Brinecuredpork Recipes

BASIC PORK BRINE

Steps:

• Mix water, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in garlic and ginger.

BRINE-CURED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• To make the brine, dissolve the salt and sugar in 1 gallon of warm water in a large bowl. In a mortar, slightly crush juniper and allspice berries and the peppercorns along with the bay leaves and herbs; add to the brine. When the brine is cool, add pork chops and completely submerge, putting weights on top of a plate if necessary. Refrigerate for at least 2 days and up to 3 days.
• To prepare the chops, remove from the brine about 2 hours before cooking and dry with paper towels. Rub them with a bit of olive oil and pepper. (You may also perfume the meat at this point with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, placed on top of and beneath the chops). Allow the chops to come to room temperature.
• Grill the chops (partly covered if possible to control flaming) over medium-hot coals about 5 to 7 minutes a side, or fry 3 at a time in 2 preheated heavy-bottomed skillets over medium-high heat. Place them on a warm platter and cover loosely with foil. Allow them to rest about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt if needed.

BRINE-CURED PORK

Steps:

• Put 2 1/2 gallons cold water in a large, nonreactive container that will hold the meat and brine. Stir in the salt and sugar. Slightly crush and add the bay leaves, peppercorns, clove, allspice, and chili peppers. Add the garlic and thyme. Add the pork and put a plate on top to keep the meat submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days or more.
• Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Roast pork loin for about 1 hour, grill over a medium fire, or slice into very thin chops and brown them in a cast-iron pan. They will cook very quickly, about 1 minute per side. Finish with a good fistful of chopped parsley and garlic if you wish. A brined shoulder is good boiled or braised, and is delicious to add to cooked beans.

BRINED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Immerse pork roast of your choice in the cooled brine mixture, and refrigerate for 12 hours or overnight (up to 24 hours) turning occasionally if necessary for even brining.
• Remove roast from brine, rinse, and pat dry with paper towels, and roast (on a rack or grill pan) according to your favorite recipe until a thermometer, inserted in the center of the roast, reads 155 degrees.
• Allow the roast to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• (Roast may be coated with mustard, breadcrumbs or glaze of your choice before or during roasting, if desired.) NOTE: Smaller cuts of pork, such as pork tenderloins, may also be brined in this way- but should be immersed in the brine solution for proportionately less time, to avoid over-salting.

BRINE-CURED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients except the water, pork chops and olive oil in a large glass, ceramic or plastic container. Add the boiling water and stir to completely dissolve the sugar and salt. Stir in the cold water to cool the brine.
• Lay the chops out in 1 layer in a large nonreactive pan and completely cover them with the brine. If a chop floats to the surface, weigh it down with a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how much flavor you want the meat to acquire. (If the chops must be stacked, change their positions in the brine often.)
• Heat a grill or broiler. Drain the pork chops, discarding the brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the chops with the oil and grill or broil for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Put the chops on a rack in a pan to catch the drippings and loosely cover with foil. Set aside in a warm place for 6 to 8 minutes and serve.