Entrée – Pork/lamb
Mid-Western Brined & Grilled Smoked Pork

This recipe was featured on "You're the Chef" episode #514. Buy this episode from WVIA.

Yield: six portions

Ingredients:

Brine
1 qt.	boiling water
1/4 c.	kosher salt
1 c.	maple syrup
1/4 c.	sugar
1/2 c.	Southern Comfort
4 each	bay leaves
5 each	allspice berries (or 1 tsp. ground allspice)
4 tsp.	vanilla extract
1 qt.	ice cubes
Pork
3 lb.	center-cut pork chops or boneless pork loin, cut into 6 pieces
as needed	wood grill smoking chips, soaked in water for at least 3 hours

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Brine procedure:
Bring the water to a boil in a 4-quart soup pot. Add the salt, syrup, sugar, liquor, bay leaves and allspice and boil until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the vanilla and the ice and stir until the cubes have melted and cooled the brine.

Pork procedure:
Trim the pork loin or chops by removing any heavy silver skin or gristle. Place the pork loins in a large plastic or stainless steel bowl. Pour the brine over the pork and allow the meat to soak for at least 24 hours, rotating the meat at least once.

Grill the pork over medium-high heat, adding wood chips just prior to the grilling process for the smoke flavor that you prefer. The pork should take about 15 minutes on each side, rotating once to make grill marks. After piercing, rotating and turning the meat over, look for clear juices that will run from the thickest part of the meat.

Allow the pork to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve the pork sliced thin with your favorite accompaniments.