Grilled Brined Pork Loin with Blueberry-Blue Cheese Salad and Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes

recipes courtesy Martha Stewart , Cooking Light and Family Circle

Grilled Brined Pork Loin

4 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

4 cups ice

1 bay leaf

1 small bunch thyme

1/2 orange, zest removed in strips and fruit reserved for garnish

12 whole peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper

1 boneless pork loin (2 pounds)

Coarse grain mustard, for serving

Prep: Bring water, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a large pot, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat. Add ice, bay leaf, thyme, orange zest, and peppercorns, and let cool completely. Place pork in a nonreactive dish, and completely cover with brine. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 8 hours. Remove pork from brine, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.

Grill: Heat grill to medium. Grill pork, covered with vent open, turning every 6 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees, about 32 minutes. (Pork will continue to cook to proper doneness as it rests.) Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let rest 15 minutes. Slice pork, and squeeze orange over slices. Serve with mustard. Serves 4.

Blueberry-Blue Cheese Salad

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon blueberry preserves

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons snipped chives

5 ounces (10 cups) baby spinach

12 ounces (approximately 2 cups) blueberries

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, blueberry preserves, mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined. Mix in chives. Set aside.

Toss together spinach, blueberries, walnuts and blue cheese. Mix in dressing, or serve it on the side. Serves 6.

Maple Bacon Sweet Potatoes

4 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon softened butter

2 tablespoons fat-free milk 

4 teaspoons maple syrup

1 1/4 ounces cooked and crumbled bacon (about 3 slices)

Pierce each potato with a fork 3 to 4 times on each side. Wrap each potato in a damp paper towel. Microwave at HIGH 8 minutes, turning after 4 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; scoop pulp into a bowl. Mash pulp.

Stir butter, milk, and syrup into potato pulp. Top with bacon. Serves 4.

Bourbon-Sauced Pork Chops

recipe courtesy Better Homes and Gardens

Bourbon-Sauced Pork Chops

1/3 cup bourbon or apple juice

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cold water

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

(4) 1 1/4-inch thick pork chops

Hot cooked broccolini or mashed potatoes (optional)

For sauce, in a small saucepan combine bourbon, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir together the water and cornstarch. Stir into bourbon mixture. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 2 minutes more.

For a gas or charcoal grill, grill chops on the rack of a covered grill directly over medium heat for 14 to 16 minutes or until 145 degrees F when tested with an instant-read thermometer or pink just in the center, turning once halfway through grilling. Brush occasionally with the sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling time. If desired, serve chops with broccolini or mashed potatoes drizzled with any unused sauce.

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa

recipe courtesy Cooking Light

Spiced Chops with Mango-Mint Salsa:

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed 

Cooking spray

1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled mango 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Combine mango, mint, lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, and red pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.


Combine chili powder, salt and allspice in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over pork.


Heat grill over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pork with cooking spray. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with mango salsa. Makes 4 servings.