Smoky Brined Pork Chop Recipe with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

By: Andrea Alden

So, there may be a bunch of ingredients in this recipe, but don’t let that scare you off. These Smoky Brined Pork Chops are succulent and pair perfectly with baked sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. When using a brine, you are bathing the pork in a heavily salted liquid for between 1 and 8 hours. While in there, the dissolved salt is passing into the meat so that an equilibrium of saltiness between the liquid and the meat can be achieved. This brings extra moisture into the meat as well, making for supremely scrumptious pork chops. Remember that there has been a lot of salt brought into the meat through this process and you will want to go light with salt when seasoning and finishing later.

Find out more about The Science of Brining and learn some of the finer techniques of How to Brine.

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

45 min

Yield

Difficulty

Easy

Smoky Brined Pork Chop Recipe with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

Pork Brine:

4 super thick pork chops
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/3 cup (96 g) kosher salt (Do not use table salt)
2 tbsp. (25 g) brown sugar
Fresh herbs and whole peeled garlic cloves to taste
2 cups (473 g) ice

Seasoning & Veggies:

6 tbsp. (89 ml) oil
4 to 6 tbsp. (52 g) your favorite BBQ rub (preferably salt free)
4 fist sized sweet potatoes
4 tbsp. (57 g) butter
1 lb. (0.5 kg) brussels sprouts
½ tbsp. (7 ml) cider vinegar
2 tbsp. (30 ml) Dijon mustard
4 tbsp. (60 ml) maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Napoleon Smoker Box
Wood chips of your liking

Method

In a large bowl, add your wood chips and cover them with water. Let the wood chips soak until you are ready to go to the barbecue, at least 30 minutes.
In a saucepan, combine the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, and any herbs and aromatics you want, like rosemary, thyme and garlic. Bring the liquid to a simmer until the salt is completely dissolved.
Fill a heat-safe, non-reactive container, like Napoleon’s Marinade Tray, with ice. Pour the brine mixture over the ice and stir until cooled. Lay the pork chops in the brine, ensuring that they are well covered. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours.
When you are ready to cook, place the soaked wood chips into the Napoleon Smoker Box. Remove the cooking grids and the sear plate next to the burners you will be lighting. Replace the sear plate that you removed with the Smoker Box, then replace the cooking grids. Preheat the barbecue to 425°F (218°C) using two side-by-side burners, leaving the other(s) off.
Wash, then stab the sweet potatoes on one side with a fork. Place the sweet potatoes onto the barbecue over the unlit burner(s) with the forked side facing up, then roast for 45 minutes or until fork-tender.
While waiting for the potatoes, wash and cut the brussels sprouts in half. Season them with up to 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of oil and salt and pepper to taste. Wrap in foil and place onto the barbecue with the potatoes.
About halfway through cooking the potatoes, remove the pork chops from the brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towel. Season them with up to 4 tbsp. (59 ml) of oil and your favorite seasoning to taste. Move the brussels sprouts over to the lit burners and place the pork chops onto the barbecue next to the potatoes to cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, by now the wood chips should be smoking nicely.
While the food is cooking, combine the mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl. Whisk and set aside. Cut the butter into cubes.
When the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 135°F (57°C), sear them over the lit burners for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until grill marks form and they reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Remove everything from the barbecue, allowing the pork to rest for at least 5 minutes. While the pork is resting, slice open the sweet potatoes and toss in a cube of butter. Plate the potatoes and sprouts. Once rested, slice the pork chops and place them on the plate with the veggies. Drizzle with the dressing.

This Smoky Brined Pork Chop Recipe with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts may seem a little complicated, but it’s super simple and decidedly delicious. The light smoky flavor packs a wallop and completely complements the sweet and sour flavor of the maple mustard dressing. How do you like your pork chops? Share your barbecued pork chop recipes, secrets, and photos on our social pages like Facebook and Instagram, using the hashtags #NapoleonEats and #FreestyleGrilling.

Happy Grilling!

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.