Planning? Who has time to plan? Yet we know deep inside that the best things in life require at least a little bit of planning. Case in point—juicy, succulent, flavorful pork chops. Pork easily gets dried out in cooking. The best way to ensure that it doesn’t, is to brine it ahead of time, plumping it up with moisture, so that when cooking releases moisture, some remains in the pork. My friend Kathi Riley recently shared with me a favorite pork brine, which she learned cooking with Chef Judy Rodgers at San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe, and before then at Chez Panisse. The secret to this brine is its 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to salt. Yes, twice as much sugar as salt. It works! This brine produced the best pork chop I’ve ever eaten. To the base brine I added strips of lemon peel, to complement the lemon in the gremolata garnish of the pork chop, as well as crushed coriander seeds and thyme. Feel free to experiment! Juniper berries would work well if serving the pork with sauerkraut.
2 to 4 thick-cut pork chops, preferably bone-in, about 10 ounces each
Extra virgin olive oil
For the brine:
5 cups water
6 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
3 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
1 sprig thyme
4 strips lemon peel
For the gremolata:
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon grated fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Place one cup of water in a small saucepan and add the roughly crumbled bay leaves, coriander seeds, thyme, and lemon peel. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Let sit for a few minutes. Then add the remaining 4 cups of water. Stir in the sugar and salt until they are dissolved and the water is no longer cloudy. Place the chops in a freezer bag or marinade bag in a bowl and pour the brine into the bag. Seal and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days (1 day for thin chops, 1 to 2 days for thick). Note that because of the sugar in the brine, the chops may brown more quickly than you expect. You may need to move them in the pan a bit to keep them from getting too dark. Great with mashed parsnips and potatoes.
