Brining: If you remember your college chemistry, brining involves such phenomena as osmotic pressure and semipermeable membranes. (Sorry, I don???t either.) In layman???s terms, a brine relaxes the tightly coiled proteins in the meat muscles (think of a Slinky or an old-fashioned telephone cord), which then fosters the absorption of liquid, salt, and any other flavors you???ve added to the brine.