Sheryl writes:

>I just saw the original post.
>I'm personally not fond of juniper and star anise, but if you like those
>flavors, the rest of the brine seems fine to me. I don't think I'd use the
>poultry seasoning with all those "sweet" spices, but that's just me. Spices
>are a very personal thing. If you like that mixture, go for it.
>
>The technique seems ok to me. Brining it would plump up the fibers a bit,
>might not be a bad idea after being in the freezer so long.
>
>Will you roast it after the brining, or are you planning to braise it? I
>think of shoulder as a braising cut, the loin, to me, is more tender and
>should be roasted.

I was hoping it would be ok to roast after brining. It is usually a very
tender and lean cut.

I love pulled pork bbq sandwiches, but I like to get a fatty cut like
shoulder then slow roast it for 4 or 5 hours before pulling it and adding it
to BBQ sauce. Pork loin may not work well for BBQ pork.

I considered braising and stewing, but there again what a waste of a pork loin
*laughs*. I was hoping a brine would work some magic. I recently discovered
juniper berries (gosh they are wonderful) and altho they can be strong I
thought 2-3 berries might just add a little something without overpowering the
brine- same thing with the star anise which I have a healthy respect for
because it's very strong so I only used 1 *petal* broken from the star. (
Yes, my pork is brining as I write).

I think I'm going to try this recipe as it should marry well with the sweet
spices I used in the brine:


*********Or just thaw, season well with salt, pepper, whatever herbs you
like (thyme and savory work nicely), then slice up a couple apples and a
couple onions, add a half cup of apple juice, set the roast on top of the
onions and apples, fat side up, and roast it at 375 for about 20 minutes per
pound.

When the meat is done, remove it to a platter with the onions and apples,
and make pan gravy, adding a little dry white wine to the drippings.
***********

Looks like potatoes are the way to go for a side dish. Potato Pancakes yum ooo
and braised red cabbage.


Thank you so much for the feedback!

*happy smile*

Barb