KOSHER? YES. ENHANCED? NO.

In the test kitchen we often brine chicken and pork to ensure moist, well-seasoned meat. But there are options at the store that allow you to skip this step. For chicken, that means buying a kosher bird. Koshering is a process similar to brining; it involves coating the chicken with salt to draw out any impurities. Kosher birds are also all-natural and contain no hormones or antibiotics. In a side-by-side taste test of all kinds of chicken, Empire brand kosher birds rated highest.

Some people are surprised that pork is lean and prone to drying out. In fact, today’s pork is 50 percent leaner than its 1950s counterpart, and less fat means less flavor and moisture. The industry has addressed this issue by introducing enhanced pork, which is meat injected with a solution of water, salt, and sodium phosphate. The idea is to both season the pork and prevent it from drying out. We’ve conducted countless tests comparing “enhanced” pork to natural pork and unequivocally prefer the latter. Natural pork has a better flavor and, if it’s cooked correctly, moisture isn’t an issue. We also strongly recommend brining most cuts of pork, which lends both moisture and seasoning to the meat. Manufacturers don’t use the terms “enhanced” or “natural” on package labels, but if the pork has been enhanced it will have an ingredient list. Natural pork contains just pork and won’t have an ingredient list. While natural pork benefits from brining, enhanced pork should not be brined because it’s already pretty salty.