Green Pekoe Adirondack Brined Pork Loins

Serving Size: 6 

You will need:

2 quarts cold water 
2/3 cup sea salt 
½ cup maple syrup (real and local if possible, please) 
2 cups apple cider real and local if possible please) 
1 tablespoon peppercorns 
2 tablespoons Green Pekoe tea
4-6 pound pork loin, or 4 1lb pork tenderloins, or 6 center cut pork chops cut 1 ¼” – 1 ½” thick 
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Paprika

Directions 

1) Trim any excess external fat from the meat. 
2) Bring water, cider, salt, syrup & peppercorns to just below a boil. (Steam should be slow and lazy) Make sure salt is dissolved. 
3) Remove from heat and add tea. Cool solution, uncovered, to room temp. 
4) Submerge pork loin in the brine in a large glass bowl or small crock. Weigh the meat down by placing an object (like a heavy plate) on top so that the meat remains submerged in the solution. Refrigerate overnight if the loin, 6-8 hours if using tenderloins, 4-6 hours if using chops. Bone-in pork may take a day longer. 
5) Remove pork from solution & rinse &  pat dry. To test flavor of brined pork, 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, sprinkle with paprika and grill. If not, leave it in the brine and test again later. Discard solution. 
6) Staying inside? Brown pork on all sides in vegetable oil. Sprinkle all sides with paprika and place in a 350◦F oven for approximately 1 hour. Ovens vary, so check doneness by making a small cut in pork. No pink! Remove pork from oven & tent in foil for about 10 minutes.