Paleo Brine

The term 'paleo' in the title is meant to indicate cooking practices of early humans and, also likely, our pre-human precursors. Early cooks discovered the benefits of 'brining' their food before cooking it, better flavor and moistness. The simplest marinade is sea water. The term 'marine' can be seen as the origin of the word 'marinade'. This recipe approximates the salinity of seawater, namely 3.5% or 35 grams per 1000 milliliters. This may be prepared using a digital kitchen scale or by volume measure by standardizing on a particular salt product.

35 g or 1/4 c Diamond Crystal™ Kosher salt 

1000 g or 1 qt water

Dissolve the salt in the water in a large bowl with stirring. Soak the food item for 10 minutes to several hours depending on thickness and texture. Drain and pat dry if frying will be used. Only use pepper to season.

Roast Pork Sirloin

Roast Pork Sirloin

Prepared February 22, 2012. A local market offered this cut at a very good price, and so Laura and DrDaddy developed this cooking method.

1 2-1/2 to 3 lb boneless pork sirloin roast (in a net bag)

Brine
1 qt cold water
1/4 c kosher salt
1/4 c brown sugar
10 peppercorns
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, crushed
2 bay leaves
3/4 t granulated garlic, divided
3 t fresh or dry thyme, divided

2 t chili powder
vegetable oil

In a large bowl dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Stir in the seasonings, using 2 t of thyme and 1/2 t garlic. Rinse the roast, and place it in the brine. Refrigerate 3 hours, turning occasionally. Remove, discard marinade, drain roast, and dry it well with paper towels. Coat all sides with oil, and sprinkle on 1 t of thyme, 1/4 t of garlic, and the chili powder. Rub it all over the roast. Place in a V-rack in a shallow, dark roasting pan. Roast at 325 degrees F (163 C) uncovered for about 80 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil, let it rest 15 minutes. Cut away the net bag, and slice thinly across the grain. Leftovers make excellent sandwiches.

Simple Brine

1 qt cold water
1/4 c kosher salt
1/4 c sugar

Soak meat (up to 2 lbs of fish, shellfish, pork, or chicken) for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours for thicker pieces) in the fridge. Drain and hold in a strainer under ice until ready to cook. For an example of use, see (Another) Seafood Stew.