traditional method is to add salt to water until a fresh egg can float on the solution.