Shockingly Good Pork Chops For All

When I was first married, I made the mistake of overcooking pork chops. Since then they haven’t been on my husband’s top ten list. Too bad…I enjoy them occasionally, but like anything that’s been overcooked, I don’t want them to end up dry and tough. Thankfully I learned how to make them moist and flavorful and you can also add them to your repertoire of simple meals.

Brining them has been a game changer and it’s the only way I prepare pork chops these days. I discovered this method on thekitchn.com a few years ago and will be forever grateful because since then, my pork chops are amazing.

Brining

A couple hours before cooking them, I make a brine (salt and water combined with spices) and let the pork chops marinate in it in the refrigerator. The ratio is 1 Tablespoon of coarse salt to 1 cup of water. Use less salt if it’s finely ground.

Start by heating 1 cup of water with 3 Tablespoons of salt to dissolve it along with any spices you choose. Here I added a bay leaf, rosemary, fennel and some red pepper flakes. I often use coriander and garlic.

Pour that solution into a shallow dish and then add 2 more cups of cool water. Let that come to room temperature and then submerge your pork chops in the brine. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Making lots of pork chops? Make more brine following the same ratio. Heat the total amount of salt needed to dissolve in one cup of water and then add the rest of the water needed to complete the brine and cool the solution.

Cooking the Chops

To cook, preheat the oven to 400. Then heat an ovenproof skillet on the stove. Once hot, pat pork chops dry and smear some oil on them. Place them into the skillet on the stovetop for a few minutes. Once they have gotten a bit of color on the underside, turn them over and place the skillet into the oven to finish cooking. My boneless pork chops only required 6 minutes in the oven. You will need a bit longer if your pork chops are thicker or contain a bone. Intuitive cooking without recipes starts with paying attention.

I really like something fruity with pork, so I decided to zest a mandarin orange and cook the zest in a skillet with olive oil and sliced onions. Seasoned with a little ground fennel and rosemary. Wilted spinach in there before tossing with pasta. I enjoy those flavors, the slight bitterness of the citrus zest juxtaposed with the sweet onion and spices. Michael requested mashed potatoes and gravy for next time…Am I surprised? LOL. He knows what he likes in these simple meals!

For an unexpected twist on those mashed potatoes for next time, please read No Small Potatoes next.