American · Free recipe
Brined Pork Chops
A short soak in salted, lightly sweetened brine with peppercorns and bay protects thick bone-in chops from the dreaded dry pork problem. They sear in cast iron, finish over gentler heat, and come out juicy at 140F with an apple cider pan sauce spooned on top.
- Prep
- 1 hr 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Method
-
Stir the water, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves until dissolved, submerge the chops, and refrigerate for 1 hour, no longer than 4.
-
Remove the chops, rinse briefly, and pat them very dry.
-
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the chops for 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned.
-
Reduce the heat to medium, add the sage, and cook 4 to 6 minutes more, flipping every 2 minutes, until the thickest part reads 140F; rest the chops on a plate.
-
Pour off most of the fat, add the shallot and cook 1 minute, then pour in the cider and scrape the pan while it reduces by half, about 4 minutes.
-
Whisk in the mustard and cold butter off the heat until the sauce looks glossy, then pour over the rested chops.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Since the brine seasons the meat, skip any extra salt on the chops before searing or they will taste overly salty.
