JimDog
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| (Freelance Gynecologist) |
| 05/12/11 09:43 PM |
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Brine
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Gunna do a whole pork loin this weekend. I want to brine it first. What do you use for brine? I found this recipe:
8 cups of water
8 tablespoons kosher salt
8 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons allspice berries
What is kosher salt? Does it really matter? I'm not Jewish...
| lying_in_wait |
| (member) |
| 05/13/11 02:17 AM |
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Re: Brine
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Kosher salt is for koshering meat (the complete removal of all traces of blood). Kosher salt is more course than table salt and does not contain iodine. It is more like flakes rather than grains. This property makes it more efficient at koshering than table salt because the flakes can absorb more liquid and it can leave a nice crust on the outside of the meat when dry coated. Many brine recipes call for kosher salt because it is so good at drawing out blood. Brining works through osmosis, as the salt is drawing the blood out the water and seasonings are being forced in. You can get by with using pickling salt in place of Kosher for a brine but I wouldn't substitute with sea salt or table salt.
| RafeHollister |
| (member) |
| 05/13/11 02:39 AM |
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Re: Brine
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I brine a lot these days. Just did a pork roast a couple days ago. I usually brine with apple juice or chicken broth, brown sugar. Sometimes a combination of pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, liquid smoke (unless the meat will be smoked). But I always use kosher salt. It does make a difference.
| IIFID |
| (Bond....Timmy Bond) |
| 05/13/11 12:35 PM |
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Re: Brine
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My favorite is:
1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
Simple but effective for pork , fish or poultry.
| rb. |
| (member) |
| 05/13/11 05:30 PM |
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Re: Brine
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Jim, use the vegetable brine dmr told you about.
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 05/13/11 05:35 PM |
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Re: Brine
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I always mix apple juice in a brine for pork. Kosher salt, brown sugar, apple juice and water are the critical ingredients for your loin. All the rest is for specific tastes and preferences. Personally, I don't put any spices in the brine itself. I save those for the rub or coating before I cook or smoke... I'm not saying it isn't a good idea or won't work. I've just never done it and always worried about them having an effect of the brine process.
Next time any of you hands do pork chops, get the slightly thicker cut and brine them for 2-4 hours before cooking and do them on the grill, just like a steak. Damn, that's some fine eatin'...
| swampy |
| (stirrer of chit) |
| 05/15/11 05:02 PM |
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Re: Brine
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when brining small pieces of pork such as thick chops I will use spice in the brine such as garlic clove and thyme. it imparts some nice flavor and does not impede the brining process. instead of buying thick chops buy a whole loin for around $25 and cut your own. I can usually get it down to $1 a chop that way cut 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick. I chunk the ends up to use in a stir fry. That will get me 5-6 meals of pork off of one big strap. at an average of less than $1.50 per lb it is much cheaper than the $4 average you pay to have someone cut them for you.
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 05/16/11 12:45 AM |
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Re: Brine
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Great idea on the loin.
I'll try the spices in the brine next time.
| DeweyDuckHunter |
| (member) |
| 05/17/11 02:25 AM |
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Re: Brine
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I usually put some apple juice in mine (when doing pork), and sometimes some honey (not really sure if it does anything but it seems to work) or brown sugar.
| H2ODOG |
| (the one who never tires) |
| 05/17/11 02:52 AM |
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Re: Brine
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Hy-Vee and Sams has the best prices during the summer months. Hy-Vee will put them on sale for less than $1.50/lb or less in the summer usually. I think I have seen them as low as $1/lb I buy several of them. Keep some whole, slice some into chops, and cut others in 3rd's to grill. We rarely buy pork chops already cut anymore.
Do the same thing with whole rib roasts. Buy a whole one and cut it onto 12-16 oz steaks, and then vacuum seal them