# Apple Marinade for Pork



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

This is a little something I whipped up in the summer of '92 when I was doing a lot of grilling and barbecuing.

*Apple Marinade for Pork* 
1 cup apple juice (I make my own; or try a good brand of organic, unfiltered) 
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground sage or a few sage leaves
2 Tbs brown sugar *OR* 2 Tbs light flavored honey (I prefer honey)
2 jalapenos (I sometimes use the seeds)
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Put the whole mess into a blender and blend away. Then marinate your tenderloin or pork chops overnight. Grill as you usuallly would; add some apple chips or wood to the fire if you can. Yummy!

scb


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Great looking recipe; very southern -- I really like the simplicity. Add a tbs of table salt and you've got yourself a state of the art little brine. 

Not to hijack your thread, but FWIW, Chris Lilly (if you know who he is) replaces about 1/3 of his apple juice with white grape juice when he does marinades and injections for pork. One of the few secrets he's held back. You'd probably really dig it. 

BDL


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I've never brined my meat, nor have I used injections. You're right about adding salt for brining, if that's the direction you want to go. Seems like a lot of people are going that way these days. Maybe I should try it some time. However, none of my mentors used those techniques, and their 'que was/is outstanding.

Yes, I know who Chris Lilly is ... he's got a good rep.

scb


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Speaking of mentors didn't we have a Willie Walker conversation? He was mine for 'q. (Not that he brined, that came after.)

BDL


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

Not that I recall.

I got a lot of inspiration for 'que starting in 1980 or so when I met Ollie Gates. Before that, Bobby Seale got me interested in making 'que. He was big on deep marinades using somewhat complex recipes (Hickory Lemon-Orange-Sherry Country-Style Ribs) using lots of vegetables, spices, and herbs.

Some years later I made a BBQ tour of the US, hit 18 states, and visited some greats and some unknowns, and got quite an education. 

In the Bay Area, Do-City on Divisidaro in SF was a nice place to hang out, and I love KC BBQ in San Pablo in Berkeley. They're related in some way to Ollie Gates, and KC is the only place I know around here where you can get a short end.

scb


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

I knew Bobby, too. I first met him in the late sixties during the height of "the movement," then later in the seventies we became friend of friend acquaintances when all that was winding down. Did you ever try his mom's smoked-fried chicken? She called it, "Bobby Q," and since he never quite grew up, he remained sufficiently delighted with the name to hold on to it. What a trip!

Wow. I bet you did! Color me jealous. Sounds great!

KC is still going strong? That's good news. Is Sam's still around? My favorite was Willie Walker's on San Pablo a couple of blocks south of Ashby. 

Not to veer off topic, but: I actually started brining for barbecue somewhat by accident. I was still catering and had a last minute problem getting fresh ducks to smoke, so I bought some frozen. To defrost them fast, and make up for the loss of marinating time, I made a mix of hot water, fruits, aromatics and seasonings. The theory was the duck would go in the water while it was still warm, the whole thing would go in the fridge, and the duck would defrost while the water cooled -- meanwhile the seasonings would penetrate. Imagine my surprise when it worked. That was before Max was born, so probably 1979. Just something else to fool around with.

A lot, if not most, comp teams are brining poultry. Pretty much everyone who smokes fish brines it. A couple of little teams brine ribs pretty successfully, but they're not exactly CBBQ heavies. It's hard to say what the difference is between a good comp 'cuer and a great one is -- even though their products are so very different. I'm not sure you can get a pork chop or piece of chicken cooked at high temp from a certain level of restaurant that isn't brined anymore. It's become so prevalent.

BDL


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

I may even have the recipe for the chicken <LOL> Lemme see ....

OK, I've a recipe for Hickory Smoked Fried Chicken, but my notes make no mention of it being his mom's. Never made it myself ...

More later - gotta get ready to hit the road.

scb


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

hey shel would this be a good marinade for pork ribs do you think , it sounds delicious, i bought some ribs and am cooking them tonight , i must have spent over an hour on here looking at all the old threads on ribs , I want marinades that are low sodium, , so no soy sauce, oyster sauce based things

i made a marinade today with smoked garlic, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar,worchestershire sauce, fruit juice and a little tiny bit of olive oil it smelled really good so the proof will be in the eating


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

It should work just fine - pork is pork :lips:

Smoked garlic sounds like a nice addition to a marinade. How do you smoke the garlic?

How's the diet and exercising coming along? I heard you lost 18 lbs.


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## tessa (Sep 9, 2007)

18 lbs ???? wow i wish :talk::talk::talk: but soon that will be a reality 
the exercise is going great , i have hurt my shoulder through overworking it with exercise so have been having physio and been doing exercise but being gentle the last few days but i have been consistant with doing it just less of it 

the diet is getting easier , its more of a total change of lifestyle and im just feeling so much better.

the smoked garlic is just beautiful, i bought it at the local farmers market its got a mild flavour but has a gorgous smoky flavour i think its been hot smoked but not cooked if that makes sense

the ribs i did tonight were delicious, i am now going to have to work out the quantities and write the recipe down , it was just stuff i threw in to a bag :talk: no measurements


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