Brined Pork Chops With Apples

By á-174942

Ingredients

• BRINE:
• 4 center-cut pork loin chops, 1 1/2" thk trimmed of
• excess fat
• 4 cups apple cider
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/2 cup golden brown sugar - (packed)
• 3 tablespoons coarsely-ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• PORK:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced - (abt 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup Calvados or apple brandy
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For brine: Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add pork chops to brine. Top with plate to submerge pork. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

For pork: Drain brine from pork chops. Pat pork dry. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook until brown but not cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to same skillet. Cover and cook until onion is soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add apples and sauté until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth and cider, then Calvados, raisins and ginger, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add cream and mustard. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add pork. Cover; cook 3 minutes. Turn pork over and cook until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150 degrees, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer pork to plates.

Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over pork and serve.

This recipe yields 4 servings.