Brine (food)

Brine is a mixture of water and salt used to preserve or season vegetables, fruit, fish and meat in a process known as brining. In this case the clear brine may be flavored with spices, caramel, vinegar, etc.

Brine is also commonly used to age brined cheeses, such as halloumi and feta, see also "Cheese brining".

It is also used for salting or pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them (or increasing taste).

In Russian cuisine the leftover brine (culinary brine is called rassol (Рассол) in Russian) has a number of culinary uses, e.g., for shchi, rassolnik, solyanka. Rassol, especially cucumber rassol, or sauerkraut rassol, is also a favorite traditional remedy against morning hangover.

See also

• Adulterant