Ever have turkey breast that reminds you of compacted sawdust? Roast beef that's a reasonable facsimile for shoe leather? Luckily, there's a simple solution (literally) for this problem. Soaking these types of meats in a brine—a solution of salt and water—will help ensure moister, juicier results.

I found this really helpful, science-based information in one of my late Aunt Annie's Fine Cooking magazines and thought you'd find it helpful, what with Thanksgiving on its way. We've been brining our turkey, chicken, pot roasts, and pork chops for a long time now, and I can testify what Fine Cooking says is absolutely true: brining has taken my cooking to a whole new level! For how-tos, read on:

"Moisture loss is inevitable when you cook any type of muscle fiber. Heat causes raw individual coiled proteins in the fibers to unwind—the technical term is denature—and then join together with one another, resulting in some shrinkage and moisture loss. Normally, meat loses about 30% of its weight during cooking. But if you soak the meat in a brine first, you can reduce this moisture loss during cooking to as little as 15%.

"Brining enhances juiciness in several ways. First of all, muscle fibers absorb liquid during the brining period. Some of this liquid gets lost during cooking, but since the meat is in a sense more juicy at the start of cooking, it ends up juicier. Brined meats typically weigh 6% to 8% more than they did before brining—clear proof of the water uptake.

"How long to brine depends on the size and type of meat you've got. Larger meats like a whole turkey require much more time for the brine to do its thing. Small pieces of seafood like shrimp shouldn't sit in a brine for more than half an hour. In fact, any meat that's brined for too long will dry out and start to taste salty as the salt ends up pulling liquid out of the muscle fibers. (Be sure not to brine meats that have already been brined before you buy them, such as "extra-tender" pork, which has been treated with sodium phosphate and water to make it juicier.)

"Keep all meat and fish refrigerated during brining, rinse them well afterwards, and don't overcook them. If you need more liquid to completely submerge the meat, measure more and add it, along with the proportionate quantity of salt. It's crucial that the meat be completely submerged.

"There are a few companies, such as Spice Hunter, that sell a ready-made combination of herbs and spices for brining, or you can make your own—adding dried herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or sage, to the water; or rub them directly on the meat for more flavor. You can also supplement or replace the water with another liquid, such as apple cider for a turkey or pork brine. Many brines include sugar, which is fine as a flavor enhancer. But according to food scientists, sugar has no technical function when it comes to juiciness; salt is the key ingredient.

"The chart below gives salt concentration and brining time for various foods. Concentrations listed are for Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. For table salt, cut salt amounts by 1/2; for Morton's Kosher Salt, cut amounts by 1/4.

"Any food-safe nonreactive container is fine for brining. For brining turkeys, a plastic turkey cooking bag that will completely enclose the turkey is perfect; the meat just needs to be completely submerged. Put the turkey in the bag and then set the whole thing in a large bowl. Add water to the bag with a measuring cup, keeping track of how much you're adding. Then add the correct amount of salt. If brining a familiar turkey size and you know the approximate amount of salt, you can just rub the salt directly on the turkey, inside and out, before adding the water.

"Put the bowl or turkey bag in the refrigerator (all meats should be refrigerated during brining) and let the meat soak for 12 to 24 hours. Discard the brine after use; for safety reasons, it should never be reused.

"Whatever you're brining, remember to rinse the meat or fish well afterward to remove any surface salt. Properly brined meat shouldn't taste salty, just very juicy with good flavor. But do reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe; that is, don't add salt until the dish is at a point where you can taste it and judge."