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Recipe: Fairmont JPL All-Purpose Basic Cider Brine
During the Swine and Dine cooking demo by Fairmont JPL Banquet Chef Anthony Young a couple weeks back we learned how brining can take simple pork chops into succulent and juicy porterhouse pork chops. Follow this wet-cure recipe and you’ll never serve a dry pork chop again.
This is a basic recipe that can be modified as per your desired tastes. White sugar can be substituted for other sugars like maple syrup or molasses, citrus fruits or apples can add a boost of flavour, or you can make it super fragrant with a dose of cardamom.
You can keep this brine in the fridge in a jar or a sealed container and a day or two before you think you want to make pork chops, tenderloin, or loin chops – submerge your pork in the brine to infuse your cuts with loads of flavour. Your guests will wonder how you made them so mouth-watering.
Chef Anthony’s Basic Cider Brine
Recipe courtesy of Chef Anthony Young, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- 2 cloves
- 4 allspice berries
- 5 bay leaves
- 225 grams sea salt
- 200 grams sugar
- 4.7 litres boiling water
- 200 ml apple cider
Instructions:
- Place all dry ingredients in a large heatproof bowl; pour boiling water over to dissolve. Cover and let cool. Once cool, stir in cider and place in fridge for 2 hours.
- Lightly rinse chops, pat dry and place in cold brine. Never put meat in hot or lukewarm brine – brine should always be very cold.
- For small chops, let marinate overnight, for larger cuts (12-16 oz) let marinate 28-48 hours.
- When ready to cook, take out of brine and let chops sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Pat dry and sear in a pan or BBQ and cook to your liking.