Brined Pork Loin with Roasted Pepper & Avocado Salsa

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Recipe by Chef Sarah Scott of the Robert Mondavi Winery.

Check out all of Linda's great Pork Recipes.

Roasted Pepper and Avocado Salsa (see recipe below)
2 to 4 petite pork tenderloins
1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse salt
1 cup boiling water
1 gallon cold water
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Pinch crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, chopped
6 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
6 fresh oregano sprigs, chopped
4 bay leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Prepare Roasted Pepper and Avocado Salsa; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Trim the tenderloin roasts of fat and silverskin.  Note: Silverskin is a silvery-white connective tissue. It doesn't dissolve when the tenderloin is cooked, so it needs to be trimmed away. If the silverskin is not trimmed off, it will cause the tenderloins to curl up into the shape of a quarter moon.

Check out my Guidelines for Brining Pork. A heavy-duty plastic tube, stainless-steel bowl, or resealable 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 to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.

Dissolve brown sugar and salt in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the coriander, peppercorns, and crushed red pepper. Cook until they begin to release their aromas, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the water mixture. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Mix well. Add the pork tenderloins, cover and refrigerate 6 to 12 hours.

To assemble, remove the pork roasts from the brine. 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, refrigerate until ready to use. Bring pork roast to room temperature before cooking. Rub olive oil over the entire roast before grilling.

Preheat barbecue grill. Place pork roasts onto hot grill; close the lid and grill for 7 minutes. Turn the pork over, close the lid, and grill for another 6 minutes. Turn off the heat (keep the lid closed) and continue to cook the pork for another 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into thickest part of the roast, temperature should read 145° to 150&degF (if not, close the lid and let the pork continue to roast). Once brined, the pork cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. The meat will remain pink from the brine.

Remove from grill and transfer onto a cutting board; let pork roasts stand 15 minutes before carving  (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven). Cut across the grain into ½-inch slices. Transfer onto a serving platter and serve with a generous spoonful of Roasted Pepper and Avocado Salsa.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.


Roasted Pepper and Avocado Salsa:
1 ripe, firm avocado, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
1 large yellow bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour over remaining ingredients and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. Remove from refrigerate ½ hour before using.