Table of Contents
Quick answer
Brine is salt dissolved in water. Cooks use it to season and tenderize meat; industry uses it for salt production, preservation, and de-icing.
A solution of salt dissolved in water. In cooking, brines are used to season and tenderize meat. In industry, brine is used in salt production, food preservation, and de-icing. Seawater is a natural brine at about 3.5% salinity.
Brine is water with dissolved salt. Salt concentration can range from weak pickling liquids to nearly saturated solutions used in industry. In cooking, brines season meat and help it retain moisture during cooking.
In Practice
A typical poultry wet brine uses about 5% salt by weight. Salt producers pump water into underground halite beds to create brine for evaporation at the surface.