鹽水醃肉法 (Brine)
資料來自 (From): http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-brine.htm
鹽水醃肉法有好多好處。首先是它會令肉質鬆化，因為鹽水會打破肉類的細胞組織, 而因水中的鹽份高, 迫使肉的細胞額外吸收水份。當鹽水滲入肉中時，它更會把我們放入水中的香料的味道同時帶到入肉內。被鹽水醃過的肉煮熟時，它能保持濕潤，肉汁會更多，同時也會有更多層次的味道。鹽水醃肉法每一斤肉（半公斤）需要兩個小時浸泡。您需要將肉完全淹沒在鹽水中，浸泡過程中需要保持低溫(不要加熱)。製作鹽水公式是: 每加侖（3.8公升）的水就要一量杯的鹽。
有些廚師喜歡將鹽或其他水溶性的香料, 先用熱水整溶，這是可以的, 但要確保在放入肉去浸泡前, 保鹽水已回復低溫(暖也不能, 因為會生菌)。如果要醃過夜也是可以的, 最安全的做法是將肉浸泡後就放入雪櫃雪藏, 這樣做會比較安全衛生,
如果想製成品的皮香脆(例如燒雞)，在烹煮前幾個小時, 將肉從鹽水取出抹乾, 再讓它風乾, 那煮好後, 皮就能自然香脆。
Brine serves several functions. The first is as a tenderizer, because the brinebegins to break down the cellular structure of meats. It also infuses the meat with water, since the high salinity forces the brine into the cells of the meat. When the brine pushes into the meat, it also brings the spices in the mixture along with it, concentrating the marinade inside the meat. As the brined meat cooks, it stays moist and tender, and develops more flavor.
To use brine as a marinade, plan on two hours of marination for every pound (half kilogram) of meat. You will need to completely submerge the meat in thebrine, and it should also be kept cool through the marination process.
The brine mixture will require one cup of salt for every gallon (3.8 liters) of water or fluid.
Most cooks prefer to dissolve the salt in boiling water before adding it to the liquid, making sure that the liquid is cooled before it is poured over the meat. To be safe, it is recommend to keep the meat in the brine in the fridge.
If you want a crispy skin after cooking, as is often the case with poultry, pull the meat out of the brine several hours before you plan to cook it, so that the flesh can absorb the moisture from the skin, leaving it dry so that it will crisp well during cooking.
