Brined Pork Roast Recipes

SPICE-BRINED PORK ROAST WITH ORANGE-SOY GLAZE

Steps:

• Brine the pork: Combine the salt, sugar, ginger, garlic, star anise and chiles in a large pot with 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Squeeze the orange juice into the brine, then add the squeezed orange pieces and 2 cups cold water.
• Place the pork on a cutting board, fat cap-side down and make a few slits between the ribs with a sharp knife; transfer to a large pot or resealable plastic bag. Add the brine, plus up to 2 cups more water if needed to cover the pork. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Remove the pork from the brine and pat very dry. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Set a rack in a roasting pan and place the pork on the rack, fat-side up. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center registers 115˚ F to 120˚ F, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 425˚ F.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the orange juice, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sugar in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside about half of the glaze for serving.
• Brush some of the remaining glaze over the roast. Return to the oven and continue cooking, brushing with more glaze every 5 minutes, until the thermometer registers 135˚ F to 140˚ F, 15 to 25 more minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Serve with the reserved glaze and any collected juices.

BASIC PORK BRINE

Steps:

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

CIDER BRINED PORK ROAST

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.

BRINED PORK LOIN ROAST

Steps:

• Bring water, salt and sugar to boil.
• Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns and garlic.
• Simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let cool to room temp.
• Pour over pork roast and marinate a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain.
• Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees.
• Season meat with salt and pepper.
• Place in a roasting pan with meat side down.
• Drape bacon slices over the roast so the top and sides are covered with the bacon.
• Bake in pre-heated oven until internal temperature of the meat is 140 degrees.
• (Approx. 2 hours+ depending on roast size.) Let roast rest about 20 minutes before slicing.
• I've found it easiest to cut with an electric knife with the meat down and ribs up- slicing between the rib bones.

MAPLE-BRINED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Mix water, salt, 1/3 cup maple syrup, garlic, ginger, rosemary, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Place pork loin in brine mixture and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• Remove pork from brine, pat dry, and season all sides with salt and black pepper.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat vegetable oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Cook pork, turning to brown each side, about 10 minutes total.
• Transfer skillet to the oven and roast until pork is browned, about 40 minutes.
• Mix 2 tablespoons maple syrup and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl.
• Remove pork roast from the oven and spread maple syrup mixture on all sides. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).