Recipe: Alexandra's salamoia / brine
We love pork & we love Hamlet Pork the best!
Inspired by the local Italian culture in Waroona & the difficulty in sourcing tasty pork locally, Luke & Catherine extensively researched different breeds of pigs and found a farmer in Western Australia that bred Berkshires.
Berkshire pigs are a heritage breed which have not been genetically modified through years of commercial breeding.
The flavour of the pork is not compromised to produce larger litters & leaner meat.
Berkshire pork is also known as the “Wagu” of the pork world due to the marbling in the meat which produces a much richer sweeter buttery flavour.
The simple salamoia recipe below is used in our kitchen to brine the pork before cooking. Because the pork neck is quite a tough piece of meat, this process helps to relax the proteins, making the final product juicy & full of flavour.
SALAMOIA
INGREDIENTS:
Sugar 500g
Rock salt 500g
Star anise 6each
Cinnamon quills 2each
Juniper berries 20g
Cardamom 6each
White peppercorns 8g
Fennel seeds 12g
Coriander seeds 8g
Bay leaf 3each
Water 1.5L
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METHOD:
Place all the ingredients in a large pot, cover with water & bring to the boil. Stir occasionally to ensure the sugar & salt has dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat & leave for 15 minutes to infuse & cool slightly. Truss the pork neck (optional) and place in a large vessel, pour over the salamoia so the pork neck is completely submerged. Let this sit for 24 hours or overnight.
