Question: re. brining and salt content

[Chris415]

I was reading the article and looking at the recipes this morning in the June issue on brining. I've cooked a brined chicken once this winter and really liked it.

Should a person who has high blood pressure or who can't have a lot of salt eat brined meat? I was wondering if a lot of the salt is lost in the brining and/or cooking process. The article didn't address health issues in relation to salt. Or maybe I missed it. :o

Just curious. Thanks in advance!
Chris

[bobmark226]

It's my (well researched) understanding that the average person won't have a problem with brined meats but that people who are on sodium restricted diets should avoid them.

BOB

[Xbones]

I have to say I read in this issue of Cooking Light the recipe where they brined the Shrimp - I've never done that but would like to give it a try.
Stephanie

[blazedog]

Brined meats have a high salt content. Somewhere in the article they advised one to make sure the rest of the day's food was low sodium when eating brined foods.

That said, it would probably be best to avoid brined foods if one is on a sodium restricted diet.

For what it's worth, I made the Hoisin Brined Chicken last night and I didn't find it to be a noticeable improvement over the taste and texture of my non-brined chicken breasts so I am not going to bother to brine chicken breasts in the future.

[stacy7272]

The Editors of Cooking Light did mention in the article that they estimate 12.5% of the sodium in the brine is absorbed by the meat... if that helps you at all.