This is kind of a follow-up to my question about pickling salt. Can I safely thaw meat on the counter if it is in a basic brine solution? I know the meat will not benefit from the brining until it thaws. But, will the salt solution, at room temperature, be strong enough to keep the germs at bay while the meat thaws and then takes on the brine? This may be a total of 4 - 6 hours on the counter.