Lesson Learned!

I consider myself a fair cook--i'm not out for perfection -- and I don't really do any non baking recipe to the letter, but I do have a tendency to skip steps that I've always thought were just a little involved. For instance, I occasionally do a roast but have I ever seared the meat before I throw it in the oven?

Nope. Never did. I would marinate and mascerate and rub oil and spices and let it sit overnight...but I never did the browning phase -- probably because my mother never did and her roasts were always tasty.

Well...I am a convert, my friends. I have seen the browning light.

I made a very simple pork roast tonight -- I had been considering trying the Bolognese method of braising in milk -- I even bought whole milk to do it but ultimately, I was involved today doing other things and I just didn't feel like learning something so new tonight. Plus...I didn't want to wait 1.5 hours for something -- I thought maybe let's save that for a nice long Sunday. Sooo...i rubbed her with olive oil and salt and thyme and a little pepper...and let her sit for a bit and then the idea came to me...let's give the ol' browning method a try.

First of all...it was pretty. I'm not sure I"ve ever had such success with a pretty roast. Secondly...it was so much juicier than I ever think I've been able to achieve. I let it sit about 15 minutes before I cut into it (i always do this step) and it was perfectly done, buttery and just the tiniest bit pink. Just the Tiniest bit!!

I feel accomplished. I feel like I figured out another "cooking 101" lesson, one I probably should have learned years ago! And you know...roasts are so easy -- as long as you have an instant read thermometer, a fairly reliable oven and don't lose track of time -- they're hard to screw up too badly. But this...was really the finest pork roast I've ever made.

And the crusted outside--really is better.

Never going back!

Shannon

Can't wait to hear your reaction when you discover brining It can do wonders for a pork roast.
Jamie

Which raises the interesting question (well, okay, interesting to me, anyway): can you brine something as small as a pork tenderloin? My experiences with that cut, which I love, are that you have to be very careful or you end up with dry meat. I've never brined but hey, even an old dog can learn new tricks...(I think)

Gypsy Boy wrote:Which raises the interesting question (well, okay, interesting to me, anyway): can you brine something as small as a pork tenderloin? My experiences with that cut, which I love, are that you have to be very careful or you end up with dry meat. I've never brined but hey, even an old dog can learn new tricks...(I think)

Sure can. I brine tenderloins, pork chops, chicken breasts.

Although lately I've been buying natural pork tenderloins from Lincolnwood Produce and cooking them without a brine. I sear it in a pan and pop it in the oven until the internal temp reads 135, then it rests under foil for 10 minutes. In the pan I make a mustard-based pan sauce. The tenderloin isn't dry at all and it goes well with some brussels sprouts for a quick, lean, weeknight dinner.

Best,
Michael

Searing meat produces the slightly mysterious and greatly misunderstood Maillard Effect and is key for depth of flavor. Google it and you'll learn more than you want to know! I don't seem to be able to summarize very well right now.

-ramon

Every year around TGiving I think about doing the brine thing. But inevitably i never have a container big enough or I don't have enough time or I'm lazy.

So many things come down to "i'm lazy".

Anyhow...this was not a big pork roast and it was boneless --- but man oh man was it juicy and good. I didn't even rub it with much. I'm pretty peeved at myself because i was going to bring it into work for lunch and completely forgot it. Next time I do a sirloin tip I'm definitely doing the searing process.

Did I also mention I made the garlickly cheddary goodness that are au gratin potatoes too? Mmmm.....I'm having a good dinner tonight!

HI,

Once you have the container for brining the turkey, then the next element is simply starting early enough. To mix the brine is just minutes, though the advantages are: improved flavor, great texture and very forgiving in the cooking process. For your friends and family who never had a brined bird, they will tell you it is the best turkey they ever had.

It's a winning situation for just a few minutes effort.

Regards,

earthlydesire wrote:Every year around TGiving I think about doing the brine thing. But inevitably i never have a container big enough

depending the size of the bird....
I buy 12 lbs birds and use a 5 gal bucket from Home Depot (when it's cold enough outside to keep the bird under 40˚
When it's warmer I use a large cooler and a bunch of "blue ice" to keep the low temp going.

mhill95149 wrote:

earthlydesire wrote:Every year around TGiving I think about doing the brine thing. But inevitably i never have a container big enough

depending the size of the bird....
I buy 12 lbs birds and use a 5 gal bucket from Home Depot (when it's cold enough outside to keep the bird under 40˚
When it's warmer I use a large cooler and a bunch of "blue ice" to keep the low temp going.

The bucket from Home Depot may not be food safe. I have two food safe plastic 5-gallon containers from gp60004 who owns Weiner and Still Champion in Evanston. I have also received the same containers free from my local Burger King. You ask a few days in advance, then you get it when they run out of pickles.

If you use the Home Depot Bucket, then use a liner like a turkey roasting bag or something like it.

Regards,

Cathy,

When you suggested that you could get 5-gallon buckets from a fast food restaurant around Thanksgiving, I called all around looking for one, in vain. None of the restaurants (BK included) got them any more.

Luckily, I explained my plight to the grocer on the phone when calling to reserve my turkey, and she found one at the deli counter, so this is another option.

HI,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Like everything else it sometimes takes some persistence. When I first started asking for them some years ago, I got the 'weird customer of the day' look. At one place they attempted to give me the wash bucket, which at one time had been a food safe container.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

Thanks for sharing your experience. Like everything else it sometimes takes some persistence. When I first started asking for them some years ago, I got the 'weird customer of the day' look. At one place they attempted to give me the wash bucket, which at one time had been a food safe container.

Regards,

The buckets are also available at any Homebrew store. However, they will expect you to pay for them.

Flip

earthlydesire wrote:Every year around TGiving I think about doing the brine thing. But inevitably i never have a container big enough or I don't have enough time or I'm lazy.

It's been said before, but if you're chronically lazy (or underprepared), buy kosher meat. The preparation process has an equivalent effect to brining.

Not that you'll be able to find koshered pork tenderloin, I suppose, but since you mentioned Thanksgiving, I'm assuming you meant brining in general.

Not only hard to find, but when they turn up I think the kosher pork tenderloins are usually way overpriced. Lobsters too.