Ingredients
Scale
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
Directions
- The Flavorful Brine
- Place your large pot on the stove and pour in the gallon of water. Crank up the heat to medium-high and bring the water to a gentle simmer.
- Once your water is simmering, add the kosher salt and brown sugar. Stir them in until they play nice and dissolve into the water like they've known each other forever.
- Toss in the smashed garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, dried thyme, rosemary, and sage. This is where the flavor magic begins to happen. Stir it all together and let the pot simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let your brine cool to room temperature. We're talkin' chill vibes here – you don't want to shock your pork with a boiling bath!
- The Pork & Brine Connection
- Find that large container with a lid, big enough to accommodate your pork shoulder and the brine. Place the pork inside the container and pour the cooled brine over it. The pork should be fully submerged, like it's taking a cozy dip.
- Put the lid on your container and gently place it in the fridge. Now comes the patience part – let your pork soak in all that flavorful goodness for 12-24 hours. It's like a flavor fiesta while it chills!