Brined pork roast

From The Flavour Principle by Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol (with adaptions)

Brine:

  • 16 cups water

  • 1 cup kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

  • 2 tsp peppercorns

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup orange juice

  • 2 cups chicken stock

  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Pork:

  • pork roast (any size as long as it sits submerged in the brine)

  • 1 tbsp chopped sage

  • 1 tbsp cracked fennel seeds

  • 1 tsp cracked coriander seeds

  • 1 tbsp cracked pepper

  • 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

  • 1 tsp grated orange zest

  • salt

  1. Place 4 cups of water in a large pot. Add salt, sugar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and rosemary and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add remaining 12 cups of water and cool completely. Add pork to brine and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.

  2. Remove pork from brine, rinse and pat dry. Refrigerate for 2 hours to dry off, then bring back to room temperature.

  3. Preheat oven to 450F. Place pork on a rack in a roasting pan. combine sage, fennel, coriander, pepper, ginger, orange zest and salt and rub all over pork. Roast for 15 min. Reduce heat to 325F and roast till a thermometer reads 150-170F. Let sit for 15 min while making sauce.

  4. Drain fat from roasting pan and add orange juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring up all the little bits from the bottom of the pan. Add stock and bring to a boil. stir in balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.

  5. Slice pork and serve with sauce.