I was at Antonelli's Meats (located inside CalMart in Laurel Heights) and their thick cut pork chops called out to me. It's really nothing special but I had fun making dinner, very relaxing. (See, I don't always eat out.)
BTW... Antonelli's is one of the best butchers in the city. They have a great selection of beef, pork, lamb, veal, chicken, homemade sausages, and seafood. My favorite is the American kobe flank steak. The meat is marbeled with just the right amount of fat making it tender and delicious beyond belief! In my opinion, so much better than the overly expensive filet mignon which has the texture of baby food – it's simply missing that satisfying chew you are looking for when biting into a piece of meat. Besides, filet mignon is certainly not the most sustainable cut of meat – there are 150 pounds of other cuts compared to 1 pound of filet.
Anyway, back to the pork chops:
1. Cut 3 shallow slits on each side of the chop. This allows the flavors of the brine to really get into the meat.
2. Prepare wet brine by filling a gallon-size Ziploc bag with water, salt, roughly crushed black peppercorns, rosemary, onion, apple juice.
3. Place chops into Ziploc bag and refrigerate between 4 to 48 hours. Overnight is best. (Put bag on a tray in case any of the brine leaks.)How much of each? The liquid needs to cover all the meat. Be generous with the seasonings, especially salt, since it is sitting in unflavored water. The acid is important to help break down the meat a little, allowing for better flavor absorption. Make sure to taste it and add whatever you feel is missing – balance out the flavors. Scientific right? Our taste buds say so.
Wet vs. dry brine? I much more prefer a wet brine over a dry brine because it keeps the meat more moist while still providing flavor.
4. A couple hours before cooking, remove chops from brine and let sit at room temperature. Cold meat causes uneven cooking.
5. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then heat olive oil in a pan. Cast iron pans are preferred because they regulate heat more evenly and get hotter than non-sticks.
6. Once oil is extremely hot, sear chop on each side. As Anne Burrell always says, "Brown food is good food." In my case, I seared about 7 minutes per side.
7. Finish meat by baking in the oven, between 15-25 minutes depending on thickness of meat.
Pretty simple, right? I served the chops with a balsamic vinegar reduction sauce, oven baked sweet potato, and sauteed greens of a Chinese variety.
Bon appetite!
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