Favorite Brine For Lamb/cider Maple

Total Time: 6 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 7 cups hot water
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns

Recipe

• 1 stir the hot water and salt together until the salt is dissolved. add the apple cider, syrup, sugar and pepper. cool to below 45 degrees f. in the refrigerator.
• 2 trim any excess external fat from the meat. submerge the lamb in the brine in a large bowl or small crock; make sure the meat stays under the surface during curing by using a heavy plate to weight it down. refrigerate the lamb in the cure. the chops should take 4-6 hours in the brine; the tenderloin, 6-8 hours; and the loin, 1-2 days. (bone-in lamb can take a day longer in the brine because of the bone, which gives it a larger diameter.) if marinating for a day or longer, stir the brine daily and turn the lamb occasionally.
• 3 to test flavor of brined lamb, cut a small piece off the meat, pat it dry and pan-fry it. if the meat is sufficiently flavorful, remove it from the brine, let it come to room temperature and grill. if not, leave it in the brine and test again later.
• 4 i usually do a 4-6 lb lamb loin and marinate 24 hours. i have cooked in oven, indirect heat on grill and rotisserie. they have all turned out fabulous! this makes a very moist piece of meat when brined this way.