How to Make the Best Pork Chop
Servings:*
4 servingsIngredients
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 cups ice cubes
- 2 to 4 Frenched, double cut Berkshire pork chops
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 sprigs thyme
Directions
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In a stainless steel pot, combine the water, brown sugar, salt, garlic cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and rosemary sprigs and bring to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and stir the liquid to dissolve the salt.
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Stir in 3 cups of ice and allow the brine to cool completely.
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Next, in a baking dish or food-safe plastic container, cover the pork chops completely in the brine.
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Cover tightly with plastic wrap or the lid and refrigerate overnight.
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Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat. Heat the oven to 350º.
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Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry with a paper towel.
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Drizzle the pork chops with grapeseed oil and place them on the grill. Cook for 3 minutes and then turn them 45 degrees and cook for another 3 minutes. (This will give you cool, crosshatched grill marks.)
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Flip the pork chops over and cook the second side according to step 7.
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If using a grill, transfer the pork chops to a baking pan. Top each pork chop with one tablespoon butter and two thyme sprigs.
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Bake the pork chops in the oven until the meat is done, about 10 minutes. The temperature should reach a minimum of 135º on an instant-read thermometer.