Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 5-bone rack of pork, about 4-5 pounds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups apple cider
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Preparation
1. To prepare brine, pour water into medium saucepan and stir in salt and sugar. Bring to a boil. Place in refrigerator to cool. (Do not use until brine is completely cool. It will keep in the fridge up to two weeks.)
2. To prepare pork, add pork to large container and cover with brine. Marinate in fridge 45 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425F. Remove pork from brine, rinse off, and pat dry with paper towels. Season pork with salt and pepper, covering all sides. Place on rack in roasting pan, and roast on middle oven rack until pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 135F, about 50-60 minutes. (When you poke the meat hard with a finger, it should bounce back, like a little trampoline; if your finger sinks in, it isn’t done yet.)
4. Meanwhile, pour cider into medium-sized saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat about 45 minutes, until it becomes a loose, dark golden-brown syrup. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar. Pour into small bowl and place in fridge to cool. (It will thicken as it cools.)
5. To prepare spice rub, combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix well.
6. Remove pork from oven but do not turn oven off. Remove glaze from fridge. Using a pastry brush, paint pork with half the glaze. Place pork back in oven and roast 2 more minutes.
7. Sprinkle pork with spice rub on all sides. Cut rack into chops by cutting right down the middle between each set of bones. Arrange on platter and serve immediately.
CHEF'S TIP:
If there’s any leftover spice mix, combine with remaining glaze and pour in some of the drippings from the pork. Mix it all together, then spoon over the chops.