Best Brined Pork Chops Recipes

CIDER-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH PERFECT PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• For the brine: combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, coriander, mustard seeds, allspice berries, bay leaves, thyme and 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and pour in the cold cider. Let the brine cool to room temperature.
• Put the pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the brine. Press out excess air and seal tightly. Put the bag in a shallow container so it can lay flat and refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
• Drain the chops, rinse and pat dry. Discard the brine.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chops (work in batches if necessary; do not crowd the pan) and cook, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, 13 to 14 minutes. (If the chops are browning too quickly or the pan drippings start to burn, lower the heat.) Remove to a plate.
• For the sauce: Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and place over medium heat. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook until sizzling, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and stir to make a paste. Whisk in the cider and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer until very thick, about 1 minute. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the cream and simmer to bring the sauce together, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, vinegar and parsley. Season to taste with salt. Add the chops to the pan and simmer, turning occasionally, until just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs.

BEER-BRINED GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups water, beer, 1/4 cup coarse salt, sugar, and molasses in large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in ice. Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag. Pour beer brine over pork chops; seal bag. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Remove pork chops from beer brine; pat dry. Mix garlic, pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, and sage in small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over both sides of pork chops. Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 145°F to 150°F, about 10 minutes per side, occasionally moving chops to cooler part of rack if burning. Transfer chops to platter; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.

GRILLED MAPLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all of the brine ingredients together in a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir the brine to ensure that the salt, sugar, and maple syrup have dissolved. Let the brine cool, then put it in a large nonreactive container and add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate for no more than 12 hours.
• 2. Remove the pork from the brine and pat dry (without rinsing).
• 3. Prepare a grill with hot and medium cooking areas. A grill is hot when you can't hold your hand near the grill surface for longer than 2 seconds without pulling it away; it's medium when you can't hold your hand there for longer than 4 seconds.
• 4. Season the chops with pepper (not salt - remember, the brining solution is salty) and brush with the oil. Sear the chops directly over the hottest part of the open grill for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Then move the chops to the medium area of the grill, cover the grill, and cook to the desired doneness. Use an instant-read digital thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chops. A reading of 145° to 150°F will give you a pink, moist chop, 160°F is well-done. Serve immediately, accompanied by the chutney, if using.

BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Make the brine: Put salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and fennel seeds in a bowl. Whisk in 4 cups water to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Put pork chops in one layer in a glass or plastic container. Pour brine over to completely submerge chops. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer, up to overnight. Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Discard brine.
• Cook the chops: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Set a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add olive oil. When oil is wavy, add chops in one layer and let brown for about 3 minutes per side.
• Remove chops from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium-high and add sliced onion and fennel, stirring to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed fennel seeds and turn off heat.
• Lay the chops on top of the onion-fennel mixture (alternatively, transfer all of it to a baking dish) and place pan, uncovered, in oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the internal temperature of chops is 140 degrees.
• Remove chops and let rest for about 5 minutes. Transfer onion-fennel mixture to a platter and keep warm. Cut chops into 1/8-inch slices and add to platter. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with lemon wedges.

HERB-BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Put all the brining ingredients in a large saucepan with 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Once cooled, put the chops in the brine, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for 2 hrs. Remove the chops from the brine, rinse under the cold tap and pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat a large griddle pan over a high heat and fry the pork chops for 3-4 mins each side or until starting to char - you may need to do this in 2 batches. Transfer to a baking tray lined with foil and roast for 10-12 mins until cooked through.

GRILLED APPLE BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of water, apple juice, pepper, salt, sugar and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer making sure to stir occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add to a large bowl with 2 cups of ice.
• Once the brined has cooled add pork chops. Brine for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Remove pork from brine, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat grill or grill pan over medium heat. Sprinkle 1 side of the pork chops with 1/2 the grill seasoning. Place chops on hot oiled grill, seasoned side down. Sprinkle the topside with remaining grill seasoning. Grill chops for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine water and salt, stirring until salt dissolves.
• Add next 3 ingredients (sugar- vanilla), stir until sugar dissolves.
• Stir in ice and add pork chops.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• Drain and remove pork chops from brine.
• Discard brine.
• Combine next 7 ingredients (sage-garlic), rub both sides of pork chops with spice mixture.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Place flour in large plastic bag and add chops, shake well to coat chops.
• Place chops on plate before frying.
• Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add chops, cook 5-10 minutes per side, depending on degree of doneness desired and thickness of chops.

TEXAS-RUBBED AND BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Grilling Method: Indirect/Medium Heat
• Combine the cider, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and add the ice cubes or cold water (the ice cubes will cool the brine to room temperature faster).
• Place the pork loin in a nonreactive pan or resealable plastic bag (brining bag) and cover with the brine. Cover pan or tightly close the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. If you are using an extra large resealable bag or brining bag, rotate the pork a few times to make sure all of the meat gets brined. Before roasting, remove the pork and pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, make the rub by combining all of the spices and mixing well. You will not need all of the rub for this recipe. Store any leftover rub in a clean, airtight container.
• Preheat a gas grill on high with a smoker box or a foil pan filled with wood chips set under the cooking grates. Just before grilling, reset your gas grill for medium indirect heat. If you are cooking on a charcoal grill, build the fire and sprinkle the wet wood chips over the gray-ashed briquettes just before putting the food on the grill.
• Lightly brush pork with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with rub. Place pork directly on the cooking grate and cook for about 90 minutes or until an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 155°F. Remove pork from roasting pan. Let meat rest for 10 minutes.
• Cut pork loin into thick (double-cut) chops and serve.

CIDER BRINED GRILLED STUFFED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• For the brine:
• Combine all ingredients in a large container with a tight fitting lid.
• Take the pork chops and insert a fillet knife into the side of each pork chop. Create a 2-inch slice along the side moving your knife along the inside of the chop creating a pocket. Be careful not to pierce the outer sides of the chop. Place the pork chops in the brine for anywhere from 1 hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• For the reduction:
• Add the cider to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the cider, skimming off any scum that comes to the surface, until is becomes syrupy and is reduced to about 1/4 cup.
• For the stuffing:
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
• Preheat grill to high.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with the apples and grill for about 10 minutes on each side. Remove from grill to a serving platter and let rest for about 10 minutes. Brush with the cider reduction, sprinkle with the chopped caramelized pecans and enjoy!
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the sugar and water until the temperature reaches 275 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Add the pecans and stir to coat with the sugar. Once the sugar begins to caramelize add the vanilla extract and stir gently but constantly until fully caramelized. Pour onto a silpat lined baking sheet to let cool, then sprinkle with the red chili powder.

BEER-BRINED GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine the water, beer, salt, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Stir in the ice.
• Place the pork chops in large resealable plastic bag. Pour beer brine over the pork chops and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, black pepper and sage.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine and rub them with the garlic mixture.
• Grill the pork chops for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until they are cooked through.
• Transfer the chops to a platter and let them rest for a minute or two before serving.

BRINED PORK CHOPS - BOBBY FLAY RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Make brine: Combine ingredients in a large non-reactive pan. Stir until salt and molasses are dissolved. Add chops to brine and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Preheat a grill to medium. Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Place chops on grill and cook on each side for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness; the internal temperature of the pork chops should measure 145 degrees F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Serve immediately. This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

MARINATED BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add salt, sugar, sage, and garlic powder. Remove from heat and stir until mostly dissolved. Add cold water to cool the brining mixture. Place pork chops in a plastic freezer bag or other airtight container. Add brining liquid, close tightly, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a baking dish with about 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Drain pork chops, discarding brine. Place chops in the prepared dish and brush lightly with remaining olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chops are no longer pink in the center and juice is clear, about 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

BEER BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Whisk the beer, wine vinegar, corn syrup, mustard, garlic, sage, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the onion and pork chops, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the pork chops and onions from the marinade and set aside on a platter. Drain the marinade through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the strained liquid. Spread the garlic mixture caught in the strainer over the pork chops. Wrap the onions in aluminum foil.
• Cook the packet of onions and the pork chops on the preheated grill until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES

Steps:

• For brine:
• Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add pork chops to brine. Top with plate to submerge pork. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• For pork:
• Drain brine from pork chops. Pat pork dry. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown but not cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add pork onion to same skillet. Cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add apples and sauté until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and cider, then Calvados, raisins and ginger, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and mustard. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork. Cover; cook 3 minutes. Turn pork over and cook until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer pork to plates.
• Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.

MOLASSES BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Combine salt, molasses, cloves, and boiling water in a large container. Stir until molasses and salt are dissolved; let cool to room temperature.
• Pour cold water into molasses mixture; stir to combine.
• Completely submerge pork chops in molasses mixture. Cover container and refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly oil each chop.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Place pork chops on the hottest part of the grill; cook each side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium-high area of the grill and cook pork until it is slightly pink in the center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chop should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

SMOKEHOUSE MAPLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Whisk together the salt, 1/4 cup of the smoky maple seasoning, 1/4 cup of the sugar and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour in 4 cups of cold water and mix thoroughly, then transfer the brine to a large container with a lid and cool to room temperature. Add the pork chops to the brine, cover and refrigerate 8 to 10 hours.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
• Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly rub some oil into the chops, then season all over with 2 tablespoons smoky maple seasoning. Grill until the pork chops are well marked and charred, 7 to 9 minutes. Flip and continue to grill until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees F, 4 to 6 minutes more. Let rest under tented foil while you cook the apples.
• Put a large cast-iron skillet on the grill. Juice one of the lemon halves into a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to the skillet and stir with a heatproof spatula until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook with the lid open, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and deepens to amber, about 8 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Once the foam subsides, add the apples, cover the grill and cook, gently stirring occasionally and coating the apples in the caramel, until the apples are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and, being careful of splattering, add the remaining lemon juice and a pinch of smoky maple seasoning and stir gently.
• Arrange the pork chops on a platter and top with the apples. Use a fine rasp grater to zest the other lemon half over the dish. Sprinkle with chives if using.

BEER BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH ROASTED APPLES

Steps:

• Place pork chops in 1-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. In medium bowl, mix water, beer, brown sugar and kosher salt until brown sugar is dissolved. Add peppercorns, thyme sprigs and rosemary sprigs. Pour brine over pork chops. Seal bag; refrigerate 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray foil with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, toss apples, garlic, parsley, chopped thyme, chopped rosemary, salt, pepper and flour. Spread apples in single layer on cookie sheet. Drizzle with 1/4 cup oil. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour or until apples are softened.
• About 20 minutes before apples are done, remove pork chops from brine and discard brine. Do not rinse pork chops; pat dry with paper towels. In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook about 10 minutes, turning once, or until pork is no longer pink in center. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve pork chops with roasted apples. Garnish with additional thyme and rosemary sprigs, if desired.

BRINED PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Brine pork chops:
• Bring water to a boil with kosher salt, mustard seeds, sugar, pickling spices, and garlic and simmer 15 minutes. Cool brine completely, then add chops and chill, covered, 1 to 2 days.
• Roast chops:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Remove chops from brine and pat dry. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chops in batches, without crowding, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Add oil 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time as needed between batches.)
• Transfer chops to a roasting pan and roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally 2 inches into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 155°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer chops to a platter and let stand, loosely covered, 5 minutes before serving (do not clean pan).
• Straddle pan across 2 burners and add any meat juices from platter along with wine and broth and deglaze by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Season pan juices with salt and pepper and serve with chops.

PICKLE SCHNITZEL-PICKLE-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET AND SPICY PEPPERS

Steps:

• Combine the pickle juice, pepper juice and pork chops in a large zipper-top bag. Brine at least overnight and at most 24 hours, flipping the bag halfway through.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Toss the piquante peppers, bell peppers and onions with the olive oil in a bowl. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until slightly charred and soft, about 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 200 degrees F and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Take the chops out of the bag (discard the brine) and dry them off with paper towels. Place a chop between plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until 1/2 inch thick. Make sure you pound around the bone but keep the bone intact; this adds flavor and plating dramatics. Repeat with the remaining chops.
• Set up an F. E. B. station with flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate shallow containers; season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. Season each chop with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour, coat with the egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs, ensuring the breadcrumbs adhere to all the nooks and crannies.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat until very hot. Working in 2 batches, fry the chops 2 at a time until golden on each side, 4 to 5 minutes a side. Keep the chops warm on a wire-racked baking sheet in the oven while you repeat with the remaining chops.
• Plate each chop over a serving of the peppers and onions and serve with 2 lemon wedges to squeeze on top.

CIDER-BRINED PORK CHOPS WITH CREAMED LEEKS AND APPLES

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Cool completely. Place pork in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover; refrigerate overnight.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks; sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add cream and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Creamed leeks can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apples and sauté 10 minutes. Add sugar and sauté until apples are golden, about 6 minutes longer. Add stock, then Calvados and remaining 1/4 cup cider. Simmer until liquid thickens slightly and apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Prepare barbecue (medium heat) or preheat broiler. Drain pork. Rinse under cold water; pat dry. Brush pork with oil. Grill or broil to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium.
• Meanwhile, rewarm leeks, thinning with 1 to 3 tablespoons water if necessary. Bring apples to simmer. Spoon leeks onto plates. Top with pork, then apples.