Thinking of using Hound's brine for our T-day dinner, but first....
1. How hot or spicy is it?
2. Are the serranos to be crushed or just put in the liquid?
3. Rinds from the citrus. Are these to be cut up or just the halves?
4. Cilantro- just stems, no leaves??

I assume some have used it.

Barry typed:
> Thinking of using Hound's brine for our T-day dinner, but first....
> 1. How hot or spicy is it?

Not really hot. not overly spicy either.

> 2. Are the serranos to be crushed or just put in the liquid?

I pulverised them and added to the brine, liquid and all.

> 3. Rinds from the citrus. Are these to be cut up or just the halves?

I added them in chunks...made some into zest for the extra flavor.

> 4. Cilantro- just stems, no leaves??

Pulverized works. stems and leaves. You're going to rinse the brine off before
you smoke, so you want all the flavor, you're not concerned about the texture.
>
> I assume some have used it.

Several times. Made some additions or substitutions, too.

BOB

Barry wrote:
> Thinking of using Hound's brine for our T-day dinner, but first....
> 1. How hot or spicy is it?

Well, like Hound's recipe says "4 Serranos to taste". Folks with a bent for
hot probably add more than 4 while folks with a gringo belly can't handle
even 1. Check with the folks'll be eatin at your table that day; if they
can't get past that "almost" salsa crap they make in New York City, you
might wanna pass on the Serranos.

> 2. Are the serranos to be crushed or just put in the liquid?

IMO, crushed. YMMV.

> 3. Rinds from the citrus. Are these to be cut up or just the
> halves?

The more exposed area you have the better they will infuse into the brine.
I tear mine into smallish pieces but not so small I waste a buncha time doin
it.

> 4. Cilantro- just stems, no leaves??

Toss it all in there after ya chop it up good.
--
-frohe
Life is too short to be in a hurry

Barry wrote:
> Thinking of using Hound's brine for our T-day dinner, but first....
> 1. How hot or spicy is it?

Very mild, and I have a moderate palate for heat, unlike some resident
Texarkanian's

> 2. Are the serranos to be crushed or just put in the liquid?

Both, or you can just chop em up a bit, but yeah, they go into the brine.
Never knew people to crush 'em. I kept the seeds in.

> 3. Rinds from the citrus. Are these to be cut up or just the
> halves?

The rind's (skin) are leftover from what you just juiced. If you take a
grater to them a little bit more flavor'll leach out . Remember, this is a
brine, not a stock, you won't be drinking it.

> 4. Cilantro- just stems, no leaves??

Huh? What are you reading? Leaves only, but you don't have to be anal about
it, strip the leaves off the main stock is all, chop em up some and throw
em in.

Good luck

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