From The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook by Shannon Hayes (our go to book) page 154. Reprinted with permission. When using a Snug Valley Farm frozen pastured pork roast there is no need to thaw the meat, but you'll want to start the brining process at least four days before cooking and can brine it for up to 7 days. We find the ideal is 4-5 days.
In a covered pot large enough to submerge the roast later, heat the water to a boil. Remove from heat, and stir in the salt and honey until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients, except the pork. Cool the mixture to room temperature.
Add the roast (fresh, defrosted, or frozen), and weigh it down so that it is totally submerged in the brine. A plate with a weight (such as a plastic container filled with water) works well. Cover and refrigerate. For a mild flavor, leave the roast in the brine for 24 hours. For a more intense flavor, allow it to brine for 2 – 7 days, turning it several times.
NOTE FROM SVF: You can put our roast in the brine without thawing. Just give it an extra day. At Snug Valley Farm we like it in the brine for 4 – 5 days!
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
Remove the meat from the brine, and wipe it dry. Place in a shallow uncovered pan.
Roast for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 300 F. Roast until the internal temperature of the meat is 145 F to 155 F. Approximately 2 ½ to 3 hours or 25 min/ lb. in a shallow pan. With a bigger sized roast, figure approximately 2 hours longer, but keep checking the internal temperature.
Remove the roast from the oven, and tent it loosely with foil. Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before serving. The internal temperature should rise another 5 – 10 degrees.
The meat will be so tender, juicy, and flavorful that you won’t need gravy. However, if you’d like to make a gravy from the pan scrapings, you will have a terrific sauce. If you have a bone-in roast, use the bone for soup. It too will have absorbed the brine flavor and will make great stock!