Pre-Brine Question

[Grampy]

I have a question about pre-brining and then holding for a day or so and then smoking. It is deer season  here in Arkansas and I would like to take my SI#2 with me to deer camp and smoke a big half pork loin and make some pork sandwiches for my hunting buddies. Due to lack of refrigeration (except in coolers) I would like to brine my loin on a Thursday night at home and then pack it in a cooler on ice for a weekend hunting trip and smoke the loin on Saturday. I have always went straight from the brine, to prepping the meat, and into the smoker. My question is, is there any reason not to do this? Is my brine going to "leak" out while it is packed on ice before I have a chance to smoke it? I guess I'm a little hesitant because I have never done it this way before. If anybody out there has any advice or insight into this I'd like to hear it.   

 

[DivotMaker]

Hey Jimmy, if it were me, I'd brine it, rinse well and then vacuum seal it.  That way, you won't lose the moisture in the meat, and it should be just like it was when you packed it.  Add rub and smoke.

 

[SconnieQ]

I don't see any problem with pre-brining. It won't leak out. Think about all of the chickens/turkeys etc that are injected with saline, for god knows how long before we buy and cook them. If you can vacuum seal, that would be a nice touch for transporting and storing on your trip, but you can get away without it if you don't have a vacuum sealer, just wrap in plastic.

The only issue I've seen with brining in advance has been if you are using Pink Salt or TenderQuick to achieve a faux smoke ring. Even after the brine has been rinsed off of the outside, the nitrites/nitrates continue to move their way into the center of the meat over time as it sits. This may (or may not) be undesirable for what you are smoking.

 

[Grampy]

Hey Jimmy, if it were me, I'd brine it, rinse well and then vacuum seal it.  That way, you won't lose the moisture in the meat, and it should be just like it was when you packed it.  Add rub and smoke.

Tony, it looks like I need to tell Santa Claus I need a vacuum sealer!

 

[Grampy]

I don't see any problem with pre-brining. It won't leak out. Think about all of the chickens/turkeys etc that are injected with saline, for god knows how long before we buy and cook them. If you can vacuum seal, that would be a nice touch for transporting and storing on your trip, but you can get away without it if you don't have a vacuum sealer, just wrap in plastic.

The only issue I've seen with brining in advance has been if you are using Pink Salt or TenderQuick to achieve a faux smoke ring. Even after the brine has been rinsed off of the outside, the nitrites/nitrates continue to move their way into the center of the meat over time as it sits. This may (or may not) be undesirable for what you are smoking.

Kari, Thank you for the suggestion. I won't be using pink salt or Tenderquick. If I decide to try it, that was going to be my plan, wrap in plastic after brining.

 

[drains]

The vacmaster 140 is still on sale. Its a good product and is a good value for the price. Here is a link to it.
https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/outlet/

 

[SconnieQ]

The vacmaster 140 is still on sale. Its a good product and is a good value for the price. Here is a link to it.
https://www.vacmasterfresh.com/outlet/

I bought the Vacmaster 140 at the sale price. At $79.99, it brings it down to the price of a mediocre Foodsaver, and it is far superior. Nice wide double seal. When you go to the Vacmaster website, if it asks you for your email address, do it. It will email you a code for an additional 15% off!

I find that occasionally I need to put a little light pressure on the cover when starting the seal process in order to get it to start sucking out air. But that seems to be a common thing with this model.

 

[SuperDave]

Grampy, have you considered vacuum sealing pre-smoked meats to take on the trip so that you don't have to pack the smoker? 

 

[SconnieQ]

Grampy, have you considered vacuum sealing pre-smoked meats to take on the trip so that you don't have to pack the smoker?

Maybe he will when he gets a vacuum sealer, but personally, sounds like fun to take the smoker along and sit around the hunting cabin relaxing with the delicious smells! ;D

 

[SuperDave]

Grampy, have you considered vacuum sealing pre-smoked meats to take on the trip so that you don't have to pack the smoker?

Maybe he will when he gets a vacuum sealer, but personally, sounds like fun to take the smoker along and sit around the hunting cabin relaxing with the delicious smells! ;D

Hunting and/or fishing camp needs a you to be in camp while the rest of the group is working their butt off on the mountain and in the bush.  LOL! My trips usually have very little actual sitting around time.  Leave in the morning in dark and roll back into camp at dark, beat up and tired. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Hey Jimmy, if it were me, I'd brine it, rinse well and then vacuum seal it.  That way, you won't lose the moisture in the meat, and it should be just like it was when you packed it.  Add rub and smoke.

Tony, it looks like I need to tell Santa Claus I need a vacuum sealer!

Surprised you don't have one, Jimmy!  To me, a vac sealer is as essential as a digital scale and thermometer!  Best thing Santa can bring you, as much as you enjoy our addiction hobby.

 

[Grampy]

Grampy, have you considered vacuum sealing pre-smoked meats to take on the trip so that you don't have to pack the smoker?

I don't have a vacuum sealer so that's not an option, yet.

 

[Paul Case Luca]

I routinely brine with a traditional method ... Just salt sugar spices ... No pink salts etc.

That said I brine for 36 hours. Then I apply a rub for 24 hours. No moisture is lost - or limited I should say - and always comes out very moist after smoking.

I didn't know there was any other way! LOL.

 

[Grampy]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I decided to hold off on smoking the pork loin until I have tried it that way before or until I get a vacuum sealer. Deer camp is not the place to have an unsuccessful smoke. I smoked 3 racks of baby backs instead and all my hunting buddies were happy, happy, happy. 

 

[NDKoze]

You can't ever go wrong with ribs in the SI.

 

[DivotMaker]

Ribs are always a good fall-back plan, Jimmy!  Never want to disappoint a bunch of armed hungry men at deer camp.

 

[SuperDave]

Ribs are always a good fall-back plan, Jimmy!  Never want to disappoint a bunch of armed hungry men at deer camp.

But also remember that almost anything tastes good when you are out in the woods.  It's the only explanation for why back packing food tastes so good on the trail but tastes like crap at home.