Brining Pork Turns Meat Grey

I brined a boneless pork chop in

4 cups water
1/4 cup Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Sugar

for 18 hours. When I pulled the meat out there were some spots that looked slightly off color and grey. I was wondering if this is common and if not what might be the problem causing the off color spots.

pork brining

Best Answer

Yes, that's normal. You just left it WAY too long in the brine. The salt denatures (unwinds) the proteins, which is the same process that happens when the proteins are exposed to heat or acid. Over brining will cause the exterior of the meat to become gray and mushy.

But you don't have to take my word for it: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5804-brining-meat

The relevant references are:

4 bone-in rib loin pork chops, 12 ounces each, 1.5 inches thick: 1 hour
Pork roast, 3-6 pounds: 1.5 - 2 hours

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Is it OK if pork is GREY?

Make sure that your pork is still good before cooking it. Signs of bad pork are dull grey in color, bad odor or sour smell, and it if is mushy or slimy at all. It's best to throw it away you are in question with any of these.

Why did my pork turn gray?

Pork Safety A gray color is a sign that the juices within the pork's tissues have oxidized and broken down, and the pork is past its prime. Any "off" smells or a sticky feeling on the surface of the pork should also warn you.

Can you leave pork in brine too long?

Yes. If pork sits in a brine solution for too long, the salt will cause the protein strands to break down too far. That means that the meat will have a mushy texture when it's finished cooking. Over-brining will also make the pork taste too salty.

Do you rinse brine off pork before cooking?

Once the pork has soaked for the proper amount of time, take it out of the solution, rinse it off twice and refrigerate until ready to cook. The brined meat does not need salt added when cooking and it will cook faster than unbrined pork, so you need to watch it closely so that it does not overcook.

How to Make a Basic Brine

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