Maple Brined Pork Loin With Sauteed Apples Recipe

"The brine adds moisture and flavor to the pork loin which on it's own can be dry. The loin here is grilled outdoors, but browning over the stove-top and finishing in the oven till turn out well and pairs naturally with the sauteed apples. The brine time of 4 hours has been added to this recipe, but if deciding to brine longer, the sitting around in the fridge has not been added to the total prep. time."

Step by Step Method

To make the Brine

Step 1

Combine all of the ingredients for the brine, except the ground black pepper, in a large non-corrosive bowl. Stir with a wire whisk until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Place the pork in the brine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight.

To Grill the Pork Loin, (also refer to Note II for option of cooking indoors)

Step 2

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Remove the pork loin from the brine and discard the brining liquid.

Step 3

Use absorbent paper towels to pat the loin dry. Season the pork with fresh ground black pepper. Grill the loin over direct heat with the cover closed until an instant-read thermometer reads 140 to 145-degrees F in the center of the loin - about 15 minutes per side.

Step 4

Remove the pork loin from the grill and allow to rest at room temperature while sauteeing the apples.

To saute the Apples

Step 5

Heat butter and maple syrup in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add sliced apple sand stir to coat with the maple and butter mixture. Allow the apples to cook, stirring frequently, until tender - about 8 minutes. Place the sauteed apples in the center of each of each plate.

Step 6

Using a sharp knife, slice the pork into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the pork on top of the apples,garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme and serve immediately.

Note I: Avoid using artificial maple syrup for this recipe. The 100% pure maple syrup renders the best flavor.

Note II: If grilling outdoors is not an option, I'd personally would brown the pork over a skillet or a stove-top grill pan and finish it in the oven (with an oven thermometer inserted into the center of the loin) until it reaches desired temperature.

Tips

No special items needed.

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JostLori

Wowzers! We normally don't eat much pork loin because it's so lean and tends to dry out. What a difference brining makes! And this brine was superb - so flavorful. The pork was super tender and flavorful. And those apples - so delicious. Together they were amazing. We chose not to grill, so I seared it in a cast iron grill pan and finished it in the oven. This is going into my Best of 2021 - thanks for sharing!