CIDER-BRINED PORK CHOPS

There are many practices in this life which are initially assumed with trepidation but, once adopted, are thought to be undeniably essential.

I am speaking of such things as owning a dog (I can vouch for both my initial fears and leeriness and my subsequent undying love and sometimes, extreme, obsession on this front), marriage, investing in a quality mattress, or in this case, brining. All of these steps are often categorized as nonessentials until you experience, firsthand, their magical levels of value and proceed to exclaim loudly to all who will listen that you “really do not know how or what you ever did without them”.

Yes, this is another episode of “Ashlyn tries to convince the American public, or at least a portion of it, to hop on a bandwagon which promises neither ease nor expediency but guarantees deliciousness”. Welcome back.

I first discovered the bewitching powers of brining years ago when my mama was coerced into trying her hand at Alton Brown’s famous turkey.

I knew then that soaking meat in a salt-laden bath had astounding potential, and in the many years that have followed, this belief has blossomed into conviction, making me a diehard briner.

I will now spend the next twelve minutes Googling for a ‘diehard briner’ t-shirt…

Let’s talk about how to turn ordinary pork chops into flavor-saturated, extra tender pieces of heaven. As you might have supposed from this post’s overdone introduction, it begins with a brine.

A brine, in its simplest form, is merely a heavily salted water bath. Your raw protein is soaked in the bath for several hours or overnight and the salt works its magic upon the meat.

This particular brine is composed of water, salt, poultry seasoning, and apple cider - for that extra fall flair.

While brining is an extra step that requires both time and forethought, the results are well worth the effort.

As you can see by the ominously-dark pan sauce, the sugars in the cider will caramelize when the saturated pork chops meet the frying pan, but not to worry, the flavors will deepen and brown, but not to the point of burning - so long as you keep a close eye on things.

The browned bits from the pork chops are whisked into a beautifully silky sauce after the pan has been deglazed with both apple cider vinegar and spiced cider, forming what is essentially a gastrique - just a fancy name for a sauce made of caramelized sugar deglazed with vinegar. We’re learning things!

A few handfuls of sliced apples are simmered in the sauce until they are browned and soft. They make the perfect side or topping for these chops.

While this meal takes a little longer to prepare than some, it is teeming with fall flavor and the perfect dinner for a special occasion, or just an extra elegant night at home.

Sincerely,

Pedantic Foodie

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CIDER-BRINED PORK CHOPS

serves two

FOR THE BRINE

• 3 cups boiling water

• 1/4 cup kosher salt

• 2 cups spiced apple cider, cold

• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

• 2 thick-cut, bone-in pork chops

In a large bowl, combine boiling water and kosher salt. Stir, until the salt has dissolved, then let the mixture to cool until it is just lukewarm.

Stir in cold cider and add pork chops. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 12 hours.

FOR THE PORK CHOPS

• fine sea salt

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

• 1/2 cup spiced apple cider

• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons Amber grade B maple syrup

Remove the brined pork chops from the brine and rinse under cool water to remove any excess salt or spices that may be clinging to the chops. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Season the chops with a sprinkle of fine sea salt on each side.

Place butter into a 10-inch frying pan and set over medium high heat.* When the butter has melted and has just begun to simmer, add 2 sprigs of the fresh thyme and the prepared chops to the pan. Brown well on both sides, this should take approximately 6-7 minutes on each side.

*Cook’s Note: If the chops appear to be browning too quickly or the butter is becoming overly dark, reduce heat to medium.

Remove the cooked chops from the pan, regardless of their internal temperature and set aside, reserving the butter in the pan. You can discard the thyme sprigs at this point.

Return the pan to medium heat and whisk in cider and vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and whisking them into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce for 3-4 minutes; until slightly thickened.

Toss in apples, remaining 2 sprigs of thyme, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes; or until the apples are very soft.

Return the pork chops to the pan, placing them atop the apples, anddrizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes; or until the internal temperature of the pork chops reaches 145 degrees.

Remove the thyme sprigs from the pan and serve the pork chops topped with apples and pan sauce.

Enjoy!

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