Substitute
honey for the usual white or brown sugar that you may use for brining, and you get a
little extra sweetness in the cooked meat. And incredible juicy tenderness. To
complement the pork chops, I glazed them with a sweet and tangy combination of
apricot preserves, whole-grain mustard, and a bit of white wine vinegar. I
think the flavors played well with each other.
Note: I used 1/2-inch-thick pork loin chops,
which are thinner than lots of pan-roasted pork chops. If you choose thick
center-cut chops, simply adjust the cooking time to add a couple more minutes
both in the pan and in the oven.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups warm
water
- 1/3 cup
honey
- 1/4 cup table
salt
- 1 tsp pink
or black peppercorns
- 4 whole
cloves
- 4 1/2-inch-thick pork loin chops
- 1/4 cup
apricot preserves
- 2 tbsp
whole-grain mustard
- 2 tsp white
wine vinegar
- 1 tsp finely
chopped rosemary
- sea salt
- freshly
ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp
olive oil
Preparation
- Combine the
water, honey, salt, peppercorns, and cloves in a large bowl, stirring well to
dissolve the honey and salt.
- Add the
pork chops, submerging completely. Cover and refrigerate 6-8 hours (or overnight).
- Preheat the
oven to 400° F.
- Combine the
preserves, mustard, and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook,
stirring often, until thickened and the preserves are melted, 4-5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Season with sea salt and pepper
and set aside.
|
Pork Chops in Brine |
|
Glaze Ready to Combine |
|
Whole-Grain Mustard Glaze |
- Heat a
large, ovenproof (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium-high heat and add the
olive oil, swirling to coat. Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry.
Season both sides with sea salt (light on the salt) and black pepper. Place in
the pan and sear until lightly charred on the bottom, 3-4 minutes.
- Turn the
chops over and brush with most of the glaze. Place the skillet in the oven and
roast until the meat is just cooked through, 4 minutes, or until done.
|
Brined Pork Chops |
|
Beginning to Sear |
|
After Turning |
|
Glazed Chops |
Transfer the chops to a board and let rest 3
minutes. Brush with the remaining glaze and serve.
|
Honey-Brined Pork Chops with Whole-Grain Mustard Glaze |
Great recipe! I love grainy mustard and always try to find recipes that incorporate it in some way. This recipe looks delicious. Can't wait to try it out.
ReplyDeleteThanks much, Connor --- hope you enjoy the chops!
DeleteBest,
Pam