Pork Chop Brine

With this simple and quick Pork Chop Brine, dry pork chops are officially off the table. Literally. There is no better way to season your meat inside and out. If you want to make flavorful, tender, juicy chops, this brown sugar brine is the answer. No question about it.

Pork chops are a lean cut of meat, and don't take long to cook, which can often result in dry, overcooked pork chops. Just a few minutes can land you rubbery chops to choke down. This is why a brine can be a cook's best friend, especially if you are new to the kitchen!

Salt in a brine seasons the meat, adds moisture, and changes the protein structure, therefore reducing toughness. We kept our brine solution about as simple as simple gets: salt, sugar, peppercorns, and water. This brine is perfect for any pork chop recipes (or pork steak!) featuring chops a ½" or thicker. 

HOW TO MAKE A PORK CHOP BRINE

Our quick-fix, basic brine recipe consists of Kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and water.

Add 6 cups of water to a large pot, along with a half cup of brown sugar and a quarter cup of kosher salt. Take care to only use kosher salt, and not regular table salt!

Using regular table salt in a brine will make your pork chops far too salty! We love using brown sugar for this Pork Chop Brine recipe because of its molasses notes. However, if you only have granulated sugar on hand, feel free to sub that in.

If you're looking to add more, complex flavors to your brine, here are a few ingredients you might like to add in:

• If you love garlic, 4-6 crushed garlic cloves added to your brine will absolutely get you your garlic fix! (try this one with our panko pork chops!)
• 2 tablespoons of juniper berries will add an herby, almost pine-like flavor to your chops.
• You might be more likely to have bay leaves in your spice cabinet. If that's the case, 2-3 bay leaves will also add an herbaceous flavor similar to juniper berries.

Any one of these additional ingredients can be added to your brine solution as soon as your sugar and salt have dissolved.

Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. As soon as the water has come to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and whisk until the sugar and the salt have dissolved. Add in your peppercorns and set the brine aside until it has completely cool to room temperature.

Note, it is very important that you do not add your pork chops to the brine while the brine is still hot.

Adding raw meat to a warm brine creates a great environment for bacteria to grow. It can also begin to cook the meat slightly, in turn, affecting your cook time.

Once the Pork Chop Brine has reached room temperature (or cooler), fully submerge your pork chops in the brine, and cover the pot with either a lid or plastic wrap. Transfer the pot to your refrigerator. The brining process can be effective in as little as 2 hours, but you don't want to leave your pork chops soaking for any longer than 6 hours.

Most pork chops are considered lean meat, meaning they are light in flavor. Meats that are light in flavor can easily be overpowered by the salt in a brine. It's for this reason, you don't want to leave your pork chops in the brine for any longer than 6 hours.

Once your brine time is up, remove your pork chops from the brine, rinse the brine water off of them, pat the chops dry, and season as you'd like. Cook your pork chops until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F or higher if desired.

For a delicious pork recipe, be sure to try our spare ribs next. Or if you are an overall pork lover, browse our pork recipes!

HOW TO COOK BRINED PORK CHOPS

Baked pork chops offer a big reward for minimal time and effort. A weeknight treat!

• Use paper towels to pat the pork chops dry and remove any excess moisture. 
• Transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet and coat them with oil.
• Season with a combination of salt, garlic powder, paprika, pepper, and onion powder.
• Bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes.

HOW TO SMOKE BRINED PORK CHOPS 

Smoked pork chops have a strong and complex flavor you can only achieve with that low and slow cook. Definitely worth the time.

• Using your wood of choice, heat your smoker to 275°F.
• Pat your pork chops dry with paper towels and transfer them to a work surface.
• Combine brown sugar, Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
• Coat the pork chops in the rub.
• Place them in the smoker, cover it with the lid, and cook for 60-90 minutes, depending on size, flipping and rotating halfway through.
• Remove from the smoker and tent with foil for 10 minutes before serving.

6 MORE PORK RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy
• Parmesan Pork Chops
• Pork Loin Roast
• Slow Cooker Spare Ribs
• Smothered Pork Chops
• Skillet Pork Chops 

• 

  Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

• 

  Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

• 

  Pork Loin Roast Recipe (Oven-Method, Super Juicy)

• 

  Slow Cooker Spare Ribs

• 

  Smothered Pork Chops

• 

  Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon

 

Source: Cooks Illustrated