Marinades, Rubs, Brines and Glazes

Pork is the number one meat in the world because of its versatility. Experiment with a variety of marinades, rubs, brines and glazes to pair with your favorite pork cuts.

Marinades

Created from a mixture of spices, oil and an acid component like fruit juice, marinades are another way to enhance the flavor in pork. Marinate cuts in a self-sealing plastic bag or covered container in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so flavors can be absorbed. Discard remaining marinade before you prepare the meat.

Adobo Marinade

In self-sealing plastic bag, combine 1 cup orange juice, 4 tablespoons lime juice, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 seeded and chopped chipotle peppers (rehydrate if dried), 2 teaspoons oregano and 1 teaspoon crushed cumin seed. Add pork to bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Five-Spice Marinade

In self-sealing plastic bag, combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup dry sherry, 1/2 cup minced onion, 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root, 2 teaspoons five-spice powder and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add pork to bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Honey-Garlic Marinade

In self-sealing plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dry sherry and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Add pork to bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Island Marinade

In self-sealing plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 4 tablespoons lime juice, 3 cloves crushed garlic, 2 teaspoons dried thyme and 1 tablespoon honey. Add pork to bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.
 
 

Rubs

Savory mixtures of herbs and spices rubbed right onto the surface of the meat, rubs combine with the juices drawn from the meat to work like a dry marinade.

Caribbean Jerk Rub

In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together 2 tablespoons dried minced onion, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 4 teaspoons dry thyme leaves, crushed, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons black pepper and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Makes 1/2 cup.

Cajun Rub

In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together 2 tablespoons paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground white pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dry thyme leaves and 1 teaspoon oregano leaves. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Spicy Latin American Rub

In jar with tight-fitting lid, shake together 4 tablespoons each ground cumin and chili powder, 2 tablespoons ground coriander, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons ground black pepper. Makes about 1 cup.

Mediterranean Rub

Combine zest of 2 lemons, 1/3 cup thinly sliced garlic cloves, 1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves, 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, 1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon salt. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until garlic, herbs and lemon zest are chopped finely and ingredients are thoroughly combined. Store covered in the refrigerator. Makes about 1 cup.
 
 

Brines

Brining adds moisture to meat by immersing it in a salty liquid. Osmosis draws salt into the meat, which breaks down the protein cells, allowing more water to enter. The process results in a moister product when cooked.

Brining

The secret that chefs never tell you about. Brining is all the rage in professional kitchens and high-end cooking magazines. Most cooking experts agree that brined proteins are more flavorful and succulent versus non prepared proteins.

The results are particularly apparent when meat is cooked in the smoky heat of a covered barbecue, because the brine helps mask bitter components in smoke that can make foods taste unpleasantly acrid.

The difference between marinades and brines 

 
Marinades are usually made up of three components: acid, oil and herbs. The acid helps to partially denature the meat's proteins, opening up "tunnels" in the meat structure where flavor can seep in. But marinades mostly penetrate only the surface. Marinades work best on leaner proteins such as pork and poultry, because the muscle structure is not as dense as it is in steak. For denser meat, marinades work best when the meat is cut into smaller pieces so the marinade can penetrate a larger surface area. However, if marinades are left on too long, the acids can "cook" the surface, causing the meat to dry out. Some proteins, such as pork, can marinate for hours. Other less dense cuts of meat, such as chicken breast and most fish, only need to stay in a marinade for a short time.

Brining meat (that is, putting meat into a salt-water solution) adds moisture to the meat through osmosis. Osmosis happens when water flows from a lower concentration of a solution to a higher concentration through a semi-permeable membrane. In meat, this membrane is the plasma membrane that surrounds the individual cells. When meat is placed in brine, the meat's cell fluids are less concentrated than the salt water in the brining solution. Water flows out of the cells in the meat and salt flows in. The salt then dissolves some of the fiber proteins, and the meat's cell fluids become more concentrated, thus drawing water back in. Brining adds salt and water to the cells so that when the meat is cooked and water is squeezed out, there is still water left in the cells because water was added before cooking.

It's very easy and economical, and requires no special cookware. Brining is like a marinade as it keeps food moist and tender. Brining or salting is a way to increase meats moisture holding capacity – resulting in a moister product when cooked. One of the great things about brining is that there are so few rules. Most brines start with water and salt – traditionally, 3/4 pound of salt per gallon of water, but since we’re not concerned with the brine as a preservative, you can cut back on the salt.

Kosher salt and table salt (without iodine) are the most common salts used in brining. Sea salt can be used, but it tends to be quite expensive. Most chefs usually use Kosher salt. A cup of table salt and a cup of Kosher salt are not equal. Table salt weighs approximately 10 ounces per cup and Kosher salt weighs approximately 5 to 8 ounces per cup depending on the brand. If using Kosher salt in brine, you must use more than a cup to achieve the same "saltiness" you would get from a cup of table salt.

The information below shows how to substitute the two most popular brands of Kosher salt for ordinary table salt.

Table Salt (without iodine) - 1 cup
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt - 2 cups
Morton Kosher Salt - 1 1/2 cups

But beyond that, you can add flavor in all sorts of forms such as herbs and spices. Use brown sugar, honey or molasses in place of the sugar (some sweetness tends to offset a saltiness the brine might otherwise impart). You can use apple juice, cider, orange juice, beer, wine, rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, stock, tea, or other liquids to supplement a small amount of the water. You can also put together decidedly Eastern flavorings with soy sauce or the Japanese rice wine mirin.

The amount of brining time is likewise not set in stone. Even a little brining is better than none.

How Long To Flavor Brine

It is possible to end up with meat that's too salty for your taste. To avoid this, brine on the low end of the time range on your first attempt. You can always brine longer next time, but there's no way to salvage a piece of meat that's been brined too long.

Pork Chops (1-inch to 1 1/2-inch thick)......40 minutes to 1 hour
Whole Pork Loin........................................................2 to 4 hours
Whole Pork Tenderloin…………………………………40 minutes to 1 hour

A Simple Brine

3/4 cup coarse kosher salt, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup boiling water, 1 gallon cold water, 1 tablespoon pepper

A heavy-duty plastic tub, stainless-steel bowl, or re-sealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the pork is fully submerged. Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.

To determine how much brine you'll need, place the meat you'll be brining in your chosen container and add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.

Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water, then add pepper and stir to combine. Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding pork. Place your pork in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.

Experiment with seasonings. Salt is essential, but everything else is optional. Consider garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, juniper berries, clove, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, mustard seed, coriander seed, star anise, hot pepper flakes or Sichuan peppercorns. To give pork a sweet edge and encourage browning, add 1/2 cup sugar to each 2 quarts of water.

Rinse pork twice after removing it from the brine solution, discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook pork according to your favorite recipe. Do not overcook your brined pork. Once brined, the pork cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat
 
 

Glazes

Glazes are added to meat during the last few minutes of cooking. Glazes can be a sweet or savory mixture of ingredients from jams and honeys to mustards and flavored vinegars.

Ginger-Apricot Glaze

In small bowl, stir together 1 cup apricot jam, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root. Brush onto pork during last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Two-Mustard Honey Glaze

In small bowl, stir together 1 cup honey, 1/2 cup each Dijon-style and stone-ground mustard, and salt and black pepper, to taste. Brush onto pork during last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

Maple-Vinegar Glaze

In small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup maple syrup with 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon each crushed juniper berries and ground black pepper. Brush onto pork during last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 3/4 cup.

Marmalade-Horseradish Glaze

In small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup orange marmalade, 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and 2 tablespoons grated horseradish. Brush onto pork during last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes about 1 cup.