Brining Pork | gardengaterecipes

Pork...take the time...brine!

I'm a huge fan of brining pork! Especially those center cuts, which are leaner, and tend to dry our faster than the fattier cuts, like the sirloin chops and roasts. Brining gives us the opportunity to bring not only moisture, to the party, but flavor, too! Besides the givens of kosher salt, sugar and pepper, we can add other flavor boosters to the brine, like citrus, vinegar, herbs and spices! A good long bath in a flavorful brine makes all the diffrence in the world. While the combos are endless, here are just a few of our favorites!

Citrus Herb Brine

Ingredients

Scant 2 cups (15 oz.) water
6 tablespoons (3 oz.) kosher salt
1 small brown or white onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, whole but peeled
4 sprigs thyme (you could also use rosemary or sage)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, roughly cracked
1 lemon, halved
18 ice cubes (15 oz.)
Pork, chicken or turkey (4 boneless pork chops pictured above
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine water, salt, onion, garlic, thyme, bay, peppercorns and lemon. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring until the salt has dissolved. Take mixture off of the heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
Add ice to a large bowl. Pour over hot brine and stir until the ice has melted

Herb Brine

Ingredients

4 Smithfield Extra Tender Fresh porterhouse bone-in loin pork chops (about ¾ inch thick)
2 cups water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cups sugar
3 cloves garlic smashed
3 sprigs rosemary
3 sprigs thyme
3 cups ice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley

Instructions
To make the brine, combine water, salt, sugar, garlic, rosemary, and thyme in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until salt and sugar have dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and stir in the ice cubes. Add the parsley. Once the brine has cooled, place the pork chops in a gallon size zip-top bag or sealable container and pour the brine over them. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to overnight. When ready to grill, heat the grill to medium-high heat. Remove the pork chops from the brine. Discard the brine. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels.

Lemon Pepper Garlic Rosemary Brine

Ingredients

1 Head Garlic, Halved Horizontally
1 cup lemon juice
5 Cups of Water
1 Tbsp Rosemary
¼ Cup Kosher Salt
Pepper (to taste)
Instructions

In a bowl large enough to fit four pork chops, combine everything for the brine, stirring until the salt dissolves. Place your pork chops in the brine, cover with a lid, and brine in the fridge for 2-4 hours.

Asian Spice Brine

Ingredients

1 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 hand firm unpeeled ginger, sliced 1/4" coins
6 whole star anise
1 tablespoon crused red pepper flakes
24 kaffir lime leaves (or juice and rinds of 4 limes)
2 heads of garlic, halved horizontally

How to Make It

In a pot, combine the salt, sugar, ginger, star anise, chiles, lime leaves and garlic with 2 quarts of water and bring just to a simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and add two quarts of cold water and let the brine cool. Put the roast in a large container and pour the brine on top. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.