Brined Pork Roast With Roasted Peaches Recipes

GRILLED PORK AND PEACHES

Steps:

• Light a fire in a fire pit with a grill, or in a charcoal grill, or set a gas grill to high. If you have a very strong vent in your kitchen, you may use your stove with a burner set to high. Place a large cast-iron pan or two-burner griddle over the heat and allow it to get hot. At this point you can let the fire die slightly with no ill effect. If using a gas grill or stove, turn heat to medium.
• Meanwhile, put the pork on a work surface and, using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness of approximately 3/4 of an inch.
• Combine the garlic, rosemary and 6 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl, mixing to make a rough paste. Season the pork aggressively on both sides with salt and pepper, then spread half the garlic mixture over one side and half on the other side.
• Brush the pan or griddle with the remaining olive oil, allow it to heat until it shimmers and is almost smoking, then place meat on the hot surface and cook, without touching, until it forms a good crust, approximately 10 minutes.
• While the meat cooks, surround it with the peaches, cut side down, and dot the fruit with the butter. (If you're using two cast-iron skillets, place the peaches in their own oiled pan.) Let them cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until they are soft and slightly charred. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
• When the meat is well browned on the first side, use tongs to turn it over, and cook in the remaining butter for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the meat to a carving board and allow it to rest below a tent of foil for approximately 5 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with the peaches.

PORK WITH POLENTA AND ROSEMARY PEACHES

Steps:

• For the brine: Add salt, brown sugar, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, tea bags and 2 quarts water to a large saucepot. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
• For the pork: Add pork chop to the brine. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerated for up to 1 day. Pat pork chop completely dry and bring to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat. Add butter and thyme. Sear pork chop until golden brown, basting with butter, about 7 minutes. Flip over and sear other side, continuing to baste, an additional 5 minutes.
• Transfer pan to oven and cook until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
• Remove pork from pan. Allow to rest for at least 5 minutes. Garnish with lemon juice, a drizzle of good olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the polenta: Add corn, chicken stock and polenta to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until polenta is no longer mealy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and Parmesan. Stir to combine.
• For the rosemary peaches: Add olive oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add peaches, chicken stock, rosemary, lemon juice and a good pinch of salt. Saute until softened and liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• For the speck: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread speck out on the parchment and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
• Plate pork on top of polenta and spoon some of the peaches on top. Garnish with crispy speck in large shards and micro herbs, if using.

CIDER-BRINED PORK ROAST WITH POTATOES AND ONIONS

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.

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.

BRINED PORK ROAST WITH PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool brine to room temperature., Place a 2-gallon resealable plastic bag inside a second resealable bag; add roast. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 18-24 hours, turning occasionally., Drain and discard brine; pat roast dry. In a small bowl, combine the oil, herbs and pepper; rub over pork. Place roast on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan. Pour water into pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145°., For sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots; cook and stir until tender. Stir in wine and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in the broth, vinegar and sugar. Cook, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until slightly thickened., Stir in the cream, thyme, salt, pepper and browning sauce if desired. Discard bay leaf. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened., Transfer roast to a serving platter. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with sauce.

BONE-IN PORK ROAST WITH BROCCOLI RABE, SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE, AND ROASTED PEACHES

Steps:

• Have butcher cut the chine bone in between each rib of the pork roast to make carving easier. Leave the fat cap on for added moisture and flavor. Line a large stockpot or bucket with a plastic bag. Pour water into the bag and dissolve salt and brown sugar. Add peppercorns and a few thyme sprigs. Place the pork roast in the bag of brine. Tie the bag closed so the pork is submerged. Refrigerate for 6 hours, the brine will tenderize the meat. Remove pork from the brine and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay thyme sprigs all over the pork roast, season with salt and pepper, then secure with butcher's twine to help hold the shape. Coat a roasting pan with a little olive oil and set on 2 burners over high heat until almost smoking. Sear the pork, fat side down, until caramelized. Turn the roast to brown all sides, this should take about 10 minutes. To flavor the pork drippings, scatter carrots, garlic, onion, shallots and more thyme sprigs in the pan, then transfer the roast to oven. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast registers 150 degrees F, approximately 1 hour.
• Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Brown the sausage links on all sides until cooked through. Remove the links from the pan and slice on a bias. Add slivered garlic, red pepper flakes and fennel seed, stir to incorporate. Return the sausage back to the pan, along with broccoli rabe and chicken broth. Saute with the stock for 5 minutes until the rabe is wilted.
• Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard seed, tarragon, and about 1/4 cup olive oil. Slice peaches in half lengthwise and remove pits. Pour the marinade over the peaches, tossing to coat. Place peaches cut side down in a baking pan and roast for 12 to 15 minutes until soft.
• Remove the pork to a cutting board and let it rest while preparing the pan sauce. Discard the aromatic vegetables from the roasting pan, set pan on 2 burners over medium heat. Deglaze with apple juice, scraping up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce by a third. Season with salt and pepper; whisk in butter to smooth out.
• Cut the twine and carve the roast. Serve family style on a platter with broccoli rabe, sausage, and roasted peaches. Drizzle sauce over meat before serving.

BRINED PORK ROAST WITH ROASTED PEACHES

Steps:

• Place brine ingredients, water through bay leaves, in a large plastic juice container.
• I like to mix the brine ahead of time in a giant plastic container to be sure the sugar and salt dissolve.
• I usually do this the night before, and refrigerate.
• Line a large stockpot or roasting pan with a plastic garbage bag, large enough to fit the roast and the liquid.
• Place pork roast in bag, and pour brine mixture over the meat.
• Tie the bag tightly at the top, so that the entire roast is submerged in the liquid.
• Refrigerate for 6 hours (I flipped it once after 3 hours) Remove pork from the brine, and pat dry with paper towels.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Note about the roast: I find better results if the fat layer is left on.
• Please do not over trim this part, or roast will become too dry.
• Season entire roast generously with salt and pepper.
• Lay the fresh rosemary sprigs over top, and tie the roast with butcher’s twine, securing the meat a bit more snugly to the bone, which will help it hold it’s shape and cook evenly.
• Coat roasting pan with olive oil and set over two burners over high heat, until oil is almost smoking.
• Sear the pork, fat side down until it has a nice caramelized color.
• Repeat this for all sides of the roast.
• This should be about 10-15 minutes.
• Add the halved carrots, onion, garlic, shallots and a few more sprigs of rosemary to the pan.
• Place roast in oven, and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 150 degrees (about 1 1/2-1 hour 45 minutes) For the peaches: If fresh peaches are available, wisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard seeds (if using), rosemary, and ¼ cup olive oil.
• If fresh peaches are not available, used the canned, omit the honey in the marinade.
• You may use a bit of the reserved peach juice to taste instead Place peaches in roasting pan, and pour marinade over them.
• Give them a toss with your hands and place cut side down.
• Roast in oven for about 15 minutes, or until the fresh peaches are soft.
• When pork is finished, remove it to a cutting board, and let rest while you make the sauce.
• Remove aromatics and vegetable from the roasting pan, and set it back up on the stove on medium heat.
• Deglaze the pan with the apple juice, and scrape up the browned pieces stuck to the bottom.
• Let this simmer and reduce by about a third.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, and wisk in butter.
• Remove twine from the roast, carve slices, and serve with sauce and roasted peaches.