Try this dish if you prefer savoury pork chops to sweet ones. It tastes delicious, with a light chili powder bite and a pleasant garlic flavor. The marinade’s dual purpose of brining and marinating the meat results in more soft meat. Do not be intimidated by the cooking time; these are simple to make and demand little from you.
| Prep Time: | 10 mins |
| Cook Time: | 15 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 hrs |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 25 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 2 (8-ounce) pork chops |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- ¾ cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cubes ice cubes
- 2 (8 ounce) boneless pork chops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground red chile pepper
Instructions
- Crack about 1/2 of the peppercorns. Add peppercorns, salt, sugar, garlic, and mustard to boiling water. Mix thoroughly until all dry ingredients are dissolved. Slowly add vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice until blended. Pour mixture into a shallow glass or ceramic dish.
- Add ice if the brine is hotter thank lukewarm. Add pork chops, cover, and marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, turning occasionally.
- Heat olive oil, garlic, pepper, and chile powder in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Remove pork chops from the brine and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes per side. Flip chops, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook, checking for doneness every 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes more.
- If the chops take much longer than 15 minutes, you probably have the heat set too low. Turn it up a little and continue cooking.
- Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 506 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 19 g |
| Cholesterol | 39 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 15 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Sodium | 17128 mg |
| Sugars | 16 g |
| Fat | 42 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |