To make the best ever pork chops start with a thick cut and to enhance the flavor of the meat brining is a must. When I brine pork I prefer to use apple cider. Brining is the process of submerging meat in a brine solution made of salt and water. The result is a flavor enhanced tender dish. When I grill thick cuts of pork chops I find brining not only adds flavor with the addition of herbs and spices but also prevents them from drying out.
Apple Cider Brined Pork Chops
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate4
servings4
hours15
minutes243
kcalA basic brine is made of 1/4 cup salt to 4 cups of water, but you can choose different liquids such as wine, juice or even beer to infuse different flavors into the meat.
For this recipe I used apple cider and apple cider vinegar, with salt and spices.
Ingredients
4 cups Apple Cider
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Salt
1 Tbsp. Garlic
1 Tsp. Black Pepper
4 Double Cut Pork Chops
- Dry Rub
2 Tbap. Smoked Paprika
2 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. Dried Thyme
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Oregano
Olive Oil for coating
Directions
- Add Cider, Vinegar, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic to a large Sauce Pan
- Heat until the spices dissolve approximately 4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to fully cool. (Add ice cubes or place in the refrigerator to cool quickly).
- Place the pork chops and brine in a large zip lock bag. Brine 4-6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Remove pork chops from brining liquid and pat dry.
- Mix together dry ingredients
- Rub pork chops with Olive Oil
- Rub pork chops with dry ingredients
- Grill pork chops on high heat until nice and brown
- Lower the heat to moderate and grill until the internal temp 0f 150 degrees for medium (approx. 10-15 min.); 155 degrees for medium-well or 160 degrees for well-done.
Notes
- Wine Pairing Suggestions: Chardonnay
