Brining is the process of exposing a food to a salt solution (a brine) to alter the food in some way. For vegetables and fruits, brining is done to preserve the food and/or to change its taste. In the case of olives, saltwater helps break down the compounds in fresh olives that make them taste bitter.

Brine also kills bacteria, which helps preserve food for long periods of time. The process of brining food can take several days to several weeks.

Meats can be also be brined to help preserve them, but are often brined for short periods of time to help them retain moisture during cooking. The salt in the solution also helps season the meat, making it taste better.

Preserving fruits or vegetables in brine is usually called pickling, where preserving meats using brine is usually called corning.

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Text: Matthew Boggie; Image: Adam Sewall