Maple-brined grilled pork chops
The secret to moist and juicy pork chops is brining. A salty brine allows moisture to enter the pork chop and literally traps it between protein cells, keeping the chop plumper and juicier when it is cooked.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Cuisine: New American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/3 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 T whole grain mustard
- 1 t red pepper flakes
- 6 whole cloves
- 1” peeled ginger root, sliced and smashed
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 T fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 cups water
- 6 center-cut pork loin chops, 1″ thick
- 2 T olive oil
- Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- To make brine, put first 10 ingredients in a non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Let cool. Put pork chops in a glass baking dish or non-reactive container that is just big enough to hold the pork chops. Pour brine over pork chops and cover. Refrigerate for three hours. Brine may be made in advance and held until three hours before it is time to grill.
- Prepare a grill with hot and medium grilling areas. Cooking time will depend on thickness of pork chops. Sear the pork chops for 1-2 minutes on each side over the hot side of the grill. Finish grilling on medium heat until the internal heat is about 145 degrees. Take pork chops off heat and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Or alternatively, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sear the pork chops in a grill pan or cast iron skillet on the stove, over high heat, about 1 – 2 minutes for each side. Transfer to the oven and cook until internal heat is 145 degrees, about 8 minutes. Let rest 5 – 10 minutes before serving.