Cider Brined Pork Loin Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the cider, maple syrup, and 3 tablespoons of salt in a 4-cup glass measuring cup. With a mortar and pestle, grind the fennel, peppercorns, coriander, and cinnamon together and add to the cider mixture. Place the tenderloins in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Add the ginger and rosemary, squeeze the air out of the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and dry them well with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Place the tenderloins on a sheet pan and rub them all over with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 125 degrees. Remove from the oven and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut the tenderloins diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm with chutney.

Steps:

• For the brine:
• Combine all ingredients in a large container with a tight fitting lid.
• Take the pork chops and insert a fillet knife into the side of each pork chop. Create a 2-inch slice along the side moving your knife along the inside of the chop creating a pocket. Be careful not to pierce the outer sides of the chop. Place the pork chops in the brine for anywhere from 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• For the reduction:
• Add the cider to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the cider, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface, until is becomes syrupy and is reduced to about 1/4 cup.
• For the stuffing:
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Preheat grill to high.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the apples and grill for about 10 minutes on each side. Remove from grill to a serving platter and let rest for about 10 minutes. Brush with the cider reduction, sprinkle with the chopped caramelized pecans and enjoy!
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the sugar and water until the temperature reaches 275 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add the pecans and stir to coat with the sugar. Once the sugar begins to caramelize add the vanilla extract and stir gently but constantly until fully caramelized. Pour onto a silpat lined baking sheet to let cool, then sprinkle with the red chili powder.

Steps:

• Make the brine:
• Bring salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, thyme, bay leaves, 2 cups apple cider, and 2 cups water to a low boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking, until sugar and salt dissolve, about 4 minutes. Transfer brine to a large bowl and add remaining 2 cups apple cider and 2 cups ice. Let cool to room temperature.
• Place pork and brine in a large resealable plastic bag; turn to coat. Seal and chill at least 8 hours.
• Roast the pork:
• Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Place rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F.
• Season pork all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear pork, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides (including ends), 10-12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine mustard, brown sugar, syrup, and thyme in a medium bowl.
• Pour apple cider into a large roasting pan or glass baking dish. Transfer pork, fat side up, to pan. Brush all over with mustard mixture. Roast pork, basting every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140°F, 50-70 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.
• Do Ahead
• Pork can be brined up to 24 hours ahead. Keep chilled in plastic bag.

Steps:

• Bring brown sugar, 1 cup salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar and salt dissolve, about 4 minutes. Transfer brine to a large bowl and add cider and 2 cups ice. Let cool.
• Place pork and brine in a large (2-gallon) resealable plastic bag. Seal bag and chill at least 8 hours.
• Remove pork from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Toss potatoes and onions with 4 tablespoons oil in a large roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Place rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Using the side of a chef's knife, crush remaining 2 tablespoons coriander seeds. Season pork with salt and pepper and rub all over with crushed coriander. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork until browned on all sides, 8-10 minutes.
• Transfer pork to roasting pan and nestle in among vegetables. Tuck remaining 6 bay leaves under kitchen twine over top of pork. Wrap bone tips with foil to prevent burning and roast, turning vegetables halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of pork registers 140°F, 60-75 minutes.
• Remove foil from bones and transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 30 minutes before slicing between ribs into chops.
• DO AHEAD: The pork can be brined 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups cider, 1/3 cup salt, brown sugar, torn bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in 2 cups each water and cider; cool to room temperature.
• Place pork loin in a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag and pour cooled brine mixture over. Allow meat to brine, refrigerated for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Finely chop garlic, 1 sprig rosemary and remaining bay leaf. Add remaining salt and ground pepper; mash into a paste with the flat side of a knife.
• Remove pork from brine (discard liquid), pat dry, and rub with garlic-herb mixture. Place in large roasting pan and scatter apples and onions around it. Break remaining rosemary sprig into 4 pieces, scatter atop apples and onions. Transfer pan to oven and roast meat until internal temperature reaches 160F, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Transfer pork loin to serving platter with all but 4 pieces each apple and onion. Allow meat to rest 15 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, place roasting pan with drippings, reserved onions and apples on stove top over medium heat and add remaining 1 cup cider plus 1 cup water. Cook, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan until liquid is hot, about 2 minutes. Strain mixture into bowl, pressing liquid from solids; set aside. Return roasting pan to stove top and melt butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk until golden brown. Whisk in reserved cider mixture and continue to whisk until gravy is smooth. Serve hot with pork roast.

Steps:

• Stir the hot water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. Add the apple cider, syrup, sugar and pepper. Cool to below 45 degrees F. in the refrigerator.
• Trim any excess external fat from the meat. Submerge the pork in the brine in a large bowl or small crock; make sure the meat stays under the surface during curing by using a heavy plate to weight it down. Refrigerate the pork in the cure. The chops should take 4-6 hours in the brine; the tenderloin, 6-8 hours; and the loin, 1-2 days. (Bone-in pork can take a day longer in the brine because of the bone, which gives it a larger diameter.) If marinating for a day or longer, stir the brine daily and turn the pork occasionally.
• To test flavor of brined pork, cut a small piece off the meat, pat it dry and pan-fry it. If the meat is sufficiently flavorful, remove it from the brine, let it come to room temperature and grill. If not, leave it in the brine and test again later.
• I usually do a 4-6 lb pork loin and marinate 24 hours. I have cooked in oven, indirect heat on grill and rotisserie. They have all turned out fabulous! This makes a VERY moist piece of meat when brined this way.