Who doesn't love Alton Brown? Well, Alton Brown's Pork Chop Brine is right on. So flavorful and keeps those pork chops juicy.
Brining Pork Chops
This easy Pork chop brine inspired by the great Alton Brown is a great method for preparing pork chops
When I think of pork chops I think of a pan seared no flavor dinner disaster. I guess this is just how I remember pork chops from my youth.
I was walking through the grocery store and I saw some incredible bone-in pork chops and a light bulb went off.
These chops were so attractive that I knew that if I brined them and grilled them they would turn out well. This is my first stab at grilling pork chops and what a success it was.
Alton Brown's Pork Chop Brine is delicious!
Pork Chop Brine Ingredients
- ½ cup of salt (a bit less if you want)
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- 2 Bone in Pork Chops
- ½ T whole peppercorns
- ½ T ground mustard
- 1 cup of boiling hot microwaved apple cider vinegar
- ½ lb of ice cubes (yes I weighed them out)
Alton Brown usually has some incredible ideas when it comes to cooking so I decided to search for an Alton Brown pork chop brine.
I found a quick and easy two hour mustard brine that he uses for his stuffed pork chop recipe.
I didn't want to stuff the chops this time so I just snagged his brine to soften up the pork and to provide some flavor.
Brining Pork Chops
- To make the brine I mixed the salt, brown sugar, ground mustard, and pepper into a decent sized plastic bowl.
- I then microwaved 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and poured it over the dry ingredients and gave them a nice mix to dissolve everything.
- Then I tossed in the ice cubes so I wouldn't be cooking my pork chops in boiling brine.
- Finally the pork chops went into the brine and the whole thing went into the fridge for 2 hours (no more than 2 hours or you'll have a salty mess).
5. After the two hour brine I took the pork chops and rinsed them under cold water to remove any excess surface salt. Brining can easily over salt your meat so you have to rinse afterwards.
How to Cook Alton Brown Brine Pork Chops
I prepared the charcoal grill for a medium high heat and the plan was to grill the pork chops over direct heat for 3 minutes per side and then finish the cooking over indirect heat for a couple of minutes until the pork chops were cooked completely through.
Nowadays the risk of Trichinosis (infection with a live round worm) is quite small due to much better farming and government guidelines for pork but I'm not so keen on medium rare pork!
The brine allows us to cook it completely and still retain the juicyness of a medium cooked steak.
How Long to Cook Pork Chops
The pork chops only took about 3-4 min each side on indirect heat. To be honest I cut into the chops to make sure they were white throughout.
What a fantastic flavor! The dried mustard and apple cider vinegar provide a nice bite to the pork and the brine really made the pork juicy! I'm thrilled with this meal and will certainly be doing it again.
Pork Brine Tips
Make sure you remove the pork chops from the brine after 24 hours or they can be too salty. Pat the pork chops completely dry before grilling.
Be careful not to burn the pork chops by grilling over medium heat so the sugars don't burn. you can rotate between direct heat and indirect heat to prevent burning as well.
Brine for Pork Chops Recipe FAQs
It's recommended to not brine the pork chops longer than 24 hours.
You can but its not necessary. Simply pat them dry with a paper towel.
Yes, if you can't fit in the fridge you can brine in a small cooler with plenty of ice. The brine should be below 38 degrees f.
Yes. The more salt you add the saltier the brine will be. Remember you can season the pork chops after you brine if you feel they need additional salt but you can't remove the salt once the pork chops are brined.
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More Recipes to Try
Best Ever Pork Brine
Ingredients
- 24 oz Pork Chops Bone in (12oz Each)
Brine Ingredients
- ½ cup Kosher Salt a bit less if you want
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ Tbsp Whole Peppercorns
- ½ Tbsp Mustard Powder
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 lb Ice to cool Brine
Instructions
- To make the brine I mixed the salt, brown sugar, ground mustard, and pepper into a decent sized plastic bowl. I then microwaved 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and poured it over the dry ingredients and gave them a nice mix to dissolve everything. Then I tossed in the ice cubes so I wouldn’t be cooking my pork chops in boiling brine. Finally the pork chops went into the brine and the whole thing went into the fridge for 2 hours (no more than 2 hours or you’ll have a salty mess).
- Then toss in the ice cubes so I wouldn’t be cooking my pork chops in boiling brine. Finally the pork chops went into the brine and the whole thing went into the fridge for 2 hours (no more than 2 hours or you’ll have a salty mess).
- Rinse pork chops under cold water to remove excess salty brine. Pat dry with paper towel and season lightly
- Grill pork chops to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Where water
Doesn't say how much water to use... after looking at other recipes, and the amount of salt used here, i think this is a joke? Like, this is a cooking satire site? Either way, if you're reading this, i would advise against this recipe, the author clearly wants you to ruin your pork chops
John
It’s in the ice cubes. You see the ice cubes are actually made from water. I’m not sure you understand the concept of a brine.
Dianne
It states 1 pound of ice in the recipe and once you have Brian pork chops, you will never want to cook them without brining again
Ms B
I didn’t have ice so used ice water from fridge, they turned out juicy and flavorful
Frank Campanella
Hey that works, Glad the pork turned out juicy