Apple Cider Brine
Ingredients
- 4 cups apple cider (or juice)
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & chopped
- ½ cup salt
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 lime
- ½ cup plum wine
- approx. ¼ cup whole star anise
- approx. ¼ cup whole allspice
- 1 tbsp peppercorn mix
How-to
- In a pan, bring 4 cups apple cider to a full boil
- Add ginger, salt, apple cider vinegar, lime juice 2 wedges of the lime
- Just before mixture comes to a boil, add ½ cup plum wine
- Use a mortar & pestle to break the outside of star anise, allspice and peppercorns and add to mixture
- Cook brine at a rolling boil for 1-2 minutes
- Remove from heat and transfer to another bowl to cool down (to cool down brine quickly, spoon in ice cubes. When the ice stops melting, brine is at room temperature)
- When brine is at room temperature, put meat in a freezer bag* and pour in brine until the meat is completely submerged. Squeeze out air and seal the bag
- Rotate bag occasionally over about 4 hours to distribute brine
Notes
- Brine will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days; strain before using
- *If meat is too large for a freezer bag, can use a cooler. Be sure meat is completely submerged