Pork Tenderloin in an Apple Maple Brine

I am still enjoying new pork tenderloin recipes and try to make a new one every couple of weeks. Most of the ones I have tried have some type of spice rub or sauce to go on top of the tenderloin, but this recipe is different. This is the first recipe that I've tried that uses a brine as a way to flavor the pork. I was interested in how the pork would taste and if the flavors would be present from the brine after cooking. The results of this process was very simple, subtle flavors that did not over power the pork, but let the pork stand out on its own. I thought I would get more of an apple flavor due to the brine, but I didn't seem to taste those flavors as much. I will confess that at some point during the day, my bag that was holding the brine got a hole in it and the brine leaked out into the bowl that it was sitting in. I think the pork was still submerged for the most part. Overall, it was still a great pork tenderloin... sometimes the simpler, the better. Come back tomorrow to see what I served with the tenderloin!

Pork Tenderloin in an Apple Maple Brine

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3 1/2 cups hot water

1/4 cup kosher salt

1 cup apple juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns

Stir together the hot water and salt until the salt is dissolved. Add the apple juice, maple syrup, sugar and
black pepper. Pour brine into a large zip lock bag and seal. Place bag into a large bowl of ice water to cool down.

Trim any excess fat from the meat and remove the silver skin carefully. Once the brine is cool, submerge the pork in the brine, making sure the meat stays under the surface during curing. Place the bag containing the marinade and pork into a bowl in order to prevent any leaks. Refrigerate the pork in the brine for six to eight hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large ovenproof skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high heat. Remove pork from brine and rinse then pat dry. Season with freshly cracked pepper. Add pork to the skillet, cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Place pan in the oven, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until meat thermometer reads between 155 and 160 degrees or until desired doneness. Let stand five minutes before slicing.

Source: For the Love of Cooking, originally from RecipeZaar