Maple brined pork or tofu

I like making different brines to amp up whatever I'm cooking. This brine happens to work just as well for chicken and tofu!

Pork on the left, tofu on the right! Two styles of the same dinner, easily made the same night.

This brine will make about 4 cups of brine. It is enough to brine the pork and tofu (in separate containers), or if you'd like you can pour 2 cups of the hot brine into a sterile mason jar to keep for another night. 2 cups of brine should be sufficient for one 1.5 pound pork loin. 

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 pounds of pork loin or tenderloin
• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed

Maple Brine: 

• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 c kosher salt
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 2 tbsp maple vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves 
• 2 cups amber/brown ale or more vegetable stock
• 1 cup ice to chill

Maple Dijon Sauce: 

• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp whole seed dijon mustard

To make the brine: 

1. Add all ingredients to a sauce pan except the 2 cups beer / vegetable broth and the ice. Bring to a boil and stir to mix the salt into solution. 
2. Allow brine to boil for 10 minutes, then turn off heat. Remove pan from heat and add ice, followed by beer or more vegetable stock. Cover and allow to cool to room temperature. 
3. Place pork into a small container or plastic bag and cover with brine so it is fully immersed. Allow to sit for 2-24 hours. The longer the pork sits, the more flavor it will pick up.                        (If using tofu, make sure tofu is pressed and allow to sit in the brine for up to 8 hours. Don't let to tofu sit in the brine for too long or it may become salty.)

To cook in the oven: 
Pork: Preheat oven to 425. Cook pork on a rack for 30 minutes, then lower temperature to 325 and cook an additional 30-45 minutes until a thermometer reads 150 for a nice juicy roast. Tent and allow to rest 10 minutes prior to slicing. 

Tofu: Preheat oven to 325. Slice tofu into 4 slices and place in a lightly oiled pan. Cook for 30-45 minutes, depending on how crisp you'd like the outside to be. Alternatively you can add the tofu pan to the oven when you lower the temperature for the pork if cooking these together. 

To cook on a Traeger: 
Preheat the smoker to 425 using cherry pellets. Cook pork for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 and cook until internal temperature is 150, about 30-45 minutes. If cooking tofu as well, you can add the tofu to the smoker when you lower the temperature. When pork is done, tent and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing. 

Mix the ingredients for the maple dijon in a small container and drizzle over the sliced pork or tofu and enjoy!