Cider-glazed rack of pork with spice rub

Preparation

Baking Directions:

To make the brine (best made the day before): Pour 6 cups of water into a medium-sized saucepan, and stir in the salt and sugar.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Pull the pan off the heat and put it in the fridge to cool.

Use the brine only when it's completely cooled down.

It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To cook the pork: Put the pork in a large container, cover it with the brine, and let it marinate in the fridge for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the pork from the brine, rinse off the salt to get rid of the excess, and pat the meat dry with a paper towel.

Season the pork with the salt and pepper, being sure to cover all sides of the meat.

Place the meat on a rack in a roasting pan, put it on the middle oven rack, and roast until the meat reaches an internal temperature of at least 135 degrees F (about 50 to 60 minutes, depending on your oven).

When you poke the meat hard with a finger, it should bounce back, like a little trampoline; if your finger sinks in, it isn't done yet.

I don't like my pork too well done.

If you prefer it that way, keep cooking it-but please don't kill it.

(If the meat has no bounce and no give at all, it's overdone.)

While the meat is in the oven, pour the cider into a medium-sized saucepan and let it reduce over medium high heat for about 45 minutes, until you've got a loose, dark golden-brown syrup.

Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.

Pour the glaze into a small bowl and put it in the fridge to cool down.

As it cools, the syrup will thicken.

To make the spice rub: Combine all of the rub ingredients in a small bowl, and mix well.

To finish the dish: Pull the pork out of the oven, but leave the oven on at 425 degrees F.

Take the glaze out of the fridge.

It should be sweet tangy and will probably have formed a bouncy "shell" on top.

Paint the pork all over with about half of the glaze, using a pastry brush (you can also do this by pouring and spreading it with your hands, but it's pretty messy).

Put the pork back in the oven and roast it for 2 more minutes so the glaze can set.

Then take it out and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Paint the pork all over with the rest of the glaze.

Sprinkle the spice rub all over all sides of the pork.

Cut the rack into chops by cutting right down the middle between each pair of bones.

Arrange the meat on a platter, and serve it right away.

Tips:

If there's any leftover glaze and spice mix, combine them and pour in some of the drippings from the pork.

Mix it all together, and then spoon it over the chops.