Star Anise Brine Recipes

TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart water, salt, bay leaves, and spices to a simmer, stirring until salt has dissolved. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Line a 5-gallon container with a large brining or oven-roasting bag. Place turkey in bag. Add salt mixture, remaining 6 quarts (24 cups) water, and the other ingredients. Tie bag; if turkey is not submerged, weight it with a plate. Refrigerate 24 hours, flipping turkey once.

SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large nonreactive container, submerge the pork in the brine and place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours or overnight, then remove the chops and dry well with paper towels.
• Heat oven to 325. Heat the oil or lard in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Dredge the chops in the flour, shaking off the excess. Reserve the leftover flour.
• Cook the chops in the fat, about 4 minutes per side, until they are brown and crisp on the exterior, and transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the onions and bay leaf and cook, stirring often, until the onions are softened, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Add 6 tablespoons flour to the onions, stir well and allow to cook 3 or 4 minutes. Slowly add the stock, stirring and scraping the pan well, until it is incorporated and the mixture is slightly thickened.
• Return chops to the pot and bring to a simmer, then cover tightly and cook in the oven until very tender, 2 or more hours. Transfer chops to a plate and place pot on stovetop, over medium heat. Reduce sauce until it is thick enough to resemble gravy, skimming excess oil and foam if necessary. Return chops to pot to reheat, then serve with their gravy over rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with parsley if you like.

STAR ANISE BRINE

Steps:

• In a large pot set over high heat, combine 1 gallon of water and the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved, then remove from stove.
• Let cool completely and refrigerate until needed.

BRINED AND BARBECUED TURKEY

Steps:

• In heavy large stockpot over high heat, bring 2 gallons water to boil. Stir in salt and sugar until completely dissolved. Remove from heat and add carrots, onions, celery, leeks, bay leaves, peppercorns, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, fennel seeds, star anise, thyme, sage, and parsley. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Line large cooler with large heavy-duty garbage bag. Strain brine into cooler, discarding solids.
• Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Transfer, breast side up, to cooler. If necessary, place large plate on top to keep turkey submerged in liquid. Tie bag tightly, then close cooler and transfer to cool place. Allow turkey to brine for 12 hours, turning over once halfway through. Using probe thermometer, check temperature of liquid every 3 hours and if necessary, add freezer packs enclosed in resealable plastic bags to keep temperature at or below 40°F.
• Line large, rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and top with wire rack. Remove turkey from brine and transfer, breast side up, to rack. Let stand 30 minutes to drain completely, then pat dry. Transfer to roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under breast and tie drumsticks loosely together with kitchen string. Place butter in pan next to turkey.
• If using gas grill, open hood, light all burners, and set on high. Close hood and preheat 10 minutes.
• If using charcoal grill, open bottom and lid vents and light charcoal. Let coals burn until completely coated in gray ash, about 25 minutes, then arrange around perimeter of grill to form circle.
• Transfer roasting pan to grill rack and cover grill. If using gas grill, turn all burners to low. During cooking, adjust burners to maintain temperature at 450°F.
• If using charcoal grill, if necessary lower temperature by partially closing vents (do not close completely). Maintain temperature by adding 60 new coals, prelit in chimney starter until completely covered in gray ash, every hour.
• Cook turkey, basting every 15 minutes with pan juices (tilt pan to let juices run out of cavity) and rotating pan 180° every hour, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 1/2 hours. (Time may be longer in cold weather. Avoid opening lid often because of rapid heat loss.)
• Transfer turkey to platter, cover loosely with foil, and let stand 20 minutes before carving.

FESTIVE GAMMON

Steps:

• For the brining, take all the spices for the glaze and toast them in a frying pan until they begin to release their fragrance. Grind using a pestle and mortar, then tip into a food processor with the sugar and blitz everything together to make a spice mix. Tip two-thirds of the mix (reserving the rest in a sealed plastic container) into a large pan with the salt and 5 litres of water and bring to the boil, then turn off the heat. When the mix has cooled, pour it over the ham and leave in the fridge to brine for 24 hrs.
• After 24 hrs, wash off the brine. Place the ham in a large pan with the stock veg, herbs and vinegar. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 3 hrs, topping up with water as necessary. Turn off the heat and leave the ham to cool in the stock.
• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the ham from the stock and cut away the top layer of fat and skin. Score the fat in a criss-cross and brush with the mustard, then pack on the reserved spiced sugar. Roast for 35-40 mins until the glaze has completely caramelised and become sticky. Allow the ham to rest for at least 10 mins before carving.

MAPLE BRINED ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• 1. In a very large (14- to 16-quart) stockpot, combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, chile flakes, 1 1/2 cups syrup, and 1 cup soy sauce. Heat over medium heat, stirring continuously, just until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat and stir in 5 quarts water. Let the mixture stand until room temperature.
• 2. Submerge the turkey in the liquid, press a piece of plastic wrap over the turkey and weight the bird down with a heavy dish of small pot so that the turkey stays in the liquid. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.
• 3. Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry with paper towels, and discard the brine. Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Let stand for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• 4. Tuck the wing tips behind the back and tie together the ends of the drumsticks with kitchen twine. Scatter the onions around the turkey. Season all lightly with salt and pepper.
• 5. Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Add the remaining 2 cups water to the pan. Continue roasting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Baste the turkey two or three times during the roasting.
• 6. Transfer the turkey and onions to a serving platter and let rest while making the sauce. Strain the pan juices into a fat separator. Pour just the jus back into the roasting pan; discard the fat. Set over medium heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons syrup and 2 tablespoon soy sauce. Simmer, stirring and scraping the pan, until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Serve the jus with the turkey and onions.

HOW TO MAKE SMOKED BRISKET - BRINED, DRY RUBBED AND CHERRY WOOD SMOKED

Steps:

• Toast all seeds lightly in a sauté pan to extract essentials oils and toast slightly. Allow to cool.
• Bring water to a boil and mix all Brine ingredients in a container large enough to allow meat to be covered in brine. Make sure sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Add the ice to cool brine down and submerge the beef brisket.
• Brine for two days or more if desired in refrigerator, covered.
• Mix rub ingredients together in a small bowl.
• Rinse off brined brisket. Shake off excess water and apply dry rub. Press rub mixture on to meat, allow to rest for two hours, covered and refrigerated.
• Soak your wood chips. Bring meat to room temperature. Place dry rubbed brisket in the smoker set at 225°F for an hour and a half per pound. Add the smoke chips or pellets per smoker manufacturer instructions. (See Note 1).
• Let rest 1 hour and slice across the grain and serve!

CIDER-BRINED TURKEY WITH STAR ANISE AND CINNAMON

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts cider, 1 cup salt, and the next 10 ingredients to a boil in a very large (16-quart) pot, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 1/2 gallons cold water. Add turkey to brine and press down to submerge. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
• Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels; discard brine. Season lightly inside and out with salt and pepper. Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a large heavy roasting pan and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine the remaining 1 cup of cider and 3 cups water in roasting pan. Scatter apples around. Brush turkey with butter. Flip breast side down.
• Roast turkey, breast side down, basting occasionally, for 1 hour. Using paper towels, flip turkey. Roast, basting occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 1-1 1/2 hours longer. transfer turkey to a platter. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, strain the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan, reserving apples. Simmer over medium heat until juices have thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve the cider jus alongside the turkey and apples and garnish with extra star anise pods and cinnamon sticks.