This mouthwatering meal of brined pork will blow your mind.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 5 mins |
| Additional Time: | 6 hrs 35 mins |
| Total Time: | 8 hrs 10 mins |
| Servings: | 6 |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- ½ gallon water
- ½ cup salt
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 orange, zested and juiced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed
- 1 ½ teaspoons whole cloves
- 2 (1 1/4 pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Warm water in a large pot over high heat. Add salt and stir to dissolve. Stir in brown sugar, orange, lemon, lime, cilantro, garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Let brine simmer for 20 minutes.
- Fill a sink with ice water. Remove brine from heat and place pot into the sink. Cool, stirring, until brine reaches room temperature. Pour into a large plastic or glass vessel such as a 12-quart Cambro®. Add pork tenderloin pieces. Cover and let soak 6 hours to overnight.
- Remove loins from brine and rinse. Let rest at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes while you prep the grill. Preheat the grill for indirect heat at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
- Place loins on cooler side of the grill and cook, rotating every 20 to 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers read 130 to 135 degrees F (54 to 57 degrees C), 35 to 40 minutes.
- Paint loins with vegetable oil and move over the direct heat side of the grill. Sear until golden brown all over and internal temperature just reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove loins from heat, place on a serving dish, and tent with foil. Let rest for about 5 minutes. Slice into 1/2- to 1-inch-thick medallions.
- Substitute molasses for the brown sugar if desired.
- Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary.
- Always brine foods in a food-grade, non-reactive container such as a stainless steel or enameled stockpot, a brining bag, or a food-grade plastic bucket.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 342 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 25 g |
| Cholesterol | 123 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 40 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 7903 mg |
| Sugars | 19 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
I made it exactly as the recipe and it turned out great. Everyone at the table liked it.
I didn’t use the cilantro.