Porchetta Brine
The critical part to brining is to completely cover the meat, store in a cool location and keep the salt to brown sugar ratio. The spices you can play with a bit. However, this mix of spices is so aromatic; the flavor comes out in the cooked pork. Listed below is a single recipe. The Porchetta Son and Chef "thejobert" recently made, used 2 -1/2 times the recipe. Because the brine is tossed, we don’t count any carbs.
Ingredients
- 4 litres (17 cups of water)
- 2 TBSP (20 gr) coriander seeds
- 2 TBSP (15 gr) peppercorn
- 2 TBSP (15 gr) fennel seeds
- ½ TBSP (2 gr) whole cloves
- 10 “stars” (10 gr) star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 grams nitrate salt omit if don’t have
- 1 ¾ cup (120 gr) Kosher Salt
- 5 TBSP packed (60 gr) Splenda Brown Sugar Mix or (120 gr) Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Have ready a clean hard sided cooler or any other container that will hold the meat and water.
- Have 8 cups of water near the stove. The remaining 9 cups of water will be added later.
- Place all spices except salt and Splenda Brown Sugar Mix or Brown Sugar in large pot. Turn heat to medium/high and roast for 4 – 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not burn. When very aromatic and slightly darker, add the 8 cups of water. Next add the salt and Brown Sugar Splenda or Brown Sugar. When salt and sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Cool completely before adding to the meat.
- Place meat in cooler or container, add brine and remaining 9 cups of water. Stir to incorporate. Place a plate weighted down on the meat to make sure it doesn’t float up. Refrigerate or place in garage (winter months) for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours remove meat from the brine and towel dry. Score the pork belly with a very sharp knife, crisscrossing cuts every ½ inch to inch apart. This will produce the crackling pork belly. Massage in 1 tsp. Of Kosher salt into the belly
- *You want to separate the pork belly and loin at this time to add flavor between the two layers before cooking. Reminder: you will have to retie the pork with kitchen string. Wrap pork loin with press n seal type product. Do not wrap the pork belly. Refrigerate over night until 2 hours prior to cooking.
