Brined Pork Roast with Chestnut and Red Cabbage Sauté
Brining, soaking lean cuts of meat in a solution of water and salt, is a technique used to achieve moist, juicy meat. Our recipe replaces water with apple cider. Mustard, sugar, and molasses are added for flavour.
Ingredients
- 5 cups apple cider
- 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tbspn salt
- 2 tbspn prepared mustard
- 2 tbspn molasses or treacle
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1 x 2kg boneless pork loin roast
- 1 tbspn olive oil
Chestnut and Red Cabbage Sauté
- 2 tbspn butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms
- 2 cups coarsely chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup diced chestnuts
- 2 tspn sugar
- 1/2 tspn salt
- 1 tspn cider vinegar
Directions
1. Combine first 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Place pork in a large zip-top freezer bag; add cider mixture. Seal bag, and chill 24 hours.
2. Remove pork from brine, and pat dry with paper towels; discard brine. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook 6 minutes or until browned on all sides, turning meat occasionally. Place pork on a rack in a lightly greased shallow roasting pan.
3. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 150°. Remove from oven; cover and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Chestnut and Red Cabbage Sauté.
Chestnut and Red Cabbage Sauté
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes. Add cabbage and chestnuts; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Stir in vinegar.
