So We love meats and grilling, who doesn't right? well nowadays a lot of people are trying to be more healthy and do not eat that much meat anymore or try eating leaner meats, and I think that is great.
In my house, We are very much in love with grilling or roasting cause these are the healthier ways to cook meats.
So to do this recipe you should ask you butcher not to cut the rack of pork chops with ribs, really there is no difference in cooking them cut as well, if you prefer that way you can just simply buy 4 big and juicy chops, another option is ask the butcher to cut them thicker than average that will also so the trick. So this recipe is for 4!
We brine the meat before grilling so here are some sort of rules if you are new to brining. Brining any meat can add a significant amount of water to it before you cook to make meats juicier and tenderer. This makes it moister and more tender.
The basic formula for a brine solution is 1 cup of salt (preferably without iodine) to one gallon of water. This is a very good rule to follow.
When it comes to the amount of time you want to brine something it is more important not to brine too long than not long enough. While some cuts of pork can use days in a brine, even a relatively small amount of time can be helpful. Pork generally takes a long time to get the full effect.
Now I wouldn't bother brining a cut of pork if you didn't have at least a few hours but with smaller cuts, even 3 or 4 hours can do the trick. Do not; however go longer than the times on this chart.
Pork Chops (about 1 to 1 ½ inches thick) - 12 to 24 hours
Whole Pork Tenderloin - 12 hours
Whole Pork Loin - 2 days
Brining times are not only determined by the weight and thickness of meat but also by the grain of the meat. Pork tenderloin takes less time to brine by weight than do pork chops because the long-running grain pulls the brine into the meat.
Ingredients
- 4 Pork chops cut thicker 2 cm wide or so or still the rack together!
Pork Brine Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup coarse kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 gallon cold water
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 gloves of garlic crushed
- 1 Red onion chopped
- To taste I add: juniper berries mustard seed, coriander seed, hot pepper flakes or Sichuan peppercorns. To give pork a sweet edge and encourage browning, add ½ cup sugar to each 2 quarts of water.
Instructions
- To determine how much brine you'll need, place the meat to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.
- A heavy-duty plastic tub, stainless-steel bowl, or re-sealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the pork is fully submerged. Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.
- Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. Add it to the cold water; add pepper and seasonings stir to combine. Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding pork. Place your pork in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.
- Experiment with seasonings. Salt is essential, but everything else is optional.
- Rinse pork twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Important
- Do not salt brined meat before cooking.
- Cook pork according to your favorite recipe.
- Do not overcook your brined pork.
- Once brined, the pork cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Cooking time for this chops is between 8 to 10 minutes each or until they reach 145 F / 65 C in the middle!
The most basic seasoning that you want to add to your brine is a sweetener. This can be sugar, brown or white, molasses, or maple syrup. As a general rule add ½ cup of sweetener per gallon of brine.
As for how much brine you will need, consider the size of the container you are going to use and the size of the meat you want to brine. A brine solution should be enough to completely submerge the meat you want to brine.
Additional seasonings can be derived from any recipe you might be using or your own preferences. Herbs and spices as well as garlic and onions will add flavor to pork.
Try not to overpower the flavor of the pork but just add a hint of flavor. Garlic and onions should be minced or chopped to expose the maximum amount of surface area to the brine solution
Grilling Thick Pork Chops: Thick chops need a slower heat to get them cooked without drying them out. What you do want to do however is sear the surface to get them cooking. Preheat your grill as high as it will go (if you are using charcoal build your fire hotter on one side for searing with a cooler side to finish them off on).
Put the chops on the grill and close the lid. After one minute open the grill and flip the chops. Close the lid for one minute. Now turn down the heat on your grill to medium (or move the chops to the cooler side of your charcoal grill). Rotate the chops to get your cross hatch marks and let them cook for about 3 more minutes with the lid down.
After this time flip the chops over and continue cooking for about 4 more minutes. It is best at this point to turn your grill down to its lowest setting (or close the vents on your charcoal grill).
Allow pork chops to continue cooking until the center reaches 145 degrees F/65 degrees C.
Resting: Once the chops are cooked the way you like them get them off the grill. Place on a plate and cover with aluminum foil for 5 to 10 minutes to let them rest.
This recovery period lets the meat loosen up and the juices flow through the pork chop. This really is the most important part of the whole process.
Enjoy it and happy grilling!
Thanks for coming! Did you make this recipe? Let me know!