Grilling great pork chops is so much easier than you might have ever thought possible. Flavorful, tender, juicy!
I grew up with those dry ones we used to call pork chops. Overcooked until not a drop of juice remained. Fried and flavorless! Not that Mom wasn’t a great cook—she was, but the standard was to make sure they were well done. No wonder no one I knew enjoyed pork chops.
I love them. Use a meat thermometer and cook them perfectly. Now, they are safe, according to the USDA, even when cooked until just 145° F. While I often cook them a little more done than 145° F, you don’t have to worry about pork being under done when the meat is still a little pink. I also brine them. I know that sounds fancy, but really it is just marinating them in a seasoned liquid for a few hours. My favorite recipe this fall is to add a splash of applejack to the brining liquid and get ready for really great eating. I also buy real pork –not the common ones that are injected with saline, but real pork like the ones I get from Steve’s. While I like to add chips to the grill to add a smoky flavor, believe me when I say they are good enough to grill without the chips and smoke. Just grill and serve with plenty of napkins. They are that good.
I also have a new love affair with maple syrup. The real stuff, straight from Vermont. I made a caramelized onion-maple syrup marmalade topping and this pork chop recipe quickly becomes something you would order at a fancy restaurant.
Give it a try. Serve it soon to your family or invite some good friends over for a relaxing dinner. I know you will love it.
Applejack Brined Pork Chops
4 bone-in thick cut pork chops, cut about 1-inch tick
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup cold water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 to 12 black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons applejack or bourbon, optional
Caramelized Onion Maple Marmalade (See below)
Place chops in a 9 x 13-inch glass dish.
Combine boiling water, brown sugar and salt; stir until dissolved. Stir in cold water and vegetable oil. Stir in peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, and applejack. Pour over the chops. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Turn chops midway through the time.
Meanwhile soak about 2 cups of wood chips in cold water to cover for about an hour. Drain water.
Place soaked chips in a wood box (or wrap tightly in a packet made of heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke 4 or 6 holes in the top.) Place wood box or wood chips in grill directly over coals or burners. Cover and preheat grill for indirect, medium heat or allow coals to burn down to white ash.
Drain chops, discard brine and pat chops dry. Grill chops in a covered grill, 10 to 12 minutes, turning midway through cooking, or until meat thermometer registers 150° F. Remove from grill, cover and allow to stand 5 minutes. Serve with Caramelized Onion Maple Marmalade.
Caramelized Onion Maple Marmalade
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons applejack or apple cider
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Dash Salt
Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are very tender and golden brown. Stir in remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes.
Makes about 1/2 cup. Spoon about 2 tablespoons marmalade over each chop.
Leave a Reply