# Brine Turkey in KCl (Potassium Chloride)



## PianoAl (Nov 21, 2012)

I've been substituting KCl for NaCl for about a year, with excellent blood pressure results:



Although some people don't like the taste of KCl, I find it to be almost identical in taste to normal salt (and see below).  I even replace NaCl with KCl in bacon, by soaking the bacon to remove the regular salt, then adding KCl.

So, I'm considering brining our turkey in a solution of KCl.  To hedge my bets, I'll probably make the solution more dilute that normal.  Has anyone tried this?  Any thoughts?

Concerning the taste of KCl, consider this story.  When my daughter was visiting she said she didn't like salt substitutes.  I put a small pile of salt on each of two plates, and had her do a taste comparison.  "Oh, yuck, that second one is the KCl, it tastes terrible!" she said. 

What she didn't know was that both piles were regular NaCl table salt.  IOW, we can't always trust our senses.

Thanks,

Al


----------



## salt and pepper (Nov 21, 2012)

All though it may work for you. People must be aware that babies, people with heart or kidney disease should be careful about the use of PC. Also it is not a good substitute for cooking as it leaves a bitter aftertaste in food. Just a word of caution!


----------



## PianoAl (Nov 23, 2012)

It turned out great.  This may have been the best turkey I've prepared.

Here's the recipe I used:

*Ingredients*
_Makes enough brine for one 18- to 20-pound turkey_

2 quarts (28 cups) water
1/3 cups lite salt
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
.5 tsp dried juniper berries
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 fresh whole turkey (11 pounds), patted dry, neck and giblets reserved for stock, liver reserved for stuffing
.5 cup red wine
.5 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp thyme

*Mix, Soak.*


----------



## chopper (Nov 23, 2012)

How ling would you brine the turkey?


----------



## GotGarlic (Nov 23, 2012)

Two quarts is 8 cups of water, not 28.


----------



## salt and pepper (Nov 23, 2012)

Why is there no Potassium Coloride in this recipe? I thought this thread was to brine with KCI. And not to be rude, but I have not seen a brine using lite salt! Most brines use 1 cup of salt to a gallon of water. The recipe seems more like marinade then a brine. I'm just happy to see your turkey came out well. Happy Thanksgiving.


----------



## jennyema (Nov 23, 2012)

Lite salt is half NaCl and half KCl is it not?

KCl is so weird and bitter/metallic tasting..  Wouldn't use it.

Plus isn't it SODIUM that makes the physics/chemistry of brining happen in the first place?


----------



## Vincorine (Sep 12, 2013)

*Actually, anything soluble in water should work*

Hi! I'm trying to find information about brining with potassium chloride, as my Dad was recently diagnosed with chronic heart failure, and is now on a low sodium diet. Of course at the same time I discovered the magic of brining, but am nervous to make brined chicken for him with sodium chloride.

As far as the last comment about need sodium for brining, I believe this is not the case. I'm a chemist, and as far as I understand the principles of brining occur based on osmotic pressure, which is a fancy way of saying how much stuff there is dissolved in the water. The same number of molecules of sodium chloride should have the same effect as the same number of molecules of potassium chloride, which will be about 1.3 times as much potassium chloride, by weight, than sodium chloride (table salt). 

I was thinking of playing around with other solutes, like sugar or vinegar, as a way of increasing the osmolarity of the brining solution. Any ideas?


----------



## Mad Cook (Sep 13, 2013)

Vincorine said:


> Hi! I'm trying to find information about brining with potassium chloride, as my Dad was recently diagnosed with chronic heart failure, and is now on a low sodium diet. Of course at the same time I discovered the magic of brining, but am nervous to make brined chicken for him with sodium chloride.
> 
> As far as the last comment about need sodium for brining, I believe this is not the case. I'm a chemist, and as far as I understand the principles of brining occur based on osmotic pressure, which is a fancy way of saying how much stuff there is dissolved in the water. The same number of molecules of sodium chloride should have the same effect as the same number of molecules of potassium chloride, which will be about 1.3 times as much potassium chloride, by weight, than sodium chloride (table salt).
> 
> I was thinking of playing around with other solutes, like sugar or vinegar, as a way of increasing the osmolarity of the brining solution. Any ideas?


"_but am nervous to make brined chicken for him with sodium chloride."_ So, why brine it? (No don't bother answering that.)


----------



## jennyema (Sep 13, 2013)

Mad Cook said:


> "_but am nervous to make brined chicken for him with sodium chloride."_ So, why brine it? (No don't bother answering that.)



My thought exactly.


----------



## lizabeta (Jun 13, 2019)

I know this is a super old thread... but it's not the salt that does the chemistry... 

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6055-low-salt-brining

"When we did some further investigation, we learned that while the positive sodium ions in table salt are responsible for adding flavor, it’s the negative chloride ions that bind to the proteins and cause them to swell and absorb moisture. Potassium chloride provides the same negative ions as table salt, and thus has a nearly identical effect when used in a brine."

And most people can't tell the difference in flavor.


----------

