# Brine/Cure Check Smoked Pork Loin



## kickingwing (Jan 22, 2015)

This is the first time that I'm doing a cure for smoked pork chops so I'm a little nervous and want to double check my brine/cure recipe.  My bone-in center cut pork loin roast is 5.08lbs.  Can one of the helpful experts on here please validate I did it correctly?  I put the pork loin in the brine on Monday and per very helpful advice here, injected brine into the center of the roast and around the bone this morning.  The roast is 4" in diameter.  Here goes:

One quart + two cups of water (6 cups total water)

1.5 teaspoons #1 cure

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Sprinkled garlic powder all over the roast, figure about a teaspoon or two.  Then poured the brine/cure over top of the roast which is in a tupper ware like bowl covered in the fridge.  Been turning it twice daily because there's a very tiny spot on the top (or bottom depending on position) that isn't in the brine so I wanted to be sure everything got good and cured.  I plan to leave it in 10 days.

From all that I've read here, which has been a huge help, I'm doing everything correctly but would just like validation.  I would

hate to have the roast sitting in too much #1 cure or soaking up too much.

Please advise...


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## foamheart (Jan 22, 2015)

Just a thought here. Instead of needing to turn it daily, can you not fill a ziploc bag with water and lay on top of it forcing it down that little bit? I am just lazy. Maybe put the whole loin in a ziploc and seal after forcing all the air out.

Just a couple a ideas.


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## kickingwing (Jan 22, 2015)

FH,

Appreciate reply.  I'm being lazy as well, don't want to dirty another bowl.  Its a very tight fit in the container I have, ie only needing 1 quart + 2 cups brine. If I fill it with anything else I won't be able to get the lid shut.  I am definitely updating my food safe container supply with varying sizes if all goes good here.  Thoughts on the brine?


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

Where did you get your wet cure recipe from if you don't mind me asking?


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## kickingwing (Jan 22, 2015)

Not on the back of the #1 cure jar, that's for sure.  I've always brined fish with a 1/4 cup salt to quart of water before I hot smoked it.  Last summer I started brining pork chops with the same but added white sugar before I grilled them.  When I started this "smoked pork chop adventure" some where on the net I found that 1tsp pink salt should cure 5lbs of meat and that it should be mixed with a quart of water.  Not sure where that was.  Then I came across Pops recipe, which is what I'm using x 4 basically, his with heaping tablespoon pink salt and brown sugar, mine with teaspoon:quart with the pink curing salt and brown sugar.  Why?  Did I mix something wrong?


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## timberjet (Jan 22, 2015)

No, I think you are just fine with that. I just wondered because it was so close to Pop's recipe. 1 tsp per 5 pound rule applies to ground meat though. Like sausage, summer sausage, etc..... There is a different formula for liquid cures. Pops brine is great though and as long as you are using it to the t on salts then you are fine.


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## kickingwing (Jan 22, 2015)

Thanks for the verification Timber. The #1 cure amount had/has me the most worried. I don't want to get anyone sick but my plan is to hot smoke at 225 until chops/loin hits 145 so it's more of a salt toxin thing than a bacteria thing in this case. But I am doing bacon next and I want to get it all perfect.

The brine being pretty much exactly like Pops didn't go over my head. Get this: 35 years ago my mom used to marinade flank steak in 4oz soy sauce, 4oz water, 1 tbls of brown sugar and some minced garlic.  Multiple that x4 and you get 1/4cup:quart again. Sounds like a pretty good ratio to stick with.

Thanks again for the help.


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## foamheart (Jan 22, 2015)

SmokeyMaple said:


> FH,
> 
> Appreciate reply.  I'm being lazy as well, don't want to dirty another bowl.  Its a very tight fit in the container I have, ie only needing 1 quart + 2 cups brine. If I fill it with anything else I won't be able to get the lid shut.  I am definitely updating my food safe container supply with varying sizes if all goes good here.  Thoughts on the brine?


You look right enough. Its a wet or brine cure.  When you add the proper amount of cure to the brine, it then becomes a flavored cure. Wet cure? Brine cure?

A brine only requires salt or sugar (they are the dehydrators), and a liquid or transfer medium. Then you add all the flavors you want to transfer.

I am sure someone like Pops or Dave could enlighten you must better.


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