Brining these pork chops makes them moist, tender, and seasoned throughout, and the sugar helps create a dark, caramelized sheen. Learn how to make this recipe and more in our online cooking class with Sur la Table.
Ingredients
2 Servings
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
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3
Preparation
Step 1
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add kosher salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, halved head of garlic, and 1 thyme sprig; stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Transfer to a medium bowl and add 5 cups ice cubes. Stir until brine is cool. Add pork chop; cover and chill for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 450°. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Remove chop from brine; pat dry. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet. Cook chop until beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Keep turning chop every 2 minutes until both sides are deep golden brown, 10-12 minutes total.
Step 3
Transfer skillet to oven and roast chop, turning every 2 minutes to prevent it from browning too quickly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center of meat registers 135°, about 14 minutes. (Chop will continue to cook during basting and resting.)
Step 4
Carefully drain fat from skillet and place over medium heat. Add butter, 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, and remaining thyme sprig; cook until butter is foamy. Carefully tip skillet and, using a large spoon, baste chop repeatedly with butter until butter is brown and smells nutty, 2-3 minutes.
Step 5
Transfer pork chop to prepared rack and let rest, turning often to ensure juices are evenly distributed, for 15 minutes. Cut pork from bones, slice, and sprinkle with sea salt.
Nutrition Per Serving
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Reviews (481)
Back to Topwhat does 1 /2 mean??
Nancy
9/25/2023
Waaaaay too salty. And I love salt. I brined for 12 hours.
KA
Palm Beach, FL
9/18/2023
Like all the other reviews, my porkchops came out so salty I had to toss them out. I left them in the brine for about nine hours. They look beautiful, but taste awful. BA should take down this recipe and replace it with a better one.
KVH
Orange County, CA
1/18/2022
Brined for about 7-8 hours, and the chops turned out juicy and delicious. I cooked them for a bit less time on the stove and in the oven, based on the thermometer read I was getting. The crust that formed on the exterior had a subtle sweetness from the sugar. We will absolutely make these again!
Meaghan
Los Angeles, CA
7/28/2021
I brined a single, 1" chop, and left it for 24 hrs. My bad - every bite was saltier than the ocean. But, the meat was very tender, and I would do this again, only with the necessary adjustments. And, a reader mentioned Morton salt being more potent, so I would scale back even further.
Anvilwest
Long Island, NY, but now living in Springfield, OR
4/21/2021
Excellent chops. Not at all difficult.
TX Jay
Texas
2/14/2021
Not mentioned is to cut the salt back if using Morton Kosher. I think it is to use half to avoid being too salty Vs Diamond Crystal or Kroger which is similar. Morton is somehow denser.
Anonymous
Nashville
4/8/2020
I accidentally left this in the oven for too long so it got very well done, but it was still juicy. I think that says everything about how great this technique is! I brined for 10 hours and while definitely well-seasoned, I don't think it was overly salty. Granted, I didn't add salt when serving.
crystalx
Boston, MA
6/21/2019
This recipe was fantastic. I made it with three boneless, thick cut pork chops about 1/2lb each. I brined them for 12 hours, and then sous vide them for 2 hours at 140. They tasted delicious. Not overly salty at all.
Anonymous
New York
5/18/2018
This is such a great recipe! The pork chop turned out to be Awesome! Couldn't find Juniper berries in the store, so used the All Spice instead. Would make this recipe again and again. Strongly recommend!
Anonymous
4/11/2018
The recipe is fine in theory but the end result doesn't work. The pork ends up tender & crispy but incredibly salty to the point that it's impossible to eat .This recipe needs to be changed not sure how. It was so salty we have to throw everything to the garbage.
purplebluestars
3/27/2018