The "cure" to brining: the difference between the two

Back before refrigerators existed, fish and meats were preserved using dry aging. Though there are a few types of dry aging, (smoking, brining, curing, confit-ing) two of them are very similar; brining and curing.

Curing food can be done a few ways. One is smoke curing where cold smoke smokes the food between 70-90 degrees. The other is hot smoking. This cooks the food by treating it at temperatures from 100-190 degrees.

A brine is a type of cure. It involves preserving the item with a solution of water and salt. For example, pickled foods are soaked in acid based (usually vinegar) brines. Popular cured foods are smoked ham and pickled herring.

So if you were confused between the two, I first used to think they were synonymous, then there you have it!

Now go be ambitious and cure something!