Guest guest Posted April 9, 2003 Report Share Posted April 9, 2003 >I do my best to avoid all sugar. Is there any reason other than >taste that you'd add sugar to a brining solution? > >Do you avoid sugar, but don't see a problem using it in the brine? > >TIA, > I don't really avoid all sugar. I'm eating lower carb than I used to, but I also cook for 5 adults besides me and most of them have different tastes! When we do " real " smoked fish or chicken, it is like bacon or ham -- pretty strong, not something you eat a lot of. So the bit of sugar that gets into it isn't an issue for me. We are talking half a cup of sugar per gallon of water -- and most of it stays in the water. My hubbie eats 4-5 cookies a day, I should worry about maybe a tsp of sugar for him? For me I'm experimenting with staying under 70-100 grams of carbs a day, but again, the amount of sugar in a piece of smoked meat doesn't amount to much. But yes, the basic idea is for flavor. Salt by itself is, well, very salty! The characteristic flavor people associate with " smoked " stuff usually has a little sweet balancing the salt. When I brine a chicken for dinner, I don't soak it as long, and I don't usually use sugar. If I brine a chicken for " chicken ham " , it soaks longer and has sugar (and then it is pink and firmer, like ham). The sugar helps preserve the meat too, but nowadays that really isn't the issue (none of the stuff we make is smoked dry enough to keep without the fridge anyway). You can use honey too, or stevia maybe. > Heidi S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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