Maple Brined And Apple Smoked Pork Butt Food

MAPLE-BRINED AND APPLE-SMOKED PORK BUTT

Steps:

• Combine water, 2 cups maple syrup, and salt in a large pot; stir until brine is evenly combined, about 2 minutes. Add pork butt to brine; refrigerate for 2 hours 45 minutes.
• Soak wood chips in a bowl of warm water while pork is brining.
• Drain wood chips and place in the smoker. Place grill rack on top. Remove pork from brine and place on grill rack in smoker, discarding brine.
• Turn smoker temperature to 280 degrees F (138 degrees C). Combine apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup maple syrup in a clean spray bottle.
• Cook pork in the smoker, spraying every 45 minutes with vinegar spray, until internal temperature of pork reaches 195 degrees F (90 degrees C) to 200 degrees F (93 degrees C), about 12 hours. Transfer pork to a cutting board and slice or shred.

PULLED PORK BRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• ​For this pulled pork recipe, combine all of the brine ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Make sure that you stir well so that all of the spices get completely dissolved in the mixing bowl.
• Once the brine is complete, place the pork butt in a food-safe storage container and pour the brine inside.
• As for the refrigerator, once everything is sealed up tight and the pork is just about completely covered, refrigerate 12 to 18 hours.
• When it is time to cook the pork butt, remove it from the container. Dry the pork off using some kitchen paper towels. ​
• You can use the ingredients listed above to create a rub that pairs well with the brine used.
• Either way, always put a lightly coated "binder" on the pork so that the rub will have a better chance of sticking.
• Once you have the rub on, allow the pork butt to sit with it.
• Ideally, the pork should sit for about 20-30 minutes.
• While the pork sits, you can take the time to prepare your smoker, starting by preheating it to 225ºF.
• When the smoker is ready, place the pork butt inside and close the lid.
• At the beginning stages of the cooking process, it isn't too important to monitor the internal temperature of the pork.
• Since we're smoking the pork butt here, we're aiming for a cooking time anywhere from 9 to 12 hours long, so prepare yourself for keeping a watch on that smoker.
• Around the four hour mark or so, use a good thermometer to begin checking on that internal temperature.
• When the pork butt reaches an internal temperature of around 160ºF, wrap it up in aluminum foil.
• Keep an eye on that internal temperature.
• The optimal temperature for a well-finished pork butt is 195ºF. Sometimes, the pork can reach that around 9 hours or so.
• Once that target temperature has been met, remove the pork butt from the smoker.
• Be sure to let this rest for a good amount of time. It is ideal to rest for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
• When it's time, remove the pork butt from the aluminum foil.
• This liquid is packed full of flavor, so you will want to save it; it can be mixed into the meat later on.
• Take a fork and knife, a pulling claw, or your hands as long as they are properly protected with the right gloves.
• Regardless of what you use, as the internal temperature of the pork is 195ºF, it should shred with relative ease.
• If you plan to serve up the brined pulled pork pork immediately, then you can use that liquid you saved from the aluminum foil and mix it in with the meat, add some homemade barbecue sauce.

GRILLED APPLE BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of water, apple juice, pepper, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer making sure to stir occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add to a large bowl with 2 cups of ice.
• Once the brined has cooled add pork chops. Brine for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Remove pork from brine, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat grill or grill pan over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 side of the pork chops with 1/2 the grill seasoning. Place chops on hot oiled grill, seasoned side down. Sprinkle the topside with remaining grill seasoning. Grill chops for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

APPLE-MAPLE BRINED PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Stir water, cider,maple syrup and salt in large container or stockpot until the salt is dissolved. Add the pork to the brine mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, but no longer than 12.
• Heat coals of gas grill for direct heat. Remove pork from brine mixture and rinse thoroughly under cool running water; pat dry.
• Discard brine. Sprinkle pork with rosemary, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Cover and grill pork 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until pork has a slight blush of pink in center and reads 160°F on a meat thermometer.

MAPLE SYRUP AND APPLE CIDER BRINE FOR PORK RECIPE

Steps:

• Stir the hot water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. Add the apple cider, maple syrup, and peppercorns. Cool to below 45 F. in the refrigerator.
• Trim any excess external fat from the meat. Submerge the pork in the brine in a large bowl or small crock; make sure the meat stays under the surface during curing by using a heavy plate to weight it down. Refrigerate the pork in the cure.
• The chops should take 4 to 6 hours in the brine; the tenderloin, 6 to 8 hours; and the loin, 1 to 2 days. (Bone-in pork can take a day longer in the brine because of the bone, which gives it a larger diameter.) If marinating for a day or longer, stir the brine daily and turn the pork occasionally. Recipe Source: by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly (Houghton Mifflin) Reprinted with permission.