Brined Pork Chops with Apples and Onion
Serves 2
Here is what you will need for the brine:
2 cups water
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 dried red chili (optional)
2 bone in pork chops
Put everything but the pork into a pot and gently heat and stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool completely.
Pour the cooled brine into a zip bag set inside a glass bowl.
Slip the pork into the bag and seal. Place the bag, still in the bowl, in the fridge. Let brine for 8-12 hours. You can cook it from this point, make sure you pat the pork dry and let it come to room temperature before you grill it or fry it. Or you can continue....
Here is what you will need for the rest of the dish. (You don't have to use a brined chop for this recipe just make sure you season it well)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 onion sliced
1 apple
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Add the mustard into the broth and mix well.
Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat them dry and let them come to room temperature.
Heat 1 TBS oil in a large pan. Sear the pork on both sides, about 2-3 minutes then remove pork from pan and set aside.
It should not be cooked all the way through because it will go back in the pan.
Slice up your apples into 1/2 inch half moons.
Add a little more oil to the pan you cooked the pork in and on medium high heat cook the apples and onions. Add in the tyme and rosemary and season with a little salt and pepper.
Add the chicken broth to the pan and let onions and apples soften a bit. Taste and season if needed.
Nestle the pork back in the pan and let it finish cooking. About 3-4 minutes. I like pork with a light pink center.
Put the chop on a plate and cover with the apples and onions. Let's Eat!!