Personal Chef Deborah Lee Walker stopped by the DelmarvaLife Kitchen to make dinner and dessert. She showed Jimmy and Lisa the in’s and out’s of brining pork, how to season it and how to cook it. Then for dessert, Walker played on “National Blueberry Pie Day” with a family-friendly twist, blueberry cupcakes with a surprise.
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Here are the recipes:
Grilled Pork Loin
Pork Loin Brine Recipe
5 – 6 pound pork loin
10 cups cold water
3/8 cups kosher salt
4 bay leaves
1 handful of peppercorns
6 sprigs rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped garlic in a jar
1 jumbo 2.5 gallon Ziploc bag
Here’s how to make it:
1. Combine the water and salt in a medium pan and bring to a boil. Stir until the salt has dissolved.
2. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, and chopped garlic. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.
3. Place pork loin in Ziploc bag. Carefully pour the brine solution in the Ziploc bag and seal. Make sure the meat is completely covered with brine solution.
4. Set the Ziploc bag in a roasting pan and refrigerate for 2 days. Turn the Ziploc bag every 12 hours to ensure even brining.
Pork Loin Recipe
1/3 cup canola oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dried crushed rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
kosher salt to taste
generous portion of black pepper to encrust the pork loin
good quality olive oil for drizzling
Here’s how to make it:
1. Fill the grill with a generous amount of charcoal. Light coals and allow them to get very hot. When they start to turn white, you know they are ready.
2. Remove pork loin from brine solution and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place meat on a sheet pan.
3. Mix canola oil, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, and oregano in a medium bowl until fully incorporated.
4. Brush Dijon mixture over the entire surface of the meat. Sprinkle salt to taste over the surface of the meat. Finish with a very heavy coating of black pepper.
5. Place meat on the grill. Lightly drizzle with canola oil, flames will start to flair up aggressively. Allow the meat to get a good sear, then flip it so the other side gets a crust. Repeat this process one more time. At this point, the entire surface of the pork loin should be charred. Place the lid on the grill and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the lid and flip the meat. Cover and cook for another 4 minutes.
6. Remove meat and place on cooling rack with a sheet pan underneath. Drizzle olive on both sides of the pork loin. This helps to cool down the meat and adds to the flavor of the dish.
7. Allow meat to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Using an electric knife, slice the meat very thinly. Drizzle the olive oil that has accumulated in the sheet pan over the pork loin. Serve immediately.
Blueberry Cupcakes with a Surprise
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/3 cup blueberry fruit spread
16 ounces favorite vanilla icing
piping bag with decorative tip
light blue sprinkles as a garnish
plastic baby spoons to accompany dish
Here’s how to make it:
1. Carefully combine blueberries with blueberry fruit spread.
2. Spoon blueberry mixture into doubled baking cups.
3. Using a piping bag, pipe the icing on each individual cupcake. Remember you are not only a chef but an artist.
4. Dazzle blueberry cupcakes with light blue sprinkles.
5. Serve with baby spoon.
