Recipe Blog - Feature - Brined Pork Chops

The Ultimate & Easy Brined Pork Chop Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

There’s nothing worse than a dry and flavorless pork chop. How can you avoid this upsetting event? That’s easy! Purchase quality pork from a reputable source, like Ontario raised Pork Loin Chops from Farmway Foods. Once you have your hands on some good (and thick) cuts of pork, brine them. Brining is a process where you submerge meat in a salt-water mixture for an extended period of time. How long should you brine pork chops? You can brine them for up to 8 hours before things start to taste a little too salty. If you forgot to start brining first thing in the morning, you can always shorten the brine time by stabbing the meat with a fork or fine needle to allow the brine into the meat a little easier. Follow these directions on brining and barbecuing your pork chops to ensure the ultimate (and easiest) Pork Chop recipe ever.

Learn more about Brining in this blog about How to Brine

Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Yield
4
Difficulty
Easy

The Ultimate & Easy Brined Pork Chop Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

4

pork loin chops

2 cups

water

¼ cup

kosher salt

¼ cup

brown sugar

2 cups

ice


Rub:

2 tbsp.

smoked paprika

2 tsp.

garlic powder

1 tsp.

mustard powder

½ tsp.

cayenne pepper

3 tbsp.

brown sugar

Freshly ground pepper to taste


Bourbon Bacon Butter:

¼ cup

butter softened

1 tbsp.

bourbon

2 slices of leftover bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled

Fresh fennel fronds

Method
  1. In a saucepan, combine the water, kosher salt, and brown sugar. Warm over medium heat allowing the salt and sugar to dissolve. Combine the salt-water and ice to cool the brine. Make sure that you do this in a heat-safe container – you can use the saucepan if it’s big enough. Once the brine is cooled, you can transfer it to a zip-top bag or glass/ceramic container. Submerge the pork chops in the brine and place them into the fridge for 2 to 8 hours.
  2. Dice the fennel fronds (resemble dill). In a small bowl, combine the butter, bourbon, bacon, and fennel fronds. Place the butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a tube, twisting at the ends. Place into the fridge. 
  3. When ready to cook, raise the cooking grid on the Infrared SIZZLE ZONE™ (Prestige/PRO Series) to the upper position and preheat to high. If you don’t have a sear station, preheat your main burners to high – 500°F+. 
  4. Remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse them carefully, and pat them dry. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, garlic, mustard, cayenne, brown sugar, and fresh pepper. Generously season the pork chops on all sides. 
  5. Sear the pork chops over direct heat for 2 to 5 minutes per side, until they reach an internal temperature of 145°F. For perfect sear marks, turn the pork chops 45° clockwise after 1½ to 2 minutes then flip and repeat. 
  6. Remove from heat and top with a slice of the bourbon-bacon-butter while they rest for at least 5 minutes. 

If you purchased a whole fennel bulb for the bourbon-bacon-butter fancy your meal up by roasting the fennel bulb and serving it with mashed sweet potato and the pork. Or, keep it chill and go with your family’s favorite seasonal sides. What do you like to brine? Share your best Brine for the BBQ tips, tricks, recipes, and photos on our social pages like Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #NapoleonGrill.

Happy Grilling!

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Brine

Prep the brine and submerge the pork chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - seasoning1

Rinse and dry the chops, then prep the seasoning for the chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - seasoning2

Season the chops thoroughly

Grill Blog - Pork Chops - Sear

Preheat the SIZZLE ZONE™ and sear the pork chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - grill2

Sear for 2 minutes each side, then rest for 5 minutes

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Serve1

Serve with roasted fennel and mashed sweet potato

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Serve2

Finish with the Bacon Bourbon Butter and a squeeze of lemon

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Brine

Prep the brine and submerge the pork chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - seasoning1

Rinse and dry the chops, then prep the seasoning for the chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - seasoning2

Season the chops thoroughly

Grill Blog - Pork Chops - Sear

Preheat the SIZZLE ZONE™ and sear the pork chops

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - grill2

Sear for 2 minutes each side, then rest for 5 minutes

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Serve1

Serve with roasted fennel and mashed sweet potato

Recipe Blog - Brined Pork Chops - Serve2

Finish with the Bacon Bourbon Butter and a squeeze of lemon