Photo by Rocky Luten
The secret to the juiciest, most flavorful pork chop is sitting right in your fridge—right there, at the bottom of a pickle jar you’ve nearly kicked.
Why can’t we apply the ingenuity of a jam jar cocktail or a peanut butter jar salad dressing to elevate the humble pork chop? What if the stars align, and you find yourself at the very end of a pickle jar, with a couple of choice cuts in the fridge?
Enter the pickle-brined pork chop. A good brine works wonders on pork, locking in moisture and infusing it with subtle seasoning. Making a brine from scratch is easy enough, and simple brine recipes are readily available online. But for a lower-effort way to get maximum flavor and juiciness, simply pour any leftover pickle brine directly over a couple of pork chops in a lidded container. Transfer to the fridge and allow to brine for at least a few hours, but ideally overnight.
When ready to cook, dry the chops and sear them in a hot cast iron pan, basting with butter, hard herbs, and garlic. I shoot for a solid 145°F internal temp, but the best part of brining is that it provides absolute insurance against overcooking. Even over that medium sweet spot, a brined pork chop will retain far more moisture than one simply salted and seasoned right before cooking.
As an added bonus, the pork will be seasoned from the inside out, with the perfect salt level and extra flavor from the brine’s spices and herbs (think black peppercorn, garlic, and dill). That makes it a perfect pairing with a rich potato or cabbage dish. In this recipe), I serve it with both—potato and cabbage braised in a cream sauce with leeks, fortified with tangy whole-grain mustard and finished with fresh dill.
Ingredients
Pickle-Brined Pork Chops
| 3 | pounds or about 4 bone-in pork chops |
| 2 | cups pickle brine |
| 2 | tablespoons neutral oil |
| 2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 4 | sprigs of thyme |
| 2 | cloves of garlic, crushed |
| 3 | pounds or about 4 bone-in pork chops |
| 2 | cups pickle brine |
| 2 | tablespoons neutral oil |
| 2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 4 | sprigs of thyme |
| 2 | cloves of garlic, crushed |
Braised Cabbage and Potatoes
| 5 | slices of bacon, diced |
| 1 | leek, sliced |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced |
| 5 | sprigs of thyme, tied together with butcher’s twine |
| Salt and pepper to taste | |
| One head of cabbage, cored and sliced into half-inch strips. | |
| 2 | yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | cup beer (amber ale or wheat beer preferred) |
| 2 | tablespoons whole grain mustard |
| 1/8 | teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh dill |
| 5 | slices of bacon, diced |
| 1 | leek, sliced |
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced |
| 5 | sprigs of thyme, tied together with butcher’s twine |
| Salt and pepper to taste | |
| One head of cabbage, cored and sliced into half-inch strips. |
| 2 | yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks |
| 1 | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | cup beer (amber ale or wheat beer preferred) |
| 2 | tablespoons whole grain mustard |
| 1/8 | teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh dill |
What dish do you want to see me tackle next? Let me know in the comments.
Test Kitchen Content Creator at Food52
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