Brining a turkey before frying question

[JulesMaximus]

I did a brined turkey last year and it was fantastic. Very moist and flavorful. Can't imagine ever preparing a turkey for cooking any other way.

 

[Howard]

You/I are/am talking about two processes that happen simultaneously:

1.) There is number exchange, that is, exchange in solute (salt) particle number. Number equilibrium is achieved when concentration is equal between brine and meat.

2.) There is volume exchange, that is, exchange in solvent (water) volume. Volume equilibrium is achieved when pressure is equal between brine and turkey.

I am claiming that pressure equilibrium already exists, and hence (2.) or "osmosis" does not occur, or occurs to a small degree. There is no reason to believe that there is significant pressure difference between the water contained in the turkey and the water in the brine (I would say they are both at around 1 atm). There is, however, great reason to believe the initial concentration of salt is much higher in the brine than in the turkey, by construction. Hence, I conclude (1.) is the dominant non-equilibrium that causes transport. Specifically, it causes salt ions to diffuse into the turkey.

As such, we can expect brining to produce flavorful meat without drying it. This is supported by the fact that brining does exactly that. Brining does not produce dry, bland meat, which would be the case if (2.) was dominant, as you suggest (at least I think that's what you are suggesting).

To be honest, I trust my stat mech book more than "Ideas in Food," however what they state in that first paragraph of pp 23 actually a good explanation (they say essentially what I said here, except they apply it more locally). Sure, locally, (1.) and (2.) maybe comparably away from equilibrium, but globally, (1.) is the dominant non-equilibrium, hence governs what happens to the turkey as a whole.

No, of course I don't think osmosis is the only phenomenon at work here. If it was, like I said, the turkey would not get any salt in it and it would also lose all of its intramuscular water.

I've never heard of how you describe "number" and "volume" equilibrium but maybe that's because I'm not a professional chemist. Anyway, diffusion already explains how the salt moves but you still haven't explained how brining makes the meat juicier. Not that like that matters much since I already know for myself.

 

[Farmer]

Anyway, diffusion already explains how the salt moves but you still haven't explained how brining makes the meat juicier. Not that like that matters much since I already know for myself.

Eh, it probably doesn't make it juicier based on my explanation, it just doesn't make them dry. That's fine, since turkeys already have a lot of water in them.

Anyway, enjoy your turkeys, however you prepared yours.