Any other Brine?

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lubbocksmoker

Fire Starter
Original poster
Feb 20, 2011
39
10
Lubbock Texas
Hello All,

Because of doctor's orders, I have to cut salt. Does anyone know of a different brine other than using kosher salt?

I have had real good luck with water and kosher salt but I have to change.
 
Hey Lubbock,

It's the salt that makes a brine...a brine.  So no, there's no real replacement.  Sorry.  I would suggest a good rub that doesn't involve salt but a lot of other flavors.  Look into the Mrs. Dash family of salt free spices.

They have several marinades that might suit you well

http://www.mrsdash.com/
 
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Lubbock,

I was just on the phone with my brother who helps me smoke and is a pharmacist in charge for the CVS Pharmacies, Inc., I told him I had just read your post but had no idea what to tell you.  He said to ask you if your doctor had forbidden all salt or had he placed you on a low Sodium diet?  Bryan,(that's my Brother) said if you were on a low sodium diet that you might be able to use some salt, more especially sea salt or some Kosher salts.  Bryan say that sea salt has less sodium in it than regular table salt and many Kosher salts also have a lesser amount of sodium.  I have seen some brine's that do not use as much salt as others and if you are using sea salt it has a lower sodium content than regular table salt or iodized salt has in it.  Bryan says if it is for high blood pressure, and I am by no way prying, that you might be able to still use a low salt brine and use sea salt instead of regular salt.  However, he did say if your doctor had removed you from all salt, even in cooked food, you probably do not want to go against what he says but he thought it was a good enough question that I should tell you what he said. Bryan is an excellent pharmacist and has over 20 years experience. So Lubbock, for what it's worth now you have the information.  I hope this is some help to you, maybe you can use this information and maybe not.  Hope your medical problems are not serious, I became disabled due to my health about 10 years ago and have since had to go into semi-retirement, I do very little work now as other problems have surfaced since my first episode.  Lubbock, above all, take care of yourself, let us know how it goes or PM me and let me know how your doing.

Your SMF Friend,

Barry 
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I also am on a lo-salt diet and have experimented with lo-salt curing brines, reducing the amount of salt up to ¾ less and still being able to cure product satisfactorily.  I have done turkeys and have been very successful doing so.  I will do a ham later in the month for Easter too.  A curing brine or pickle differs from a fresh brine as it has curing salt in it, sodium nitrite to give it that hammy flavor.
 
I also am on a lo-salt diet and have experimented with lo-salt curing brines, reducing the amount of salt up to ¾ less and still being able to cure product satisfactorily.  I have done turkeys and have been very successful doing so.  I will do a ham later in the month for Easter too.  A curing brine or pickle differs from a fresh brine as it has curing salt in it, sodium nitrite to give it that hammy flavor.


Pops, I'm curious. Does curing salt raise your blood pressure like kosher salt?
 
The doctor said "no salt" high blood pressure, among other things. Thanks for the encouragement....

I was actually looking into sea salt

Keep you posted
 
Pops, I'm curious. Does curing salt raise your blood pressure like kosher salt?
Al, according to my brother, pickling salt is the same as table salt, he said he was not sure about Kosher salt but that some Kosher salt has less Sodium in it but it depends on the brand. He said that Sodium is the big thing with your blood pressure and if you can lower the sodium you achieve the goal.  He did point out that you could not go by what the number of mg. of salt per serving on a sea salt box said, although it is lower, it is not a true representative of the amount of Sodium that you recieve on a daily value, it computes diffrent.  He said to be safe use sea salt and leave pickling and table salt alone.  He is going to check on some things and get back to me later tonight as he was working when I called him.  He said that several local heart doctors who put people on a reduced salt diet did so but allowed then to use some, not alot, of sea salt, he says they get the same result medically while giving you some salt taste.  Let you know what he finds out later if it is any diffrent.  My brother Bryan is a Pharmacist in charge for the CVS Drug Co's, Inc.he has over 20 years experience and has a excellent working relationship with the doctors in the area, especially the cardiologist as Bryan has a congenital heart defect himself.  He loves to help me smoke and may even venture in to doing some on his own using my old Brinkmann SnP Pro and he is very interested in helping out anyone he can.

Al, hope this helps you out my friend, and you too Lubbock!

Your SMF Friend,

Barry 
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Whoops, we're getting our terms mixed up here..

I'm talking about CURING salt used in a pickling solution, not PICKLING salt.   Pickling salt is the same as any other salt.  CURING salt has sodium nitrite added to it, 6.25% by volume, that changes the chemistry of the meat, CURING it into a ham-like product.  Regular salt will not do that.  You only use 1 tablespoon to a gallon of water.  But it changes the meat chemically and gives it the ham-type flavor.  I have reduced plain salt that I add from 1 cup to ½ or to ¼ cup for the lo-salt designation, but the CURING salt is still the same, 1 tablespoon.  This is approx. 1/3 the amount maximum you can use already.  It is still effective at that strength.
Al, according to my brother, pickling salt is the same as table salt, he said he was not sure about Kosher salt but that some Kosher salt has less Sodium in it but it depends on the brand. He said th
 
Has anyone ever tried Morton Salt Substitute?

A potassium chloride product* designed for persons on a doctor-recommended sodium restricted diet. Use for cooking and at-the-table seasoning.

*Remember to consult a physician before using any salt substitute.

112c0123_1203_Salt_Substitute.gif
 
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Maybe this is a stupid question but what does brining have to do with staying away from salt?  I understand that brines contain a large amount of salt but you're supposed to wash it all off and I have never brined a chicken, washed it thoroughly, and had it end up salty or even tasting like salt at all.  It just turns out really moist.  Am I missing something on how the process works? 
 
Maybe this is a stupid question but what does brining have to do with staying away from salt?  I understand that brines contain a large amount of salt but you're supposed to wash it all off and I have never brined a chicken, washed it thoroughly, and had it end up salty or even tasting like salt at all.  It just turns out really moist.  Am I missing something on how the process works? 


As I understand it, Brining uses salt as a vehicle for other flavors and moisture content. Hence less salt = less new flavors introduced.  The search seems to be for a way to decrease sodium content while keeping the vehicle salt.

Injection might be a better method in the long run.
 
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I will edit this with a source and quotes later, but in doing research for my brisket experiment, I've learned that soaking a piece of chicken in water will make the piece retain roughly 2/3 of the additional moisture, versus soaking in brine retains roughly 3/4 of the additional moisture.

So, hypothetically, soaking a whole chicken in reduced sodium chicken stock, and seasoning as needed afterwards would result in a still juicy hen.

Therefore, one could soak a pork shoulder in say, apple juice, overnight, and still have the additional moisture buffer.

I see  "The Great Boston Butt Experiment" in the future.
 
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