Expert: Keith Patton - 11/21/2008

Question
sows are usually ok but wild boars are frequently gamey smelling as well as tasting. will brining remove the gamey smell and please give a good brine recipe.
               thanks bob

Answer
Bob:

What you describe is called boar taint. The best way to mitigate it is to trim all excess fat...all of it.  It is the root cause.  Yes, brining or soaking the meat can help lessen it but probably not eliminate it entirely.

What brines and marinades do is simply pull moisture out of the meat and put moisture back in along with what ever flavor ingredients are in the brine.  It is called a membrane reaction.  Nature trys to equalize inequal solutions of different concentrations.  So a brine with lots of salt and sugar or spices is drawn into the meat, and water drawn out, in an attempt to equalize the two solutions...i.e. the fluids in the meat, and the brine.


You might want to experiment with a small cut of meat that has "taint" to adjust the brine strength and length of soaking.  Remember that only a portion of the brine and its flavorings go into the meat.  So what might seem like a strong brine, may not be as strong tasting in the meat.  So depending on how great the taint is, you'll just have to play by ear.

Another marinade that might lessen the taste of the taint is buttermilk.  It is just basically runny yoghurt, partially fermented milk left over from the butter churning process.



It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way of increasing the moisture holding capacity of meat resulting in a moister product when it is cooked. One of the great things about brining is that there are so few rules. Most brines start with water and salt — traditionally, 3/4 pound of salt per gallon of water, but since we’re not concerned with the brine as a preservative, you can cut back on the salt.

Kosher salt and table salt (without iodine) are the most common salts used in brining. Sea salt can be used, but it tends to be quite expensive. I usually use kosher salt. A cup of table salt and a cup of kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs approximately 10 ounces per cup and kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. If using kosher salt in a brine, you must use more than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table salt.

The chart below shows how to substitute the two most popular brands of kosher salt for ordinary table salt.


Table Salt (without iodine) - 1 cup

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - 2 cups

Morton Kosher Salt - 1 1/2 cups



But beyond that, you can add flavor in all sorts of forms such as herbs and spices. Use brown sugar, honey or molasses in place of the sugar (some sweetness tends to offset a saltiness the brine might otherwise impart). You can use apple juice, cider, orange juice, beer, wine, rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, stock, tea, or other liquids to replace some or all of the water. You can also put together decidedly Oriental flavorings with soy sauce or the Japanese rice wine mirin.

The amount of brining time is likewise not set in stone. Even a little brining is better than none.


How Long To Flavor Brine:

It is possible to end up with meat that's too salty for your taste. To avoid this, brine on the low end of the time range on your first attempt. You can always brine longer next time, but there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.

Pork Chops (1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thick)....................12 to 24 hours
Whole Pork Loin........................................................2 to 4 days
Whole Pork Tenderloin...............................................6 to 12 hours


Brine Recipe:

3/4 cup coarse kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
1 gallon cold water
1 tablespoon pepper

A heavy-duty plastic tube, stainless-steel bowl, or resealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the pork is fully submerged. Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.

To determine how much brine you'll need, place the meat to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.

Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water; add pepper and stir to combine. Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding pork. Place your pork in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.

Experiment with seasonings. Salt is essential, but everything else is optional. Consider garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, juniper berries, clove, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, mustard seed, coriander seed, star anise, hot pepper flakes or Sichuan peppercorns. To give pork a sweet edge and encourage browning, add 1/2 cup sugar to each 2 quarts of water.

Rinse pork twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook pork according to your favorite recipe. Do not overcook your brined pork. Once brined, the pork cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.


This flavorful brine is perfect for pork, but it also works well on poultry. It has a sweet flavor in addition to all the herbs and spices.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Place with pork in a large container making sure that brine completely covers the pork. Cover and refrigerator for at least one day, but no more than 4 days.