
42 DEGREES' CIDER-CURED PORK CHOPS 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: 

-- 4 center-cut pork loin chops, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick 
-- Olive oil Brine 
-- 4 cups water 
-- 2 cups hard cider 
-- 1/2 cup salt 
-- 1/2 cup light brown sugar 
-- 10 whole peppercorns 
-- 4 bay leaves 
-- 1/2 bunch fresh thyme 
-- 1 onion, chopped 
-- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped 
-- 1 celery rib, chopped 
-- 1 apple, peeled and chopped 

INSTRUCTIONS: To make the brine: Combine all brine
ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then
remove from heat and let cool. When cool, refrigerate until cold. 

Add the pork chops to the cold brine. Weight with a plate if
necessary to keep the chops completely submerged. Refrigerate
for at least 1 day or up to 2 days. 

To cook: Remove the chops from the brine and pat them dry.
Heat 2 skillets over moderately high heat. Add just enough oil
to coat the bottom of each skillet. When the skillets are hot, add
the chops and reduce heat to moderately low. Cook for 10
minutes, then turn and cook until the chops are no longer pink
at the bone, about 10 minutes longer. 

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NANCY OAKES' VANILLA BRINE 

This recipe makes enough brine for a 4- to 6-pound boneless
pork loin, or six 1 3/8- to 1 1/2-inch-thick center-cut pork loin
chops, or 4 pork tenderloins, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each. The recipe
is from a forthcoming cookbook on meat by Bruce Aidells. 

INGREDIENTS: 

-- 9 cups boiling water 
-- 1/2 cup sugar 
-- 1/2 cup kosher salt 
-- 2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper 
-- 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla 

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all brine ingredients in a bowl,
small crock or heavy-duty plastic container; stir to dissolve the
salt and sugar. Let cool, then chill thoroughly in the
refrigerator. 

Add pork of choice (see headnote). Weight with a plate if
necessary to keep the meat completely submerged. 

Refrigerate 3 days for pork loin, 1 to 2 days for chops and 12
hours for tenderloin. Stir the brine each day and turn the pork
occasionally. 

Roast or grill pork loin or tenderloins. Grill chops or pan-fry
according to directions in Cider-Cured Pork Chops. 

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Brine-Cured Pork 

Adapted from Chez Panisse Caf Cookbook, by Alice Waters. 

Serves 6 to 8 

The classic French way to cure pork is to brine it. Typically, brine for curing contains salt, sugar, herbs, and spices. It acts as a marinade and a cure at the same time, producing pork a bit like a mild ham. (The most delicious turkey I ever tasted was cured in brine in just the same way.) A pork loin or shoulder will need to sit in brine, completely submerged, for about 5 days; large chops will be ready in 2 or 3. 

1 cup salt 
3/4 cup sugar 
2 bay leaves 
A few peppercorns 
1 clove 
6 allspice berries 
2 small dried chili peppers 
3 garlic cloves, peeled 
1 tablespoon dried thyme 
3 pounds boneless pork loin or shoulder 
Optional: chopped parsley and garlic 


Put 2 1/2 gallons cold water in a large, nonreactive container that will hold the meat and brine. Stir in the salt and sugar. Slightly crush and add the bay leaves, peppercorns, clove, allspice, and chili peppers. Add the garlic and thyme. Add the pork and put a plate on top to keep the meat submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days or more. 

Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry. Roast pork loin for about 1 hour, grill over a medium fire, or slice into very thin chops and brown them in a cast-iron pan. They will cook very quickly, about 1 minute per side. Finish with a good fistful of chopped parsley and garlic if you wish. A brined shoulder is good boiled or braised, and is delicious to add to cooked beans.

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Apple Juice Brine

For the Brine:

2 quarts apple juice (or Fresh Cider is better)
1 pound brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
3 oranges, quartered
4 ounces fresh ginger, thinly sliced
15 whole cloves
6 bay leaves
6 large cloves garlic, crushed

Bring Ingredients to a boil for one minute, skim off any foam cool to room
temp.
In a five gallon food grade container, add 3 quarts cold water and brine
mixture. Let bird swim for 2-3 days
Will brine a 12-14 lb Bird, Adjust ingredients up or down comparable to bird
size.

Jim Morrissey
BBQ List

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Santa Fe Cured Pork Loin

3-4 pounds boneless pork loin roast
8 cups water
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons crushed thyme
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons crushed oregano

In large saucepan, heat all ingredients EXCEPT pork loin to boiling,
stirring to dissolve ground spices and mix cure ingredients
thoroughly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Place pork
loin in glass container large enough to immerse roast in cure
solution, cover and refrigerate 2-4 days. OR place roast in 2-gallon
self-sealing plastic bag and pour cure solution over; seal bag and
place in large bowl, refrigerate 2-4 days.
Remove pork roast from cure, discarding cure solution. Pat pork gently
dry with paper towels. Prepare covered grill with banked coals heated
to medium-hot. Place roast over drip pan and cook over indirect heat
for 45 minutes to an hour, until thermometer inserted reads 155-160
degrees F. Remove from grill and slice to serve.
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
from the National Pork Producers Council website

Jim Morrissey
BBQ List

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Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Ham and Rosemary

Here's the recipe that inspired Mark Peel's turkey brine.  It's
from "Jeremiah Towers' New American Classics" (Harper & Row, 1986) 
and, considering how elegant it looks, it's surprisingly easy to 
make.

3 pounds center-cut pork loin
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 quarts water plus 1 tablespoon
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 cloves whole garlic
2 large shallots, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound country ham or prosciutto, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt, pepper
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup butter

Trim loin to only 1/4 inch fat on top.  Mix salt, sugar, 2 quarts
water, bay leaves, allspice and thyme in saucepan and heat until 
salt and sugar are dissolved.  Cool.  Put loin in pan just large 
enough to hold meat and liquid and pour brine over.  Marinate 
overnight or at least 6 hours in refrigerator.

Cook garlic, shallots, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon water in 
small skillet over low heat, covered, until soft, about 10 minutes. 
Do not brown.  Stir in ham and half of rosemary.  Set aside to cool.

When pork is fully brined, remove from liquid and wipe dry.  With
handle of wooden spoon or with round knife-sharpening steel, 
carefully poke hole through center of loin.

When ham mixture is cool, push mixture into center of loin, 
distributing seasoning evenly.  Mix remaining oil and rosemary and 
rub all over loin.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and marinate
at room temperature 2 hours.  

Heat skillet over high heat and sear loin, browning it on all sides,
about 5 minutes.  Put loin in roasting pan and roast at 325 degrees
until meat thermometer registers 150 degrees, about 45 minutes.  
Remove loin and set aside in warm place 20 minutes, covered with 
piece of foil.

Pour any fat out of pan and wipe gently.  Pour in chicken stock and 
reduce to 1/2 cup, scraping pan to dissolve any browned meat juices.
Strain stock into saucepan.  Whisk in mustard, then butter until both
are incorporated.  Keep sauce warm.

Cut pork in 1/8-inch slices and pour sauce over.

Makes 6 servings.
Each serving contains about:
482 calories; 1,445 mg sodium; 148 mg cholesterol; 30 grams fat;
4 grams carbohydrates; 46 grams protein; 0.27 gram fiber.


Mark Peel's Brine

This recipe, inspried by one of Jeremiah Towers', is enough for a 12-
to 14-pound turkey.  The spicing is very faint, mostly you taste the
salt and a bit of the sugar.  It's a bit like a very elegant version
of commercial smoked turkey, only without the smoke.  Peel also uses
this recipe for roast pork and smoked fish.  For a pork loin, cut all
of the amounts by half; for fish or chops, cut them to 1/4.

2/3 cup salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup black pepper, cracked
Pinch dried thyme
13 cloves
13 allspice, cracked
3 bay leaves
13 juniper berries, crushed
Water

Combine salt, sugar, pepper, thyme, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and
juniper berries in saucepan.  Add 1 quart water and bring to boil.  
Simmer 5 minutes, then add to 1 gallon cold water.  Chill thoroughly 
before using brine.

Makes about 1 1/4 gallons brine (enough for 12- to 14-pound turkey).






