Brine... for Pulled Pork and Ribs.

Bagged and in a bowl, sucking up the goodness while in my fridge.

There are a ton of varieties of brines for smoking and slow roasting meat, whether it be pork, chicken, or whatever. Everyone has their own flavors that they want to generate, as do I. The difference is... I like to share. It's simple and flexible, depending on what you want to add. 

Just remember... try to avoid too much acid, as it can destroy the meat over the brining period. Also, whatever you put in will add its own flavor. Be sure you're comfortable with what you put in. Lastly - I recommend using Kosher salt, as it has no additives.

For the brine:
1 can of beer (your choice, I used Molsen Dry)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/2 cup Kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp Ed's Rub
2-3 bay leaves (depending on size)

Equipment recommended - vacuum sealer (makes it easiest to rotate meat in brine.)

If a sealer is used - create a bag big enough to hold the meat plus 4".  Other items you could use: a pot that can hold meat and brine, large freezer bags.

Mix the first six ingredients together until salt and sugar dissolve. Place meat in container of choice, pour brine over it, and add bay leaves. If meat is in a pot, keep it submerged by placing a small plate or two on it. 

(Also, you can add other herbs, such as fresh rosemary, summer savory, and sage, depending on your taste.)

Brine for at LEAST eight hours, although I recommend a full 24. Remove meat and pat lightly to remove excess brine.

Rub: Gonna need this in the future.

This is a rub I concocted through trial and error from other rubs. It can be adjusted to your taste. I will add that using freshly grated nutmeg does add a special flavor that sets it apart from other rubs. Use it on any meat and it's great for smoking foods! Enjoy!

Ed's Rub:

1/2 cup white sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp. sea salt
3 tbsp. garlic powder 
2 tbsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. chipotle pepper 
2 tbsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dried rosemary
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1 tbsp. allspice

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl - best done with a whisk. Can store up to 6 months in an airtight container.

Well, where do I start?

 

Me, on one of the best days of my life.

Okay, some of you may already know me from my personal life and social networking. Some may be meeting me for the first time, as it were. I'm Ed - and I have a few favorite things. Not in any particular order - cooking, making beer, and writing. That's just the ones that pertain to this site.

Over time, I, as many people do, posted pics of finished meals on things like Facebook. Sometimes it ended with me sending recipes to friends. Then it occurred to me - why not just create a one stop shop? Hence this blog. 

I'm not going to lie - not everything you find here is some masterpiece of originality. The recipes - some are original, others are my take on known recipes. The flavors are my own. A lot are influenced by where I grew up - the Jersey Shore. So, yes... there will be some Italian and Italian style foods. I also make my own rubs and love to barbeque and smoke meats. I'm going to share all of this with you here. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

I also brew my own beer. Not as often as I like, but when I have a good recipe (all of which I do dream up on my own,) I will share it. 

The pictures you'll see are, for the most part, spur of the moment iPhone pics of the finished product. You are in my kitchen and this is what you see. I'll do my best to make it most appealing.

My style of cooking is pretty natural, though for some things I have to resort to using prefab items (mostly seasoning mixes) in my ingredients list. I prefer using fresh produce and herbs, but not everything is available all the time where I live. I also strongly encourage getting all the cool toys for the kitchen - the more, the better.

Remember - living life well is more important than living it long. If you can do both, bonus. Eat up!