Grilled Pork Chops
Share Farm Boy Recipe
Updated August 2024
Have you ever thought of brining meat? This technique is especially good for meats that tend to dry out, like pork chops, chicken breast, or turkey. Brining in liquid seasons the meat from the inside-out and since the meat absorbs a bit of that liquid, it remains moist when it cooks. It’s a game changer when it comes to cooking things that would otherwise be tough and dry.
It is very simple to make a brine, but there are three things that are extremely important: first, make sure the salt is completely dissolved in the water; second, the brine has to be completely cold before adding the protein to it – otherwise meat will spoil; and third, make sure the meat is submerged in the brine (adjust the quantity of brine according to the quantity of meat you are brining). Refrigerate, covered, for 2-4 hours, depending on the size of the meat – for smaller pieces, the longer you brine, the saltier they become, so be mindful of that (turkey is better in an 8-hour brine),
You can flavour the brine depending on how you will be cooking the meat, so you can add slivered garlic or ginger, peppercorns, cloves, or juniper berries, herbs like Bay leaves, rosemary, or thyme and lime or lemon rind. If you want to add a bit of sweetness, you can add 1-3 Tbsp sugar (white or brown) to the brine. Brine can be made one day before you are going to use it.
How to make the brine: Bring 2 cups water to a gentle simmer and add 2 Tbsp table salt (or 4 Tbsp kosher salt). Stir to dissolve salt, add 2 cups cold water and let cool completely.
Once brine is cold, place it in a container large enough to hold the brine and meat. Add 1 tsp black peppercorns, 2 sprigs rosemary and rind of 1 lemon (use a vegetable peeler for this).
Cover and refrigerate for 2 – 4 hours. When ready to cook, remove meat from brine and pat dry using paper towels. Season VERY lightly before cooking, as it has already been seasoned in the brine.
Ingredients
- 4 pork chops, 3/4” thick (we love rib end chops)
- 3 Tbsp Farm Boy™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Tbsp Farm Boy™ Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp rosemary chopped
- pinch salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup Farm Boy™ Maple BBQ Sauce
Directions
- Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry.
- In small bowl, combine Farm Boy™ Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Farm Boy™ Dijon Mustard, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Brush onto both sides of pork chops.
- Oil grill grates. Grill pork over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes per side, then transfer to indirect heat.
- Brush pork chops with Farm Boy™ Maple BBQ Sauce and continue to cook, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 4-6 minutes per side.
- Let meat rest 5 minutes before serving.