Easiest, Juiciest Pork Chops Ever
I get excited about pork – it’s delicious, easy to cook, versatile, and more sustainable than beef (not to mention less expensive). According to research published by the National Academy of Sciences, pork uses 10% of the environmental resources to produce – on a per pound basis – than beef. That is shocking – and a relief – for me, because it gives me solid reasons for choosing pork over beef.
And, who can resist the smell of fried bacon or a low-and-slow-cooked pork shoulder? Even when I was a vegan, I loved that aroma wafting through my neighborhood from someone else’s kitchen. Except for the two years of being a vegan, pork has always been in heavy recipe rotation at the Hagen house.
Pork Chops: More Exciting Than Chicken, Less Risky Than Beef
Pork chops are a wonderful alternative to the same ol’ chicken breast or pricy T-bone steak. Don’t be intimidated by the numerous names given to chops – loin, rib, sirloin, top loin and blade chops – these monikers are simply based on meat’s location on the pork loin between the shoulder and the hip. For all you ever wanted to know about pork and the various cuts, check out the pork.org site.
Depending on the cut, pork chops are nearly as lean as chicken breast and always less than half the cost of T-bone steak.
Banish Dry Pork Chops with Brining
However, as we’ve experienced first-hand, some of these healthy lean cuts can dry out during cooking, leaving you with a delicious-looking pork chop that chews like a piece of leather. There is a foolproof solution to the scourge of dry pork chop. It’s called brining, or soaking the chops in (basically) salt water for a period of time.
The salt water/brine does two things:
- Seasons meat
- Denatures (changes the structure of) meat proteins so can absorb and retain water/moisture.
Here’s an easy recipe to up your pork game and guarantee juicy – not dry – pork chops every time.
But wait … there’s more! This brining process can be done on any lean cut of pork that tends to dry out during cooking. I’ve had great results with whole pork loin, loin roasts, etc.
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Super Juicy Pork Chops
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Love pork chops but wish they never turned out dry? Your wish has been granted! Enjoy super juicy chops every time with this easy brining process.
Ingredients
- 4 Pork chops, 1 – 2 inches thick
- Acid (juice from one lemon or lime)
- Salt
- Favorite seasonings or sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl or other container, mix enough salt water, using a 1 tbsp-to-1 cup ratio (eg, 1/4 cup salt to 4 cups water) to immerse your pork chops. Add your acid to the salt water. This is your brine.
- Let the pork chops soak, fully submerged, in the brine for at least 30 minutes but up to 8 hours (the longer, the saltier). I have let them go for 12 hours – mistake – the chops were too salty.
- Before cooking or grilling, remove the chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season to your preference, omitting salt – they will be sufficiently salted from the brine.
- Grill or cook to your preference, at least to an internal temperature of 145’F.
Notes
- Due to the few number of ingredients, this recipe fits into any diet (except those that don’t allow pork).
- My preferred way to make these chops is to, season with a little bit of pork rub (with no added salt) and grill.
- The brining process can be incorporated into your favorite chop recipe that includes other ingredients, such as a sauce – just reduce the amount of salt you normally use by at least half.
- If you don’t have an acid, just leave it out – the product will still be great. The juice adds a bit of flavor and further tenderizes the pork.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Food, Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chop
I hope you give the brining process a try the next time you make pork chops. Since pork is a more environmentally-friendly animal protein and generally leaner than beef, I encourage you experiment with replacing some of your beef with pork. Plus, pork easy to cook, adaptable to just about any recipe, and now – always tender and juicy.
Please let me know if you try this method, and what you think!
Works Cited
- CBS News. “The Most Polluting Protein? Environmental Impact of Beef, Pork, Poultry.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 21 July 2014, www.cbsnews.com/news/the-most-polluting-protein-environmental-impact-of-beef-pork-poultry/.
- Eshel, G., et al. “Land, Irrigation Water, Greenhouse Gas, and Reactive Nitrogen Burdens of Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Production in the United States.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 111, no. 33, 2014, pp. 11996–12001., doi:10.1073/pnas.1402183111.
- Gallary, Christine. “The Key to Grilling Juicy, Flavorful Pork Chops Every Time.” Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, LLC., 17 May 2019, www.thekitchn.com/grilled-pork-chops-268342.
- “Home.” We Care, www.porkcares.org/.
- “How to Salt Chicken & How to Brine Chicken.” How to Salt Chicken & How to Brine Chicken | Cook’s Illustrated, www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/610-how-to-salt-chicken-and-how-to-brine-chicken#briningworks.
- “People. Pigs. Planet.” Pork Checkoff, pork.org/.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. The information I provide is based on my personal experience, education and study of dietetics, human nutrition, and biochemistry; and my experience as a runner and athlete. Any recommendations I may make about exercise, nutrition, supplements or lifestyle; or information provided to you in person or on this website are for information purposes only and do not take the place of professional medical advice.
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Easiest, Juiciest Pork Chops Ever
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: variable
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Banish dry pork chops FOREVER by soaking chops in a simple brine for a few hours before grilling.
Ingredients
- At least 1/4 cup of salt
- Pork chops
- Pepper, garlic salt, any other seasonings you like on your pork
Instructions
- Mix your brine in a large bowl by dissolving 1/4 cup of salt in 4 cups of water. (I use about 1 tablespoon salt & 1 cup of water per 8 oz chop. For example, if you have four big pork chops, mix at least 4 tablespoons of salt in 4 cups of water.) Make sure your brine container is big enough to accommodate both the brine and the pork chops.
- Immerse the pork chops in the brine. Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 8 hours (more time = more moisture and saltier chops).
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat.
- Remove the chops from the brine, rinse in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Season the chop with a small amount of salt (they will have absorbed some salt from the brine), pepper, and any other seasonings you like.
- Lightly oil your grill grate and grill the chops on medium-high heat for 2 – 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the center of each chop reaches 145’F
Notes
The nutrition information below is based on an 8-oz bone in pork chop. The sodium level will vary greatly depending on how long the chops are left in the brine and how much salt is added at the end.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 – 20 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Grill
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8 oz chop
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 0 g
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 160 mg
