Throwing in the Towel on Brining

I tried another recipe from Chef Marcela's upcoming Fresh Mexico cookbook this week: Roasted Pork Loin with Pineapple Glaze. I thought the combination of pineapple with roasted pork sounded delicious. And it was, with the small exception of the brining of the pork.

For years I've heard foodies rave about the benefits of brining to turn typically dry meats like turkey and pork into moist dishes. Soaking a piece of meat in a salt and water solution for a day or two seemed like a small inconvenience compared to the promise of a succulent golden bird on the Thanksgiving table.

The last (and only) time I tried brining was on Christmas eve four years ago. I bought a special pot to hold the magic mixture I would be soaking my turkey in for 24 hours, infusing it with delicious flavors. The bird came out of the oven with a beautiful golden crust, but its beauty was definitely only skin deep. The meat was so salty that we literally couldn't eat it.

We didn't risk another Christmas turkey with a brine soak, but when I saw this recipe for pork roast, I decided to give it a try. I soaked the pork roast in a mixture of warm water, brown sugar, salt and spices for 12 hours. The meat was moist, but very salty, not inedible, but still way too salty. The crust, caramelized onions, and sauce were absolutely delicious though. I'll definitely be doing this recipe again, just without the brine.

There are so many great recipes in Fresh Mexico that I can't wait to try like Mascarpone-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Raspberry Vinaigrette, Chipotle Cream Shrimp, and Ancho-Chocolate Braised Short Ribs. I love how approachable Marcela makes Mexican cooking, offering easy substitutions for hard to find ingredients like Mexican chocolate and jalapeno jelly.

Roast Pork with Pineapple Glaze (minus the brine part)
Ingredients
1 center cut boneless pork loin (3 to 4 pounds)
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 cup of dry white wine
1 cup pineapple juice
1 pound pearl onions, peeled

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.
2. Mix the garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme in a small bowl. Spread this mixture over the side of the roast that is not covered in fat.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add the pork, fat side down, and sear until browned (about 4 minutes). Carefully flip the pork over and sear the mixture covered side for another 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the pork to a rectangular baking dish that leaves an inch around all sides of the pork.
   
5. Add the wine to the saute pan you just used to brown the pork. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove the browned bits, for 1 minute, until almost evaporated. Stir in the pineapple juice and remove from the heat.
   
6. Pour the mixture over the pork and arrange the pearl onions around it.
7. Roast the pork, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes until a thermometer inserted into the middle registers 150 degrees Farenheit, about one hour and forty minutes.
8. Let pork stand for about 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute. Then cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices and serve topped with sauce and pearl onions.