Smokra’ Brined Pork
I love Rick’s Picks, especially their Smokra‘, a delightfully spicy, paprika spiked pickled okra. But what, pray tell, do you do with the wonderful brine leftover after you finish these addictive beauties? The other day I was faced with such a conundrum, I didn’t want to throw it out, but saving it, really? Well my answer was right on the jar: use as a meat marinate. Yum.
So, I stopped by Whole Foods and bought a thick cut pork chop ($6.30) from the meat counter and brought it home. There, I cut the piece of meat into six large chunks and plopped them into the jar. Nothing could have been easier. I let the pork sit for a couple days before I cooked it up in a frying pan. No oil, no spice, just some heat to cook the meat. After it browned in the juices on medium heat, I drained it and added some quartered Brussels sprouts. That’s it, an easy, no mess meal. When the meat was done, the spice of the brine shone through with a peppery tang. Because it had sat in the marinate for so long, the pork was super moist. Next time, I might try to put two pork chops in the jar and share, but I guess that means I need a new jar of Smokra’…oh darn.
