Mmmm.....Pig (Brined Pork Chops)

So it's getting to be cookout time. My favorite thing to drop on the grill, is a nice juicy pork chop. The key to making pork great, and not just good, is your brine. What's a brine? It's a salt and sugar solution you let the meat soak in before you cook it. Almost like a marinade, but better. Brines are very versatile and once you get the hang of making a basic one, you can get creative with what you put in it. Here's what I use in the summer:

4 ea 8 oz pork chops (bone in or out, depends on what you like)

Brined chop done under the broiler

2 cups good old H2O
1 c brown sugar
1/3 c Salt (Kosher or Sea Salt, not that iodized table crap)
1 tsp whole peppercorns
5 sprigs thyme
5 sage leaves
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 each star anise (optional)
2 cups ice

1. Put all of your ingredients in a pot, except the ice and pork chops.
2. Bring everything to a boil, and stir until the salt and sugar have all dissolved.
3. This is where the ice comes in, it's a great time saver. Transfer the liquid you just boiled into some kind of container. Drop the ice in and stir. Your liquid should be about room temp.
4. Now for the pig. Drop your pork chops in and let them sit about 2-3 hours.
5. Get your grill ready and just cook. I leave them on until they're about medium. (about 6 minutes each side)

You can use this brine with any light meat you want. Roast a chicken with it, turkey breast, pork loin, whatever. This is an easy way to impress your friends at your next cookout.

Later,

The Doctor